The county saw an increase in funds carried into the new year, according to the year-end report presented by Treasurer Sandra Stone to the Patrick County Board of Supervisors at its Aug. 11 meeting.
Stone said the net general county fund balance carried forward at the end of June was $13,651,569.
“This was an increase from our last fiscal year. Our carryover balance comes from different sources: department budget unspent funds, some revenues received are higher than budgeted, and some unspent carryover funds from previous years,” she said.
Stone said the carryover funds are needed during lower revenue months such as August through October and February through April.
The county’s contingency fund balance at the end of June was $1,115,731.
“Interest earned on our investments was $477,343 and the interest earned on bank checking deposits and so forth was $58,180,” she said.
Stone said while interest earnings were not as strong as the previous year, the county’s overall financial picture is improved.
“Interest wasn’t quite as good this year as last year on the investments, but we’ve still overall done pretty well,” she said.
She also noted the county set up the required E-ticket fee fund through the court system this year.
The delinquent tax list has been completed and is available for viewing in both her office and the County Administration office.
As of June 30, the percentage of personal property tax collected for 2023 was 98.7 percent and 95.21 percent for 2024. The real estate tax collection rate was 99.61 percent for 2022, 91.12 percent for 2023, and 97.7 percent for 2024.
“For year 2025, or the current year, the first half we were at 91 percent as of June 30. I want to commend my staff for a job well done,” Stone said.
She said delinquent taxes are collected daily through DMV stops, debt setoff, tax interception, wage and bank liens, summonses, real estate land sales, and monthly payment agreements.
The board also heard from Kurt Bozenmayer about proposed changes to the Tourism Advisory Council (TAC) and its role.
Bozenmayer said TAC was created in 2007 where the then assistant county administrator advised it would be beneficial to the county’s future tourism efforts and long-range planning of it.
“Since that time, the TAC has been increasingly excluded from any ‘advisory’ consultation regarding any changes to the tourism department staffing, budget, and plans. The tourism department has now been merged into a combined economic development and tourism office, without consulting the Advisory Council,” he said.
Bozenmayer said merging the Tourism Director position into the new Economic Development and Tourism Director position has reduced the amount of time devoted to tourism and saved one salary.
TAC “has never been asked to provide input to the budget allocations in the five years that I have served on the council,” he added.
WIth the proposed changes to the Tourism Sponsorship Grant application process, Bozenmayer said TAC was once again not consulted to consider any sensible changes.
“The revised program significantly omits any reference to the possible diversion of unused funds at the end of the program cycle, which by default would remain in the general fund in violation of the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) legislation. I also fear the possible mingling of tourism funds with EDA (Economic Development Authority) money,” Bozenmayer said.
Also during public comments, Steve Ferring addressed the board about county parks and their funding. Ferring believes the county should terminate the lease agreement between the Patrick County Agricultural Fair Inc. and negotiate to reduce the $50,000 agreement to lease only the ball fields at a reduced rental rate.
“For instance, a new $1,200 lease amount would produce a $48,800 savings to the county. We don’t use the buildings for the Parks & Rec, we use the ballfields. Let’s just lease those and maintain those,” he said.
Ferring said the savings from doing this could contribute to the maintenance of the county’s parks, especially utilities and infrastructure.
“This would ensure that all parks are maintained to the same standard and that all facilities meet code. The individual volunteer boards that have been tasked with the maintenance and infrastructure costs will now be able to use such funds that they raise for activities in their parks,” he said.
Ferring said the county should also make an effort to consolidate tracts donated to the park system under trusts and other legal devices.
“Under the existing documents ownership of some of the tracts may no longer be valid, in some cases the county may not be able to claim ownership of improvements made to those tracts. It also limits our liability,” he said.
Trena Anderson discussed the board’s performance.
“Many citizens have requested, negotiated, and pleaded for you to do the right thing for those of us you were elected to represent. Some of you have thoroughly failed to do the job we elected you to do. Some supervisors on this board have committed actual and specific criminal and civil offenses against citizens and each other,” she alleged. “Some of you have upheld other supervisor’s bad and criminal behavior.”
For more than 16 months, Anderson said residents have risked their reputations, privacy, jobs, mental health, and way of life because of the issues they feel are important. She believes these same issues should be important to every board member.
“Please allow me to remind this board that you run Patrick County,” she said.
In other matters, the board:
* Approved a transient occupancy tax ordinance levy amount on a 3-2 vote, with Clayton Kendrick and Steve Marshall dissenting.
*Heard from Chris Hughes about the Patrick County Family Discipleship Cohort and the recent Manna Fest event.
*Heard concerns from Ed Pool about solar.
*Heard from Galen Gilbert about the county’s budget.
*Approved a redistricting ordinance for the Russell Creek polling location.
*Approved a budget amendment for Patrick County Public Schools.
*Approved the South Mayo River Dam removal.
*Approved the 30.3 percent option for the personal property tax relief act amount.
*Tabled an update to the tourism sponsorship grant application until TAC can review it. The board also froze future grant approvals until the matter is revisited.
*Approved asbestos abatement for the former True Value building.
*Approved allowing Patrick County Public Schools to use its reserve of polystyrene food service containers.
*Approved up to $25,000 for necessary upgrades to the DMV Select office.
*Approved up to $21,000 for landscaping at the Patrick County Courthouse and Administration Building.
*Heard supervisors’ reports.
*Approved the July 14 and July 28 meeting minutes.
*Approved bills, claims, and appropriations.
