Riley County commissioners on Monday reviewed preliminary numbers for the 2021 budget.
Budget and Finance Officer Tami Robison presented early projections for budget appropriations and highlighted any increases to department budgets and the total number. Increases include the attorney’s office, community corrections, insurance, and council of aging. The total appropriations request is $33,956,690.
Other costs for the county include bond and interest, county building, Riley County Police Department, and capital improvement. The costs for bond and interest are final since they can not make adjustments to money the county owes, while the county building budget is to remain flat. The Law Board voted Monday to keep the RCPD budget flat, but still allows for a 0.63 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA) on top of the 2021 base budget. Robison presented the RCPD budget as flat withe 2020 in the commissioner’s budget.
So far, this brings the total budget to $39.67 million, a little under $2 million from 2020’s $41.73 million budget.
Commissioners were then presented an employee step increase of 3.1%. The current base wages are at $22.5 million. Applying the increase and cost of living adjustment totals $23.5 million.
Due to the pandemic, the commission wants to keep the budget as flat as possible. Commissioner Ron Wells says he has been thinking about this issue over the past several weeks.
“I think Riley County pays its employees very well and we have great benefits. It’s very tough to do any increases considering the people suffering, I would even look at cutting the commission’s salary for next year,” says Wells.
Commissioner Marvin Rodriguez agreed with Wells on both reducing commission pay and keeping the COLA flat. He suggested a 10 percent decrease for next year.
Commissioner John Ford agreed as well saying this works as a starting point for now.
“Looking at our percentages over the years, have gone up pretty healthy. I don’t mind giving those out if we’re in really good times, potentially, those conversations are still open, but we’re not going to be over the next few cycles,” says Ford.
Commission will continue their budget talks on during their meeting on Thursday.
