EATON — Preble County Auditor Lavon Wright met with Preble County Board of Commissioners on Monday, Feb. 8, to present her monthly financial report for the county.
According to Wright, during the month of January, General Fund revenue receipts totaled $887,763.20. This was an increase of just over $20,000 from 2020.
Revenue included sales tax of $563,162.45 from November sales (up $84,793.20 over November 2020;) local taxation in the amount of $36,991.80; charges for services in the amount of $63,524.80 (up by $2,882.56;) and interest in the amount of $45,200.26 (down by $33,041.02.)
Preble County’s share in the Casino Tax came in at $118,674.56, which surprised Wright.
“Last year, this time we are at $122 (thousand) and we are in COVID now and we’re bringing in $118 (thousand,) which really surprised me. So, people are really wanting to go to the casino,” she said.
One-mill conveyance receipts totaled $12,298.60, according to Wright.
On the expenditure side, Wright reported disbursements totaled $960,645.91. This included salaries, Public Employee Retirement System funds and Medicare disbursements totaling $591,674.42, and transfers for Soil & Water ($30,000) and Victim Witness ($21,089.)
Other expenditures included supplies ($35,453.38;) health insurance ($99,528.42;) contract services ($136,135.32;) utilities ($5,162.03) and expenses in training/travel, advertising/printing and others totaling $13,548.40. Wright noted, expenditures exceeded January 2020’s totals by $123,294.79, with increases in supplies ($23,209.31,) equipment ($2,433.93) and contracted services ($69,621.01.) Expenses were down by $2,797.60 in “Other Expenses.”
According to Wright, the county’s General Fund began 2021 with a cash balance of $6,770,010.77 and ended the month with a balance of $6,697,127.36.
Wright also noted advances not paid back, which included $237,500 from June 3, 2020 and $30,000 from Nov. 17, 2020, both from Sewer District 6. Wright explained a letter is needed each year, signed by the commissioners, stating the board’s intent to pay it back in the future.
Wright and commissioners also discussed briefly multi-factor identification fobs utilized by county staff. She noted, discussion was needed whether to change them, keep them, or “go to something entirely different.”
The current fobs expire on March 25, Wright reported. Because of the financial security involved, Wright and commissioners met to discuss potential changes and contracts for the security fobs in executive session later in the day on Monday.
