County Commissioners Pass Budget

By John Severance

There is little excess in the upcoming fiscal year for the Socorro County budget, county manager Delilah Walsh said Tuesday.
Revenues were slated as $5,089,700 in the general fund and expenditures were at $5,086,032, Walsh said.
“These are all operations for the county except for roads and the fire marshal’s office,” Walsh said. “They have their own funds.”
Walsh said there is $1.2 million in the roads fund and about $400,000 in the fire marshal’s fund. In all, the county was projected to have $11,406.877 in revenue and $10,585,580 in expenses.
According to Walsh, revenues are flat with increased expenditures for Senior Center support, landfill fees and an abatement officer.
Walsh and finance director Roberta Smith outlined the cuts during a budget workshop.
“We had to cut everybody across the board six percent,” Walsh said. “Everybody got cut so there was little discussion.”
On Tuesday night, the county commissioners passed the 2010-2011 budget and gave platitudes to finance director Roberta Smith.
“Roberta did a heck of a job,” county chair Rosie Tripp said.
In other business:
• The commissioners approved a resolution to authorize a PERA election which would change the retirement program for the sheriff’s department employees. County attorney Adren Nance said the election would be held June 28. Walsh said she did a preliminary analysis of how much it would cost for all county employees to go on such a plan and she said it would cost the county $130,000 per year.
• The commissioners awarded a bid to purchase the mobile command vehicle for the fire marshal’s office. Fire marshal chief showed off the new vehicle to the media and said the purchase price was $50,000. “It was a heck of a deal,” Hollis said. Commissioner R.J. Griego added, “It’s a used vehicle that looks brand new and it is a good buy for the county.”
• The commissioners tabled discussion of a resolution that would outline alternate routes for the Sun Zia Transmission Line project.
• The commissioners approv-ed consideration to amendment to Sierra County Joint Agreement and acknowledged the City of Socorro Landfill Permit.
• The commissioners denied a $1,000 request from funding from SCOPE, which was asking the county for tables and chairs for the Veguita Center. Tripp said the Socorro Consolidated Schools has been handling the school lunch program for the past four years and such a request would be a duplication.
• The commissioners did accept funding requests of $3,000 for the Rio Abajo Community Library, $2,000 to Literacy Volunteers and $5,000 to the City of Socorro Transportation Services.
• County clerk Rebecca Vega said there have been 511 early voters and 234 absentee voters for the June 1 primary election. “It’s been pretty slow,” Vega said.
• Senior Center Director Lewis Auerbach said that the Magdalena and Veguita Senior Centers will be closed on June 1, which is election day. But Auerbach said that all homebound meals will be served.
• Walsh said the canvassing for the primary election will be held at 10 a.m. on June 4 at the County Annex Building.
• Walsh said the county was audited for the 2008 tax year. She said her office worked to lower the liability exposure from $205,000 to $33,000 and the county was liable for $2,200 in fines and penalties and $1307.04 for Medicare and Social Security withholding for election workers and %9,327.53 for withheld Federal Income Tax on behalf of the vendors.

County Commissioners Pass Budget