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Baraga County’s 2019-2020 budget will include a slight surplus.
Treasurer Anne Koski anticipates revenues of $4,163,240.98, with expenditures of $4,055,806.39.
At yesterday’s special budget meeting, board chair Mike Koskinen called the extra $107,434.59 a small cushion, but a welcome one.
The only discussion involved the child care fund appropriation, which is used to pay for care of kids who become wards of the county.
Koski told the board that housing one child in a downstate facility can cost $120,000 per year. At this point, the county is caring for just one child, but an increase of even one more can cause a serious budget imbalance.
She suggested that the board consider keeping any annual overages in the Child Care Fund, instead of transferring the money back to the general fund. That would begin to build a cushion for unexpected situations.
The budget passed unanimously, with Commissioner Gale Eilola absent.
Commissioners also confirmed two re-appointments to the Board of Canvassers – Republican Dr. Harold Ripple, and Democrat Lillian “Cookie” Perrow.
