County approves year-end transfers and shifts $400,000 into Rainy Day Fund

The Steuben County Council reviewed and approved year-end appropriation transfers across multiple funds and departments and approved a transfer into the Rainy Day Fund on Jan. 9, 2019.

Auditor Kim Meyers presented a list of required transfers to reconcile 2018 appropriations with year-end balances. The minutes list transfers across County General, CEDIT, LIT, MVH (including large reclassifications of MVH district staffing budgets), Statewide 9-1-1, Pre-trial Diversion and other funds. Examples from the minutes include transfers totaling $2,625.00 for Sheriff body armor and equipment, a $175,866.00 reallocation within MVH maintenance & repair for equipment operators/truck drivers, and other departmental adjustments; the minutes contain the full itemized list.

Meyers reported the County General Fund cash balance at Dec. 31, 2018 was $5,014,538.26 and recommended holding at least $100,000 for a payroll timing adjustment. Jim Getz moved to transfer $400,000 from the County General Fund into the Rainy Day Fund; Dan Caruso seconded and the motion carried with six ayes.

The approvals recorded in the minutes are procedural year-end bookkeeping to align appropriations with actual expenditures and to place $400,000 into the county's Rainy Day Fund while preserving a surplus in the general fund.