County board holds 2005 budget hearings with department heads

By Jake Keohen

The Le Sueur County Board of Commissioners held budget hearings with department heads during its regular meeting held Tuesday, August 3 at the courthouse in Le Center. The department heads were asked to present their budget requests for 2005, with reduced state funding a major issue influencing those numbers.

The board had a brief agenda for its Tuesday meeting and went into the budget hearings mid-morning. Additional sessions were planned for Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning until all departments have been heard. Sitting in and assisting with the requests for 2005 was Carol Blaschko, budget officer in the county auditor's office.

County Auditor Ron Germscheid presented some information to the board prior to the budget hearings indicating a reduction in county program aid of almost $122,000 for 2005, from $1,206,375 in 2004 to $1,084,464. Germscheid said with all program aids ($732,000 last year) and other funds considered, total cuts in state aid amount to almost $1 million over the two-year period.

I would not be very proud to be a state legislator at the present time