Todd Fiscal Court unveiled its proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year Friday morning and heard a request from Jailer Jeff Penick to outsource the food service.
Magistrates actually approved first reading of the $7.3 million budget, but decided to have first reading again after it was brought to their attention it hadn’t been included on the meeting’s agenda. It was not illegal to approve a budget without it on the agenda during a regular meeting, but Judge-Executive Todd Mansfield says they decided to redo it in an effort to be transparent.
The budget is about $600,000 more than last year’s and Judge Mansfield highlighted some of the changes.
The spending plan includes an increased pension obligation and reflects that the county will begin a leasing program with the state for a truck for the Solid Waste Department.
First reading of the budget will be held again at a special-called meeting on May 7th at 1:30 p.m.
Kellwell Food Management submitted a $210,000 per year bid to take over the jail kitchen and one condition of the contract would be the company will purchase the facility a new main control board that will continue to be operated by jail personnel.
The old board is in disrepair and the agreement would allow the jail to purchase a new one and remain within the constraints of its budget.
Penick says outsourcing the service would ultimately be a cost savings after the first two-year contract that includes purchase of the board.
Todd Fiscal Court took no action on the matter, but it could be included on the special meeting’s agenda as it would require some rewording of the jail budget.
Magistrates made good on their $1,000 commitment to Todd County Project Graduation and County Attorney Jeff Traughber says 463 delinquent property tax bills were recently turned over to the Todd County Clerk’s Office.