Pennington County commissioners, looking to hold the line on the county’s 2011 budget, were told Tuesday to consider cuts to non-mandated programs such as senior citizen centers, the Cooperative Extension office, some animal control services, and courthouse security.

Though county department heads are just beginning to shape their 2011 budget requests, County Auditor Julie Pearson said she would rather see non-mandated services cut than eliminating merit raises for county employees. “The problem with taking merit away, you lose any incentive for your hardworking employees,” she said.

Although the commission won’t take a vote on the budget for months, most commissioners agreed at their March 2 meeting that county employees won’t get a cost of living raise next year.

Commission Chairman Ethan Schmidt said he is asking department heads for lists of the services not required by law and how much is spent on them. “I’m more than likely to suggest getting rid of some of the un-mandated services,” he said. “In these times, why do things we’re not required to?”

Commissioner Jim Kjerstad suggested that if the county decided to cut some non-mandated services, it could begin those cuts this year, saving additional money.

Pearson also said departments could raise fees to cover expenses for specialized services. She said, for example, the auditor’s office fee for voter lists covers the cost of producing them.

Schmidt, however, said he doesn’t know of any county fees that should be increased.

Schmidt said department heads have begun discussing other savings, such as cutting back on residential street snow removal. He said that the county could only plow if the snow gets to 4 inches deep rather than 1 or 2 inches.

“Everything is on the table,” Schmidt said.

Everything, that is, except an opt-out from the property tax cap imposed by the state. An opt-out would allow the county to raise more revenue than the state allows.

No one on the commission has mentioned, yet alone supported, an opt-out. Schmidt said he opposes an opt-out. “I’m going in the other direction,” he said.

Schmidt met with department heads last week and told his fellow commissioners on Tuesday that he favors using the 2010 budget as a starting place. “I like 2010 as a base, but even looking at that and critiquing it and looking to see if we can’t do better than that.”

The county is limited by very small revenue growth for 2011. The state set the revenue growth rate tied to inflation at zero percent for counties.

The only other source of additional revenue is property taxes from new construction, which for 2011 will total $580,603, only about a 1.85 percent increase.

Commission Vice Chairman Nancy Trautman said she favored putting that extra money into an emergency fund rather than spreading it across the general fund. “Putting that small amount of money into our large budget is not going to do much good for any one department,” Trautman said at Tuesday’s meeting.

She said it would be prudent to have a reserve for such natural disasters as blizzards and flooding.

Pearson praised Schmidt for working with department heads on a team effort basis to find budget solutions. “It’s a good way to start,” she said.

Contact Steve Miller at 394-8415 or steve.miller@rapidcityjournal.com.

Other action by the Pennington County Commission at its meeting Tuesday:

Y  Approved placing a three-way stop sign for the westbound lanes of Highway 14/16 at the intersection with West Gate Road in Box Elder. County Highway Superintendent Hiene Junge said there were five accidents at the intersection in 2008 and four last year. Junge said the sign would force 4,000 vehicles to stop each day. But, he said, “Safety wise, it’s the right thing to do.” Mike McMahon, Box Elder city planning director, said the city supports the move.

y  Approved the appointment of Paul Paulsen, an eastern Pennington County rancher, to the county Weed & Pest Board.

y  Re-appointed Sherry Nalls of Rapid City to the county Housing and Redevelopment Commission.

y  Congratulated the Pennington County State’s Attorney’s office for receiving the Spirit of Peace award from the local Working Against Violence Inc. program.