County Wrestles with Budget

Last month the requested budget for Door County government was $886,432 above the levy cap, so the six members of the Finance Committee rolled up their sleeves and made a snip here and a slash there, resulting in the following cuts:

• Reduced departmental operational budgets by $107,507.

• Reduce the Capital Improvement Plan budget for parking at Cave Point County Park by $32,000.

• Eliminate the Information Systems position, $42,017.

• Reduce Sheriff Department budget $24,340 for scanner and $27,000 for outdoor storage area.

• To offset CIP Roads, $250,000 from the DK Fund.

• Consider an Unassigned Fund Balance offset of $398,731.

Those changes brought the budget within the state levy limit requirements, but when the Finance Committee sent the departmental budgets back to departmental oversight committees, the budget came back to Finance $294,361 above the levy limit, so it’s back to the drawing board for the Finance Committee, which meets next at 8:30 am on Monday, Oct. 6.

In other matters at the monthly meeting of the Door County Board of Supervisors on Sept. 30, the board voted unanimously to continue its financial support of the Door County Economic Development Corporation through 2017 to the tune of $57,000 in 2015, $59,000 in 2016 and $61,000 in 2017.

The board also approved an access agreement to Horseshoe Bay Cave in the Town of Egg Harbor with Horseshoe Bay Golf Club, which includes an agreement to meet at least annually to review and, if necessary, modify the agreement. The agreement will continue until Dec. 31, 2025.

The board also approved a yearlong extension of the county’s intergovernmental agreement with Brown County to provide medical examiner services to Door County for $45,006, paid in 12 monthly installments of $3,750.50.

Supervisor Donald Sitte asked why the agreement is only for one year. Corporation Counsel Grant Thomas said there is currently talk of a regional system that would eliminate the need for this agreement, however, the agreement with Brown County can be extended if the regional system does not come into play before the agreement ends on Dec. 31, 2015.

Supervisor Susan Kohout announced that in an effort to educate the public on the workings of county government, an open house will be held at the Door County Highway Department, 1001 S. Duluth Ave., Sturgeon Bay, from 3:30 to 5:30 pm on Oct. 21.