PORT ANGELES — Clallam County will tighten its belt another notch and draw $1.43 million from reserves to balance next year’s budget.
Despite the loss of 23 employees, four of whom were laid off, the county will maintain current programs and services if the three commissioners approve the draft budget before them.
Commissioners will consider adopting a final 2011 budget Tuesday.
“We do have some small reductions in level of service due to the staffing cutbacks,” County Administrator Jim Jones said in the first of two budget hearings Tuesday.
“We are living within our means, however.”
No public testimony was taken in either hearing at the Clallam County Courthouse in Port Angeles.
“We’ve had plenty of input from members of the public throughout the process,” Commissioner Mike Chapman said.
Projected revenue in the county’s general fund is $31.1 million, compared with $32.5 million in expenses.
Drawing $1.43 million from reserves would leave $8.07 million — or about a quarter of the budget — in the rainy day fund for 2012 and beyond.
Clallam County’s general fund covers operating expenses and core services like sheriff’s deputies and the county jail.
The budget gap was more than twice as wide in August, when Jones introduced a preliminary budget that had a $3.1 million shortfall.
Jones asked each department to make cuts or find new revenue to reduce the draw on reserves.
“We wouldn’t have been here today with this budget without the hard work of the men and women not only represented in this room, but throughout the courthouse,” Chapman said.
“This was a team effort, starting from back in July with Jim [Jones] and [Budget Director] Kay [Stevens].”
“We got there. We have a good budget. We are trying to do our best to live within our means and not ask the public for new tax revenue.”
The draft budget has no cost-of-living increase for the county’s 391 full-time equivalent employees. It does allow for step increases, however, if an employee has earned one.
Jones and Commissioners Mike Doherty, Steve Tharinger and Chapman will not get a pay raise next year.
Examples of small reductions in service include the recent changes to the customer service hours in the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and District and Superior Court Clerk’s offices.
Those three customer service windows will remain closed from noon to 12:30 p.m. in 2011.
Clallam County’s total budget, which includes tax revenue and state and federal grants, is $7.4 million in the red.
Projected expenditures outweigh revenues $83.3 million to $75.9 million in the total budget.
More than two-thirds of the total budget is dedicated to public safety expenditures. Law and justice and public works account for $55.6 million of the budget.
The county projects $27 million in tax revenue and $27.6 million in intergovernmental revenue.
Clallam County expects to spend $35.8 million for outside services and capital improvements in 2011 and $22.6 million in salaries.
After accounting for two minor changes, Jones said the budget will boost the local economy by as much as $58,419,782 in 2011.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.