Unbudgeted CAGIT funds total $467,000 for Putnam County
Since the April announcement of a massive state revenue error, the only thing that has been clear is Putnam County was set to get a disbursement of unexpected cash in its coffers.
The exact amount has been about as clear as mud.
The original estimate for County Adjusted Gross Income Tax (CAGIT) funds was $790,673.44, but it was unclear how the money would be distributed among the county's various government entities.
Before the Putnam County Council could decide where to put the money, it had to know how much there was.
Greencastle-Putnam County Economic Development Director Bill Dory helped clear some of that up Tuesday night. Unbudgeted CAGIT distributions to Putnam County will total $467,523.02 in 2012.
Dory also reported additional CAGIT tax replacement distributions for 2011 and 2012 totaling $71,220.46, but these must be used for the 2013 budget.
Possible uses for the CAGIT money were again a point of discussion for the council. While $150,000 has already been pledged to the county highway for road repaving, another $317,000 remains to be distributed.
Councilmen reiterated suggestions for the money made at previous meetings: a one-time bonus for county employees, setting money aside for the Edgelea repaving project and placing some funds back in the rainy day fund.
Commissioner Nancy Fogle also reminded the council more work is needed on roads, stating the highway department is likely to need an additional $100,000 to complete repaving projects.
There is another source for road money, however, as the county also received a windfall in County Economic Development Income Tax (CEDIT) funds.
With roads as a high priority for the commissioners, particularly Fogle and Gene Beck, chances are good that the vast majority, if not all, of the CEDIT windfall will go toward the cause.
In another highway department matter, Council also approved a money transfer to go toward the closure of Bridge 42.
An inspector recently suggested the closure of the bridge, which carries County Road 25 West across South Ramp Creek in southern Franklin Township.
The $30,000 needed for the project will come from funds previously allocated to a project to replace Dunbar Bridge.
In other business, the council approved a number of additional appropriations:
* Tentative approval was given for $30,000 for the maintenance of Sheriff's Department vehicles.
Sheriff Steve Fenwick told the council that when the deputy force was increased by three officers four years ago, the budget for vehicle maintenance was not increased accordingly.
No official request for an additional appropriation had been filed, so the matter had not been advertised. Once it has been advertised, the official request will go before the council at its July meeting.
Fenwick is likely to be back in the coming months for a request for fuel money, as the budgeted amount has also not been increased in recent years.
* The council approved $158,000 for the narrow banding of county two-way radios -- $143,000 from the Hazardous Materials Fund and $15,000 from the 800 Fund.
911 Director Dave Costin has been talking about the federally-mandated transition for some months. After Jan. 1, non-compliant agencies could face fines from the Federal Communications Commission of $10,000 per day.
* County Assessor Nancy Dennis requested $3,000 to be transferred from reassessment to fuel. With cyclical reassessment now mandated by the state, workers will be doing much more field work, necessitating more money for gas.