Cass County to dip into reserves for '04 budget

WALKER -- The Cass County Board set the 2004 levy Tuesday at $13,269,623.

The board also approved a 2004 budget with $40,065,699 in expenditures and $39,188,690 in anticipated revenues.

Chief Deputy Auditor Larry Wolfe explained that the board set aside in prior years a carry-over fund of money budgeted and not expended. The fund now totals $1.5 million.

The commissioners designated in the 2004 budget that $400,000 of that fund sitting in general revenue will be transferred to road and bridge fund to be used for an increased county road improvement program.

They approved a 3 percent raise for board members to $21,825 and will continue per diem rates paid for commissioners to attend meetings, other than the first board meeting each month, at $75. The 3 percent is consistent with existing Cass union contracts.

All citizens serving on county-appointed committees also will continue to be paid $75 per day, with the exception of civil service commission, which by state statute cannot be a paid position.

The board granted a 3 percent pay raise to the four other elected county officials, effective Jan. 1. The county attorney's annual pay will be $90,468, the auditor-treasurer's $67,320, the recorder's $47,220 and the sheriff's $78,036.

The recorder is the only elected official not already at Step 10 on the county pay scale, so she additionally will receive a step increase to $48,624, effective July 1.

The board granted 2004 3 percent pay raises for community support workers, public health roster nurses and child and teen checkup clinic support/outreach workers.

The board approved setting employee reimbursements for use of their personal vehicles when county cars are not available at the 2004 IRS rate of 37.5 cents per mile. If a county car is available and an employee chooses not to use it, reimbursement will be only 19 cents per mile.

Meal allowances for employees will be up to $30 per day.