Finance committee reports 13% rise in employee health costs; revenue questions and reorg ahead of budget season
Summary
The county finance committee reported a 13% increase in employee health-insurance costs, continuing strong sales-tax receipts, uncertainty about local-use tax adjustments from the Illinois Department of Revenue, and a forthcoming reorganization to move the financial director to report directly to the county administrator.
Lee County's finance committee reported a 13% increase in employee health-insurance costs for the coming year and discussed revenue uncertainty tied to state Department of Revenue adjustments to local-use tax allocations.
Jim Scheelein, finance committee chair, told the board the insurance committee expected a 13% rise in health-insurance costs for county employees. He said monthly financials otherwise track roughly as expected and that sales tax receipts have been running higher than projections, "not quite 10%" growth year to date. Scheelein said staff (Reid) had contacted the Illinois Department of Revenue in Springfield to question adjustments to local-use tax receipts and their timing, and that the county is awaiting a response needed for budgeting.
Scheelein also reminded members that the county's formal budget process begins next Tuesday and encouraged board members and interested parties to attend budget meetings. He said the county will move forward next month with a proposed reorganization to make Reid report directly to the county administrator Jeremy, a step the committee has discussed and which the board will vote on next month.
No formal budget adoption or reorganization vote occurred at the July 15 session; Scheelein said the reorganization resolution will appear next month.
