Editorial: County facing big challenge
As Nobles County faces a nearly $560,000 reduction in county program aid by the end of 2010, the county’s board of commissioners will soon face some difficult choices.By: Daily Globe, Worthington Daily Globe
As Nobles County faces a nearly $560,000 reduction in county program aid by the end of 2010, the county’s board of commissioners will soon face some difficult choices.
During a special meeting last week, a plethora of options for reducing expenses were put on the table. According to a “2010 County Budget Cut Ideas” worksheet provided to the Daily Globe, some of the several options for savings include:
- Reduction in employees ($250,000).
- No raises in 2010/no cost of living adjustments ($245,000).
- Reduction of the number of hours in the work week ($100,000 to $160,000).
- Sell off county parks ($100,000).
- Combine public health with family services ($75,000).
In addition to a handful of other ideas for savings — and dollar figures — the worksheet includes more than 30 other ideas to slash expenditures. The worksheet is available here.
The dramatic cut in county program aid, as Nobles County Administrator Mel Ruppert said last week, “will have an impact. How we deal with that is certainly the challenge for us.” Ruppert is accurate in this assessment; now, he and the county board need to make sure the public has every opportunity to weigh in with its thoughts.
We can think of a certain Nobles County Government Center renovation project that moved forward despite a pretty substantial outcry from the general public. That project is costing money the county probably wishes it had right now. Regardless of that matter, it’s a time for careful consideration and a distinct lack of government waste.
Tags: nobles county, opinion, editorials, noblescountycommissioners
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