MONROE - Green County spent about $1.37 million more in 2013 than it budgeted for last fall.
But, thanks to unexpected grants and leftovers from 2012, it looks like the county will still end the year in the black.
"In total, for 2013, we're estimating to return $121,000 to the general fund," said Rhonda Hunter, finance director.
The 2013 budget was budgeted at $43.33 million, although supervisors approved it last year at $41.57. The difference is due to a bookkeeping change in how the Highway Department tracks machinery earnings, this year anticipated at $1.76 million.
Overall, Green County is projecting $44.70 million in spending in 2013.
The unplanned $1.36 million in extra spending spans departments - "a little bit here and there," Hunter said. A few stand out as having more unexpected expenses, while others are coming in underbudget.
- Pleasant View Nursing Home spent 2.54 percent more than budgeted, or about $267,600, but only had about $48,000 more coming in as revenue. Unexpected repairs, including a new phone system, account for some of these unbudgeted expenses, Hunter said.
Pleasant View has been operating at a deficit and going into the red for years, according to Herb Hanson, chair of the committee that supervises the county-run facility. A pressing financial drain on Pleasant View is the money it loses by accepting Medicaid patients, whose expenses are not fully reimbursed by the state.
In 2009, voters approved an extra $890,000 annually for five years for the facility. Last week, Hanson's committee recommended another referendum to give Pleasant View an extra $790,000 annually for five more years. If approved, the referendum would go on the ballot next year.
- The Health Department had about $20,000 more expenses than budgeted, but about $24,000 more revenue coming in to cover the gap. Most of the unbudgeted expenses were for clients' personal care costs, which get reimbursed by the federal government, Hunter said.
- Human Services went overbudget by 4.37 percent, or $369,810. Of this, about $227,000 went for in-patient care at Mendota and Winnebago Mental Health Institutes in Madison, according to Hunter. Foster care expenses were also more than anticipated. Both expenses are difficult to predict in advance, she said.
- Land and Water Conservation is spending about $42,000 more than planned, but had about $45,000 more than planned as revenue, thanks in part to a $22,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, Hunter said.
- Tourism is also going overbudget, but had grants to pick up the slack.
- The sheriff's department is staying about 2.25 percent underbudget, which former Sheriff Jeff Skatrud has said is due in part to good budgeting of overtime.
- Labor negotiations will be costing $7,500 in 2013, less than the $10,000 budgeted. Only $5,000 is budgeted for labor negotiations in 2014.
With collective bargaining limited under Gov. Scott Walker's Act 10 legislation, the need to cover labor negotiations has shrunk, Hunter said.
But, thanks to unexpected grants and leftovers from 2012, it looks like the county will still end the year in the black.
"In total, for 2013, we're estimating to return $121,000 to the general fund," said Rhonda Hunter, finance director.
The 2013 budget was budgeted at $43.33 million, although supervisors approved it last year at $41.57. The difference is due to a bookkeeping change in how the Highway Department tracks machinery earnings, this year anticipated at $1.76 million.
Overall, Green County is projecting $44.70 million in spending in 2013.
The unplanned $1.36 million in extra spending spans departments - "a little bit here and there," Hunter said. A few stand out as having more unexpected expenses, while others are coming in underbudget.
- Pleasant View Nursing Home spent 2.54 percent more than budgeted, or about $267,600, but only had about $48,000 more coming in as revenue. Unexpected repairs, including a new phone system, account for some of these unbudgeted expenses, Hunter said.
Pleasant View has been operating at a deficit and going into the red for years, according to Herb Hanson, chair of the committee that supervises the county-run facility. A pressing financial drain on Pleasant View is the money it loses by accepting Medicaid patients, whose expenses are not fully reimbursed by the state.
In 2009, voters approved an extra $890,000 annually for five years for the facility. Last week, Hanson's committee recommended another referendum to give Pleasant View an extra $790,000 annually for five more years. If approved, the referendum would go on the ballot next year.
- The Health Department had about $20,000 more expenses than budgeted, but about $24,000 more revenue coming in to cover the gap. Most of the unbudgeted expenses were for clients' personal care costs, which get reimbursed by the federal government, Hunter said.
- Human Services went overbudget by 4.37 percent, or $369,810. Of this, about $227,000 went for in-patient care at Mendota and Winnebago Mental Health Institutes in Madison, according to Hunter. Foster care expenses were also more than anticipated. Both expenses are difficult to predict in advance, she said.
- Land and Water Conservation is spending about $42,000 more than planned, but had about $45,000 more than planned as revenue, thanks in part to a $22,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency, Hunter said.
- Tourism is also going overbudget, but had grants to pick up the slack.
- The sheriff's department is staying about 2.25 percent underbudget, which former Sheriff Jeff Skatrud has said is due in part to good budgeting of overtime.
- Labor negotiations will be costing $7,500 in 2013, less than the $10,000 budgeted. Only $5,000 is budgeted for labor negotiations in 2014.
With collective bargaining limited under Gov. Scott Walker's Act 10 legislation, the need to cover labor negotiations has shrunk, Hunter said.