Daviess County Fiscal Court approved on Thursday the first reading of a $77 million budget for the 2020-2021 fiscal year.
While the Daviess County Detention Center and Sheriff’s Office budgets increased, the County’s health insurance budget decreased by millions of dollars, as was expected after Fiscal Court approved a new provider in late 2019.
Judge-Executive Al Mattingly said he thought Fiscal Court put together a good budget this year, crediting County employees and commissioners for their hard work and frugal spending.
“Certainly, it’s a budget that allows us to do the things we are statutorily and constitutionally required to do,” Mattingly said. “It also speaks to the operation of the jail and sheriff’s department.”
Mattingly said he’s heard from a lot of counties that aren’t sure how they’re going to make it through the next fiscal year due to hardships from COVID-19. Daviess County wasn’t in that same position, he said.
County Treasurer Jim Hendrix said Fiscal Court’s general fund was budgeted for $32,450,682; the road fund at $5,810,572; and DCDC at $9,242,495 for the upcoming fiscal year.
The LGEA fund was budgeted at $671,000; the bond fund at $5,586,000; the solid waste funds at $21,814,000; and the economic development fund at $1,304,000.
The health insurance fund dropped to $501,100 due to the switch in providers that took effect Jan. 1 this year.
County employees began receiving health insurance through the Kentucky Department of Employee Insurance’s Kentucky Employees’ Health Plan, saving Fiscal Court $1.5 million-$2.5 million a year. According to claims, Hendrix predicted Fiscal Court would save closer to $2.5 million from the switch.
A second reading regarding the County budget will be held on June 11.
