County’s budget deficit now history with change to spare

By Jack Chavez Staff Writer

(May 19, 2023) Worcester County’s structural budget deficit is no more. And in its place, a modest surplus.

County Budget Officer Kim Reynolds reported during the commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday that the projected $11.6-million shortfall was closed following last week’s budget work session. Now, the county has a surplus of $350,686.

County staff is recommending that the surplus be used on other postemployment benefits, or OPEB, specifically toward the board of education, Reynolds said.

Not satisfied with where spending now stands, Commissioner Caryn Abbott suggested that the Fire Marshal’s request for pay parity with the Sheriff’s Office could cause deputies to flock to fire jobs, where they’d be less at risk than they are fighting fires.

“While they should get a step, parity, I don’t think they are putting themselves in harm’s way like the sheriff’s department does,” Abbott said. “I know they both go through the academy and all that, however, they’re in the office more than they’re not. [They aren’t] you know, stopping cars with unknown people in [them] and serving warrants to possibly dangerous criminals. To me, it also would maybe hurt our sheriff’s department because people might want to flee from there. [After all], they could make the same money but not the risk involved in the job. That’s my only concern.”

Worcester County Fire Marshal Matthew Owens briefly explained that his personnel do provide backup to area law enforcement agencies and that they are certified like any other type of deputy.

Commissioner Chip Bertino, at the end of the meeting, took time to explain what has still not been received from the Worcester County Board of Education.

“During the past several weeks