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County Budget Grows By $13.4 Million

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By MICHAEL D. BATES, Hernando Today

Published: December 7, 2007

BROOKSVILLE - Hernando County's 2008 budget just got fatter.

But it didn't put on as many pounds as last year.

County commissioners Tuesday voted unanimously to approve a request from Budget Director George Zoettlein to increase the 2008 budget by $13.4 million to allow for uncompleted projects from last year to be carried over to the new fiscal year.

The 2008 budget will be adjusted from $421.8 million to about $435.3 million.

Zoettlein said the increase represents outstanding purchase orders from projects not completed the previous year and for which departments have not received final bills. The money used to cover those purchases is set aside in the old year's budget and are brought forward into the new one to cover encumbrances, or reserved payments.

These budget amendments are part of the normal budget process, Zoettlein said.

Last year, the county had to increase the budget $19 million. And like last year, the major increases were for road projects that never got off the ground.

For example, the county budgeted $374,223 this year for improvements to the Spring Hill Drive and Mariner Boulevard intersection. By bringing forward $1.2 million in purchase orders already encumbered for the project, the amended line item for that project is now $1.6 million.

Other examples: $218,022 was budgeted for the Barclay Road south road expansion. Because the project hasn't been completed yet, Zoettlein brought forward $$3.3 million for a total of $3.5 million.

Zoettlein also added $220,968 in the budget for the four-laning of a 0.8-mile stretch of Elgin Boulevard east to Village Van Gogh.

County Commissioner Dave Russell said it is not unusual for road projects to hit obstacles - bids don't always come in as expected or they are too high. There may also be insufficient funds to complete a project.

Other projects are reliant on state money for completion.

One reason why more projects were completed in this budget cycle and there was less carry-over from the previous fiscal year was because Hernando County received about $30 million of the $1.5 billion the state allocated to counties for advanced road work.

That money will be used to facilitate projects in the county's adopted road plan.

In related news:

Zoettlein said he should have the final approved 2008-09 biennial budget on-line within the next two weeks. People will be able to view it by visiting: www.co.hernando.fl.us/bocc/budget/

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

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