Washington County officials split on undoing last year's spending cuts

FAYETTEVILLE -- A promise last year to reconsider Washington County's $4 million budget cuts if needed resurfaced during the Quorum Court's meeting Tuesday, with officials split over whether the cuts must stay.

The Finance Committee approved several thousand dollars for the county animal shelter and agriculture cooperative extension service for what the departments' directors said are essential personnel and supplies. The requests now go to the full Quorum Court next week for approval.

The animal shelter, which has a $616,000 budget this year, would get $10,500 for general and janitorial supplies, medical needs for the cats and dogs and other costs. The agriculture extension office, meanwhile, would receive about $7,000 to support a part-time secretary who handles samples of soil and other substances for farmers around the county.

The requests together are a small portion of the county's more than $4 million in unappropriated reserve, and both department directors argued they couldn't go without the money if the county expects the same level of service from them.

"What I tried to do was make my money last as long as I could, and we're at that point," said Angela Ledgerwood, the animal shelter director. She originally asked for $35,500 in new money, nearly all of it for supplies and medical procedures.

That amount would have erased the cuts imposed by the Quorum Court in this year's budget. Similarly, the agricultural extension's request granted Tuesday had been denied last year because of budget concerns.

"We're cleaning every hour of the day," Ledgerwood said, noting the shelter holds around 200 animals at any moment. "The only way to do less would be to stop some of the animals coming in."

The committee approved only a portion of the animal shelter request after Lisa Ecke, a Republican from Springdale's District 6, voiced sharp skepticism over the costs. Pointing to her own food business, Ecke said Ledgerwood's estimates were overblown.

"I know how much janitorial supplies cost," Ecke said, adding the request should be denied until Ledgerwood comes back and proves the amount is needed. "If you're wanting these kinds of increases, then you're going to have to find them in other line items or manage your budget a little bit better."

Ecke voted against giving the reduced amount.

Last year, county officials expected the departments would come back this year asking for bandages to their budget cuts.

"I am very hopeful with this budget that revenues will come back far better than we're projecting," former finance chairwoman Candy Clark told her fellow justices of the peace last fall after hammering out the cuts with each department head individually. "I gave them (department heads) the assurance that your doors are going to be open next year."

Revenue from sales taxes is indeed up slightly from expectations, Treasurer Bobby Hill told the committee Tuesday, and property values overall are increasing, Assessor Russell Hill said. But Eva Madison, a Fayetteville Democrat who isn't part of the committee, said the county still couldn't afford to backtrack on its cuts.

The cuts were made to rebuild the reserve for emergencies; the unappropriated reserve is roughly $2 million lower than at the beginning of the year.

"What I'm seeing tonight is what I fear is the beginning of a very troubling trend," Madison said. "My intent in passing cuts was that you do with less, not continue the status quo."

The committee asked Ledgerwood to give a more detailed run-down of her supply needs and costs before it would approve the rest of her request.

Madison also objected to the money for the extension office, which is supported by the University of Arkansas and other government agencies along with the county. But other justices said the extension service is worth the money.

"This (agriculture) is how people in the county make money -- this is how they live," said Ann Harbison, Democrat of West Fork.

NW News on 07/08/2015