Collections should give late bolster to county's 911 budget

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

GREENCASTLE -- The Putnam County Emergency 911 budget -- the subject of consternation at two month's worth of county council meetings -- looks to be in better shape as the end of the year approaches.

911 director Dave Costin was at Tuesday's council meeting to request another additional appropriation of $55,000 from the county general fund. However, an influx of receipts should put the budget in the black by Dec. 31.

"I think actually we're doing pretty good. We had a surge of receipts for the end of the quarter," Costin said.

Costin said projected receipts from phone carriers should add an estimated $64,600 to the budget by year's end.

An additional appropriation granted last month put the year-to-date budget $21,112.15 ahead. The additional $119,600 from the new appropriation and the receipts should make the budget much more healthy for year's end.

Any unspent money in the 911 budget will roll back into the county's general fund.

"We're not in nearly as bad of trouble as we thought we were two months ago," council president Darrel Thomas said.

The request was granted unanimously.

Costin also said things look up for collections next year because many people are picking up phone service from providers like Comcast and Cinergy Metronet, who offer diversified services like phone, cable and Internet.

"I think we'll be much better next year," Costin said.

Council also voted to keep the meeting dates and times the same for 2011, meeting at 7 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month at the courthouse annex.

Additionally, two council members will soon be leaving the council for other offices. Tuesday was Nancy Fogle's last meeting, as she moves on to a spot as a Putnam County Commissioner. Opal Sutherlin will also be done at year's end as she takes the office of Putnam County Recorder.

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