Speaking to the Wallowa County Board of Commissioners Monday morning, County Administrator Gail Tally expressed fiscal concerns about four departments as the end of the fiscal year approaches on June 30. The Sheriff’s Department, Planning Department, 9-1-1 and Dog Control were all asked to submit memos by Wednesday as to how they plan to balance their respective department’s budget.

“I guess I am feeling a little urgency at the end of the fiscal year,” said Tally.

Commissioner Ben Boswell, describing the situation “as the end of the year’s balancing books trick,” said, “We have the fiscal responsibility. It cannot go unnoticed.”

Boswell said that budgeted shortfalls can be made up out of the general fund. Tally said that with payment in lieu of taxes money still to come in, that the general fund will equal or exceed budget.

Tally said that the sheriff’s department, which is included in the general fund, is facing $90,000 in expenditures through the end of the month, and has an income of $75,000. She said that jail bed payments to Umatilla County for both May and June still need to be paid. The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) segment of the planning department is $11,000 over budget while the department itself is $10,000 under-spent, Tally said. The department is facing a $15,000 payroll with only $10,000 known to be coming in. Boswell did note that Tally tracks expenses and is not always knowledgeable as to where department income is coming from, thus the need for the memo.

The 9-1-1 and dog control budget shortfalls were anticipated. The State of Oregon failed to pass along $29,000 of 9-1-1 money that the county had budgeted for. Now the 9-1-1 fund is facing a deficit of $15,000. The county knew in January that the dog control department would not sell enough dog licenses to meet its budget. It approaches the end of the year with a $2,000 budgetary deficit.

Both the 9-1-1 and dog control departments are separate entities outside of the general fund.