County commission approves 2024 budget

The Nodaway County Commissioners approved the projected 2024 income and expenditures during their budget hearing January 25.

County Clerk Melinda Patton, as the budget official, provided an official budget message, which can be found on page nine of the Nodaway News Leader this week.

Federal programs of the recent past have brought millions of dollars into the county coffers from the CARES Act, $2.59 million, and the American Rescue Plan Act, $4.290 million, both are a basic pass-through to other entities and businesses as well as the county’s need. The county commission has allocated all of these dollars.

The $15.250 million budget projects about $47,950 more in sales tax revenue compared to last year. Both sales tax and use tax have shown an increase the last two years. The road and bridge gravel taxes are expected to come in about $1.575 million.

The commission did choose to levy drop the 16¢ to 15¢ per $100 assessed value, being $720,000 for the administration center due to the estimated operation costs of $573,200 that includes a debt payment of $356,000 and possible maintenance of $38,000, utilities, $37,200 and custodial supplies, $11,000.

The E911 fund is estimated to bring in $85,000 in taxes that will be paid to the City of Maryville due to the consolidation of the 911 Emergency Dispatch services at the Northwest Regional Communication Center located at the public safety facility. The E911 fund brought in $88,033 in 2023. It will see $24,000 in expenses to the county for signage.

Capital improvements for the county will include three new bridges that are partially funded through federal BRO dollars that will add up to a $1.7 million. The road and bridge department budget is $3.762 million, seeing a slight increase in revenue from last year. Money for this department comes from the following: sales tax, $2.005; gas tax, $1,100,000; vehicle tax, $460,000; property tax, $195,000; and general revenue, $250,000.

Repairs will be made to the Nodaway County Courthouse exterior of limestone and sandstone to keep the structure in its current state. There is $500,000 allocated for the tuckpointing and other repair in the 2024 budget.

Each county employee, both full-time hired and elected, was given a four percent COLA raise this year; which was calculated from the 3.4 percent consumer price index and the “available dollars” noted Associate Commissioner Scott Walk. Another additional cost for full time personnel will be the LAGERS increase in retirement for the 50-55 employees of the county. The commission decided to increase the rate of the multiplier from 1.5 percent to two percent which will add $32,000 to the personnel expense. Plus there is a one-time “buy back” with this increase of $832,290 that the budget will show.

The general revenue operating fund for the upcoming year is estimated to be $7.619 million, which is $47,950 more than what came in last year.

There are two grants the county has been approved for: to aid in the Courthouse’s new ADA ramp on the east side of the structure, $322,144 with a 20 percent match and the jail improvement grant, $582,017 with a 50 percent match. Both of these are still awaiting completion of work. The bid process is the current status.

The county’s funds support several general public welfare agencies. The amounts approved include: Extension Council, $33,000; Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments, $4,301; North Star Advocacy, $2,500; indigent requests, $3,000; Big Brothers Big Sisters, $3,000; Northwest Missouri Enterprise Facilitation, $2,000; The Ministry Center, $2,750; Child Support Contract, $7,400 Nodaway County Economic Development, $43,500; Emergency Management, $14,250; Soil and Water Conservation, $19,500; and Boys/Girls State, $2,000.

The county also donates $3,000 to Children’s Mercy Hospital in support of Nodaway County children who utilize the facility for medical needs.