Fannin County, Texas -- Restoration of the 1888 Fannin County Courthouse was a central issue at the regular meeting of Fannin County Commissioners Court, along with the budget as the county tackles the most complex and costly project in its history.
All five members of commissioners court were present and the meeting opened with an invocation by Pct. 4 Commissioner Dean Lackey.
In public forum, Nancy Young reminded residents that Fannin County Relay For Life will be held Saturday, April 28.
"Come out and show everyone that we care," Ms. Young said.
Commissioners approved minutes of previous meetings and received the EMS monthly Profit/Loss report from Bonham Fire Department Chief Scott Ridling.
Lewis Crain, of Rutledge Crain & Company, PC, the county's outside auditor, provided commissioners with a summary of the Annual Financial Report.
"The county had a good year last year," Mr. Crain began. "At this point, the county is in good financial shape."
Fannin County generated $330,000 more in revenue than budgeted, while commissioners continued to hold expenditures down. Crain noted a slight dip in reserves, however the county has managed to maintain slightly more than $5.3 million in reserves.
"With the big projects the county has coming up, you will need adequate reserves," Crain advised. "I've watched the restoration of five courthouses and I have yet to see one come in under budget."
"We are going to," remarked Fannin County Judge Spanky Carter.
In light of the fact that Crain serves as outside auditor for several counties, Judge Carter asked how the financial status of Fannin County compares with other counties.
"You are above average for the size county you are," Crain responded.
Carter asked Crain to explain how the county can protect taxpayers from drastic overspending in one department.
"We had overspending by $246,000 in one department," Carter said. "Is that normally done?"
"The problem wasn't just that you went over," Crain remarked, before detailing the proper steps to safeguard the budget process.
First of all, the department head should be monitoring the budget and notify commissioners court before an overage occurs.
Secondly, commissioners court must authorize pending overages before a department spends more than what was budgeted.
The third safeguard for taxpayers would be a county auditor who shuts off expenditures if a department attempts to spend more than it is appropriated.
The apparent problem with this process in Fannin County is that the department that overspent its budget by $246,000 -- 336th District Court -- happens to be the department that hires the county auditor.
"Until funds are appropriated, you shouldn't be paying it," Crain stated.
"I've been dealing with budgets for 30 years and I have never seen anything like it," Carter told the outside auditor.
The county judge then turned his attention to courthouse restoration.
"The demo process is going well," Carter told the courtroom. "Right now, we are ahead of schedule and under budget. That has always been our goal and that's how I want it to be when I leave here December 31. I would like to be the first county in Texas to restore a courthouse ahead of schedule and under budget."
In other business:
Commissioners approved the Funding Agreement Contract between Fannin County and Fannin Soil and Water Conservation District and authorize the county judge to sign on behalf of the county;
Commissioners approved a $700 payment to Advance Alarm and Electronics for the Digital Camera System Project in order to record the exterior courthouse restoration. Architexas and Phoenix 1 will likely share this expense and have access to the images. The county's share of this payment will be paid out of Courthouse Construction Expenses line 66-666-490;
Commissioners approved award of Bid 18009 – County Vehicle Regular Maintenance.