CAPE COUNTY ADOPTS $20 MILLION BUDGET FOR FISCAL 2000

JACKSON -- The Cape Girardeau County Commission approved a $20 million budget Thursday for fiscal 2000, which begins Jan. 1e.

The budget projects spending $10 million for general operations and $2.1 million on roads and bridges.

Another $7.5 million is budgeted for capital improvement projects, with the jail expansion project heading the list.

"We have so many projects going on at one time," said County Auditor H. Weldon Macke, who serves as budget officer.

"The plans are to complete the jail, begin the juvenile home, and continue the blacktopping of county roads," he said in his written budget message to the commission.

The capital improvements budget includes more than $6 million for the ongoing expansion of the county jail in Jackson. It also includes $290,000 to purchase land and pay architectural fees for construction of a new juvenile center.

Macke said the capital budget has a projected income of $6.5 million, including $4.4 million in revenue from bond issues for the jail project. The total includes $1 million in the form of a loan, he said.

The county plans to draw on its beginning balance of $1.29 million in its capital improvement fund to make up the approximately $1 million difference between income and expenses. The income shortfall is the result of a higher than expected bid for jail construction, Macke said.

Expansion of the county jail is costing about $8 million. The project is slated to be completed in November 2000, he said.

County Commissioner Larry Bock said the county could make up the income shortfall with revenue from other county funds.

Macke said the county typically spends about 80 percent of budgeted expenses.

Officials said the county is in good shape financially. That's due in part to the county's sales tax, which is expected to generate about $5 million.

The $12 million budgeted for general operations and the county highway department includes $4.18 million in salaries for the county's approximately 120 employees.

County employees, including officeholders, will receive 3.5 percent pay raises, said Macke.

Macke said the county government's workforce isn't large in comparison with other first-class counties. "It's pretty lean," he said.

The general operations budget of $10 million is up from this year's $9.5 million budget.

The $2.13 million road and bridge budget is up about $83,000 over the 1999 spending plan, budget figures show.

Capital Improvements

Cape Girardeau County's budgeted spending for capital improvements in fiscal 2000

* Jail expansion -- $6,078,412

* Juvenile center -- $240,000 for land and $25,000 for architectural fees for design of a new center

* Bridge construction -- $292,536

* New equipment for county highway department -- $240,000

* Paving of gravel roads -- $674,495

Total: $7,550,443