By Bob Vlach
Woodford Sun Staff
With a carryover balance projected to decrease to less than $85,000 next fiscal year, Planning Director Steve Hunter told members of the Planning Commission’s Personnel & Budget Committee on Feb. 12 that he will ask for slight increases in contributions from the cities of Versailles and Midway and Woodford County.
Because fees for building and other permits are not keeping pace with rising expenditures, he said, “We’ve got to have money from the city and county to make up a big chunk of that difference.” He also noted, “… the last few years we’ve not asked for more money.”
The contribution being asked from the City of Versailles would increase from $98,277 to $120,000, with the county also contributing $120,000 (up from $112,461). The City of Midway would also contribute more ($28,116 to $30,000), based on the FY 2027 preliminary budget reviewed by the Budget Committee.
“We’re not looking to change any fees. We’re looking just to ask the governments for a little bit more money,” Hunter said, “and hopefully, our carryover is a little higher (than projected). We just won’t know until we get into this next quarter,” when revenue from large developments could bolster the ending balance.
The beginning balance last fiscal year was projected to be $143,386 before the commission approved an amended budget after the committee meeting. It reduced the carryover amount to $138,582.
The committee did not receive projected expenditures for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1. Those projections are expected to come to the committee sometime before the next Planning Commission meeting in March.
Closed session
The Personnel & Budget Committee went into executive session to discuss a personnel issue. No formal action was taken by the committee after a discussion, according to Hunter, about an audit finding related to personnel and a potential tweak to the personnel policy to address the audit finding.