Although many departments are facing a timing issue for revenue, most of Lafayette County’s departmental budgets are right on track for 2012.
Sandy Deininger, the county’s director of finance, reviewed the first two months’ expenses and revenues with the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, April 17.
Deininger said the timing issue has to do with the revenue not flowing evenly. Some departments get steady payments, others get a lump sum at the end of the year or at various points throughout the year, making it difficult to show a balanced budget before the year’s end.
“A budget is for guidance,” supervisor Wayne Wilson said. “From year to year you never know what’s going to happen and you have to make adjustments as you go along.”
Deininger said the health and social services departments, primarily the hospital, manor and health department, need more attention. She said those departments are dealing with a larger amount of money and she would like to focus on those budgets each month at the finance committee meetings, “so we don’t have any surprises that come up,” Deininger said.
She said some of the departments are having a harder time preparing information for the county’s new auditing firm, Baker Tilly. Deininger said she believes Baker Tilly is doing a thorough job allowing the county to be more efficient.
The supervisors also elected its board of officers, which remained the same as before: Jack Sauer as chairman, Wayne Wilson as first vice chair and David Hammer as second vice chair. The highway committee remains the same with supervisors Dwayne Larson, Wayne Wilson, Gerald Heimann and Ted Wiegel serving. The executive, rules and legislation committee will now be represented by David Hammer, Gerald Heimann, Wayne Wilson, Ron Niemann and Ted Wiegel.