Hancock County Approves FY ’24 Budget

The Hancock County Board of Supervisors approved its fiscal year ‘23/‘24 budget with an urban property tax rate of 3.7, a rural tax rate of 6.3, and plans to spend nearly $2.6 million more in expenditures than revenues.  Last year’s budget was nearly $4 million more in expenses than revenues.  Moreover, the county’s ending fund balance has dropped to nearly half of the amount in ’21/‘22 from $14 million down to $7.4 million.

Hancock County Supervisor Chairman Sis Greiman says they were cautious in how they approached the budget planning.

(click below to hear audio file of Supervisor Sis Greiman)

The county plans to increase its spending from actual 2022 figures by:

• $720,357 on public safety and legal services
• $73,328 on physical health and social services
• $132,791 on county environment and education
• $705,816 on roads and transportation
• $188,852 on election services to residents
• $165,473 on administration
• $2,976 on the county farm
• $251,800 on principal and interest payments to long-term debt
• $17,990 on capital projects
• plus another $410,000 of committed monies from the end fund balance for maintenance, repairs, security and improvement of the courthouse

Last year’s estimated increase in capital projects was $2.45 million.

Greiman points out that the county does its best to hold back spending.

(click below to hear audio file of Supervisor Sis Greiman)

Click here for PDF of Projects

Construction has begun on the new east entrance vestibule, 911 communications tower, HVAC systems, as well as the northwest tower roof replacement.  Projects 3 and 4 (which majority voters opposed a bond for last November including major courthouse exterior restoration, parking lot and site improvements) are still being anticipated over the next few years at a projected cost of $2.2 million.

Greiman sees this large glass vestibule as a better means for accessibility.

(click below to hear audio file of Supervisor Sis Greiman)

The Hancock County Supervisors also voted to give all elected officials (including the 3 of them) a 7 percent salary increase and Auditor Michelle Eisenman an extra $5,000, bumping her salary up to $86,325.

Fiscal Year 2024 elected officials’ salaries for all 99 counties will soon be downloaded to the Iowa State Association of Counties website.

To see the full spreadsheet of last year’s (FY 2023) elected officials salaries and rankings and compare all 99 counties, click:  https://www.iowacounties.org/member-resources/salary-survey/