Judge-Executive Charlie Castlen has told the Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation the County could reduce or even eliminate the organization’s funding after being “less than satisfied” with their performance. He said the new Fiscal Court is similarly taking a hard look at all county agencies and offices that receive funding as the County begins planning the budget for Fiscal Year 2024.
Castlen acknowledged Wednesday that he wrote a letter to the EDC, which has experienced two major losses in recent months with former President Brittaney Johnson and former Business Retention and Expansion Manager Elizabeth Griffith Mudd both leaving for other opportunities.
“They’ve got two vacancies and the (County) staff recommended me saying they thought it was prudent to at least let the EDC know what our thinking was, that everything was on the table,” Castlen said.
The letter to the EDC from the Judge-Executive is as follows:
“In light of the current turmoil at EDC, with the departure of key employees, the search for replacements, and the fact that Daviess County Fiscal Court (DCFC) has been less than satisfied with EDC’s performance, I wish to serve notice that DCFC intends to consider all options as we prepare the FY24 budget. DCFC will consider the EDC’s request for funding in the context of all funding requests. We will weigh costs vs. benefits. Our analysis may very well result in reduced funding or even zero funding. I wanted to let you know up front what we are considering, instead of dropping this on you after the fact.”
EDC chairwoman Amy Jackson could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
According to the budget, the EDC received $184,000 from Fiscal Court for the current Fiscal Year. To view the County’s entire FY22-23 budget broken down by account, click here.
Castlen noted he and the new County Commissioners have had very preliminary conversations since entering the office, and he reiterated that from his vantage point, “everything is on the table” when it comes to how Fiscal Court will allocate money.
“It’s a brand new budget, a brand new Fiscal Court, and we’re going to just look and see where things go — what should be funded and what shouldn’t be funded — and we’re looking at it with a new set of eyes,” he said.
Castlen said all departments are currently making their budget requests for FY24. In the first week of March, he plans to discuss the allocations with the County Treasurer.
Castlen said after looking at the requests already submitted, some departments have a significantly higher request than they did in FY23.
While Castlen is prepared to make major changes in his first year as Judge-Executive if necessary, he said that’s a contrary approach to his predecessor Al Mattingly. According to Castlen, Mattingly opted to not adjust the budget his first year in order observe the functions of the departments.
“I did not take that approach and since I didn’t take the approach, truly every dollar is up to reallocation,” Castlen said.
That means approximately $121.7 million is up for discussion in this year’s budget across the numerous departments that receive funding from the Daviess County Fiscal Court.
Historically, the budget has been presented before the Fiscal Court in late April and approved in early May.
