Meeting Details: The Geauga County Budget Commission met in Regular Session on Monday, March 6, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. in the Auditor’s Conference Room at 215 Main Street, Chardon, Ohio. This meeting was in person with a virtual option via MS Teams.
Meeting Attendance: Auditor Chuck Walder, Prosecutor Jim Flaiz (arriving at 10:03am) and Treasurer Chris Hitchcock.
Staff Attendance: Chief Deputy Auditor Ron Leyde, Deputy Auditors Tammy Most and Kristen Sinatra, and Fiscal Office Manager Pam McMahan.
County/School/Township/Village Representatives: County Budget and Finance Manager Adrian Gorton
Minutes: N/A
Revenue Certification Requests:
At the outset, Auditor Walder explained that from now on the Budget Commission will be noting whether or not appropriations exceed revenue with each revenue certification request. If appropriations do exceed revenue, the Budget Commissioners will table the request and ask that the requesting body send a representative to come in to discuss the matter. Walder stated that this is a matter of law, and good practice and that even though the state auditor does not “drill down on it”, it is a good practice for the Budget Commission to do so.
Reviewer Note: Ohio Revised Code (ORC) Section 5705.39 Appropriations limited by estimated revenue This section includes the following: “No appropriation measure shall become effective until the county auditor files with the appropriating authority a certificate that the total appropriations from each fund, taken together with all other outstanding appropriations, do not exceed such official estimate or amended official estimate."
The following Revenue Certifications were approved:
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Berkshire Local School District - Amendment #5. $22,803,202.68 in the general fund, $2,180,743.02 in special revenue funds, $1,555,937.31 in debt service funds, $2,971,879.68 in capital project funds, $807,959.09 in enterprise funds, $512,368.58 in internal service funds, and $164,223.55 in fiduciary funds for a total of $30,996,313.91. Appropriations do not exceed revenue.
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Chester Township Park District - Amendment #1. $43,115.00 in the general fund only for a total of $43,115.00. Appropriations do not exceed revenue.
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East Geauga Fire District - Amendment #1. $1,245,577.25 in the general fund only for a total of $1,245,577.25. Appropriations do not exceed revenue.
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Claridon Township - Amendment #1. $739,568.67 in the general fund and $2,344,855.66 in special revenue funds for a total of $3,084,424.33. Appropriations do not exceed revenue.
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Claridon Township - Amendment #2. $739,568.67 in the general fund, $2,344,855.66 in special revenue funds, and $300,000.00 in capital project funds for a total of $3,384,424.33. Appropriations do not exceed revenue.
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Hambden Township - Amendment #1. $800,547.80 in the general fund, $3,162,322.52 in special revenue funds, and $437,921.99 in capital project funds for a total of $4,400,792.31. Appropriations do not exceed revenue.
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Auburn Township - Amendment #1. $1,006,491.20 in the general fund, $4,783,721.37 in special revenue funds, $180,100.00 in debt service funds, and $29,919.65 in capital project funds for a total of $6,000,232.22. Appropriations do exceed revenue, but only by $1. The Budget Commissioners decided that they will call Auburn and advise them they were over-appropriated by $1 and allow them to fix what is most likely a clerical error rather than make them appear before the Budget Commission over such a small error.
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Geauga County - Amendment #3. $46,242,857.46 in the general fund, $123,329,760.53 in special revenue funds, $6,279,092.87 in debt service funds, $1,254,159.50 in special assessment funds, $27,119,356.76 in capital project funds, $17,543,060.25 in enterprise funds, $1,206,807.93 in internal service funds, and $3,757,550.66 in fiduciary funds for a total of $226,732,645.96. Appropriations do not exceed revenue.
The following Revenue Certifications were tabled:
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Chester Township - Amendment #2. Due to appropriations exceeding revenue, the Budget Commission tabled this amendment and will send a request to Chester Township for them to send a representative to discuss the matter with the Budget Commission.
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Chardon Township - Amendment #2. Due to appropriations exceeding revenue, the Budget Commission tabled this amendment and will send a request to Chardon Township for them to send a representative to discuss the matter with the Budget Commission.
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Geauga Park District - Amendments #3 & 4. Geauga Park District’s amendments presented at the last Budget Commission meeting remain tabled due to appropriations exceeding revenue. Please see the discussion item below for details on scheduling Geauga Park District staff to come before the Budget Commission to discuss the matter.
Supplemental Appropriations
The following Supplemental Appropriation was APPROVED:
Discussion Item:
Auditor Walder stated that GPD Executive Director John Oros emailed the members of the Budget Commission on the afternoon of Friday, March 3 seeking advice on a number of matters, such as how to handle cash carryovers and how to appropriate funds over multiple years. Mr. Walder replied with his own email advising that these matters needed to be discussed with GPD’s legal counsel present due to ongoing litigation between the Budget Commission and GPD. Reviewer Note: Litigation was initiated by the GPD September 2021 by appeal to the Ohio Tax Commission. There was a hearing in February, 2022 and there has been no decision to date. This appeal was in connection with the Budget Commission decision regarding a reduction in levy proceeds to GPD due to lack of demonstrated need.
On Saturday March 4, Mr. Oros emailed the Budget Commissioners requesting to have GPD’s appearance before the Budget Commission rescheduled from March 6 to a later date, as GPD’s legal counsel was unavailable to attend on March 6.
The Budget Commissioners expressed their displeasure with the last minute nature of GPD’s emailed requests as well as their discomfort with GPD’s attempt to dialogue extensively over email prior to meeting in person before the public. All three stated several times that the three budget commissioners cannot have a group email or discuss things out of public session. (Reviewer Note: This would be a Sunshine violation to have group texts, emails or meetings with a quorum of members outside of a public session.) However, the Budget Commissioners granted GPD’s rescheduling request. The Budget Commission agreed to meet with GPD and also conduct regular business on Monday, March 13 at 9:00am. Since regular business will be conducted on March 13, the previously scheduled Budget Commission meeting for March 20 will be canceled.
Public Comment:
More Information and Posted Minutes: Available on Auditor website
Next Meeting: March 13, 2023 at 9:00 am in the Auditor’s Appraisal Conference Room at 215 Main Street, Chardon, Ohio
Name of Observer: Sarah McGlone
Name of Editor: Anne Ondrey
Name of Reviewer: Gail Roussey
Submitted 3/6/2023
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