EATON — The Preble County Commissioners’ agendas aren’t filled with hours of budget meetings as they work to finalize next year’s budget, a difference from past years thanks to technology which allows officials to work ahead online.
“It’s due to an improvement in our accounting system as to why we we can do it this way versus other ways,” Commissioner Adam Craft said. “This is our third time with the totally online accounting system which allows us the opportunity to look through everyone’s budget, kind of at our leisure.”
The accounting system has always had the module to help with budgeting, but they started using it when current commissioners came on board, according to Commissioner Rachael Vonderhaar. “If you put all of your information in ahead of time, and there’s not anything for us to really ask questions over, and we follow and understand, it makes it easier for everyone. It’s when there’s not detail that we have to go back and forth. We need more detail than what’s been put in,” she explained.
Commissioners hope to finalize the budget in coming days. They will be meeting with select departments beginning Monday, Dec. 4.
“Why we do all this work ahead of time is, you know, once we’ve been through the hearings, we should know exactly where we’re headed,” Vonderhaar said.
“We do something different, as far as we appropriate all the funds even it’s not what we expect you to spend, so we don’t have to go back and request more,” she said. “That’s why it might look a little higher. That’s why it’s been higher since we’ve been in because we want full access if needed if there’s some sort of event that takes place instead of having to go back through the process. So if we had a disaster we had whatever, it just takes a step out.”
“I think the biggest notable difference to me is with our appropriations, we go ahead and we appropriate everything that we think we’re going to need for the year and we don’t do a kind of temporary resolution and then come back after the first of the year and re-appropriate everything after the first of the year,” Craft said. We don’t do it that way. It’s one shot, and then you get your appropriations and then each department head is responsible for their appropriations accordingly.”
“I think it’s created trust amongst the elected officials,” Vonderhaar added. “We have tried to create a culture of teamwork and trust. I mean, the people elect the other elected officials also, so they’ve chosen them as the team that’s been put together. And I think that’s just more of a cultural change that we’ve tried to implement.”
“To their credit, we haven’t seen any of our elected officials and other departments abuse that system. Everyone’s fiscally responsible,” Craft said.
“The elected officials that the voters of this county have put it in place are all very mindful of the dollars,” Vonderhaar added.
“And I think that’s a huge testament to our county and the type of people that we’ve elected to sit in the seats because, down to each elected official, we’ve got maybe one maybe two departments that are a little bit wonky at times, but none of our elected officials that you see on the ballot are that way,” Craft said.
Departments have adjusted to the new way of preparing budgets and appreciate the use of the technology instead of paper, according to commissioners.
“The Sheriff, just for an example – not to pick on him— when we looked at like the cruisers for the deputies. The way that we have approached that is we don’t budget for those out of the commission fund and then turn it into a political theater, when it comes time to buy the cruiser,” Craft explained. “What we have elected to do was ‘hey, you put that in your budget because that’s inevitably your expense. So, it takes the politics out of it and kind of you know, he gets what he needs, because he needs the equipment.”
“The point being, that they were elected by the people to do a job and making sure they have the resources they need to accomplish the job,” Vonderhaar added.
According to commissioners, Preble County’s revenues have continued to outperform expectations year after year. “So far,” Craft said. “I think you’ll see something probably different next year, but for now.”
“I would say with the culture change of operating as a team and understanding that the voters have picked the team, and in working together, I think there’s a lot of really good stuff taking place. It’s allowed us, instead of micromanaging, to then venture into the work with the land bank, getting the county’s technology house in order. It’s allowed us to do a lot more things than just micromanage,” Vonderhaar said.
“I think the biggest thing is to realize the commissioners are kind of the center of the wheel. And it’s our responsibility to make sure that everyone has their cog, their cog in that wheel, their resources to be able to do the job that they have to do,” Craft said. “And I think we’ve done a good job of that with this budget. As far as like our cash balances and our cash carryovers. We’re very strong as far as that goes. And I think that’s a testament once again to our auditor, and our departments that are underneath us. They’re great to work with.”
“It’s the communication that’s taking place that has allowed us to do the additional pieces that we’re doing,” Vonderhaar said.
One department Craft requested to actually meet with was the Preble County Sheriff’s Office. “We’ve asked specifically the Sheriff and that was at my request,” Craft said. “He was very open to that because he’s over 50 percent of the General Fund. And I feel as if the taxpayers deserve to see exactly where he’s spending his money on security because it affects them directly.”
“The general fund began 2023 with a cash balance of $9,137,957.30. That ended the month of October now well, it’ll be different for November but not much, with $14,108,798.09. For the month of October our receipts of revenue were $1,117,134.69. So, it’s up considerably,” Craft noted.
“We’re pretty healthy. And we’ve been working on succession planning, with the number of retirements — we’ve had some of those retirement payouts we’ve been doing over the last couple years too, as people are stepping out,” Vonderhaar added.
What should county residents know?
“We’re just trying to be fiscally responsible with the dollars, and realize that we collect what we must, we use what we need, and try to try to work on behalf of the voters and the taxpayers of this county to be fiscally responsible,” Vonderhaar said.
