Expenses up, tax dollars down in tentative conservation budget

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

John Pullis, executive director of the Henry County Conservation Department, told conservation board members that even though his fiscal 2018 preliminary budget calls for a double-digit increase in expenditures, the actual tax dollars needed to fund the budget will decrease.

Pullis said during Tuesday?s monthly board meeting that he is looking at a 23-percent increase in budget expenditures but a 6-percent decrease in tax dollars needed for the budget.

Largely responsible for the budget increase is the addition of two cabins to existing campgrounds and the movement of the Waterworks campground to higher ground, Pullis said. He said those two items would account for about $180,000 of next year?s budget.

Funds in the conservation department?s REAP and land acquisition and development accounts will be used to pay for the cabins and relocation of the Waterworks campground, Pullis noted.

The decrease in tax asking, the executive director explained, is due to the reduction in several budget line items. For instance, the motor vehicle line item is being reduced $18,000 and propane fuel expense will drop by about $2,500.

In last year?s budget, funding was also included to send Trenton Hoekstra, a former ranger/naturalist with the department, to the law enforcement academy. Hoekstra didn?t attend the academy and the money will not be included in next year?s budget.

?I dropped the expenses in some line items and fine tuned other things,? Pullis told his board.

Conservation board members were briefed and received corresponding documents on the 2018 budget but no action was taken.

In another discussion item, the board was presented information regarding department salaries for the next fiscal year. ?You have homework,? Pullis said as he passed out a comparison of conservation department salaries with other county employee salaries. He also distributed a comparison of Henry County?s Conservation Department salaries with salaries in other county conservation departments throughout the state.

?I want us to move on it (setting salaries) next month, so I can get it in the budget,? he said.

Next season?s cabin rental fees will be $68 on Sunday through Thursday nights, and $80 on Friday and Saturday nights, board members were informed. Cabin rentals require a two-night minimum stay on the weekends.

In a pair of action items, the board approved the purchase of a compact tractor and a utility vehicle. Morning Sun Farm Equipment of Morning Sun was the successful bidder on each piece of equipment. The conservation department will pay $7,990 after trade for the compact tractor and $6,154 for the utility vehicle. Both vehicles will be Kubotas.

Pullis also handed out the annual report and said the board will vote on approval during the January board meeting.

Naturalist Cari Nicely said she has received some welcome help from last summer?s intern this week in giving presentations to school students. ?I snagged the intern from last summer to help. Otherwise, I could not have physically have worked it (presentations) in.?

The board meets again in regular session Monday, Jan. 9, at 6 p.m., in the conservation board meeting room in the department offices at Oakland Mills.