County officials asking departments to be proactive in cutting costs, generating revenue

Leonard L. Hayhurst, Coshocton Tribune
·4 min read

COSHOCTON − Commissioner Dane Shryock doesn't want to spread doom and gloom, but he wants all county department heads to have an eye on cutting costs and increasing revenue over the next couple of years.

Coshocton County commissioners recently had a budget meeting with other county elected officials and appointed department directors on being proactive where it comes to having the money to operate the county the way it has since the COVID-19 pandemic. Another meeting will be held prior to departments setting budgets in June.

General fund revenue for 2024 is projected at $13.9 million with a $4.8 million carryover from 2023, for $18.7 million total. This is on par with the $18.5 million from 2023.

However, general fund expenses continue to rise from $16 million in 2022, to $17.4 million in 2023 with 2024 estimated at $17.8 million. If estimates hold, the county will only have a carryover balance into 2025 of about $900,000.

By law, a county government can't run at a deficit like the federal government. And there are essential services and offices the county is mandated to fund. This includes the court system, which is about 70% of the general fund. Other mandated essentials includes veterans services and auditor, recorder and treasurer offices. If cuts need made, they will be from non-essential areas.

Commissioner Dane Shryock with Budget Director Robin Schonauer discuss budget figures with department heads and elected figures as commissioners want to be proactive in cutting costs and generating new revenue before it reaches a critical point.
Commissioner Dane Shryock with Budget Director Robin Schonauer discuss budget figures with department heads and elected figures as commissioners want to be proactive in cutting costs and generating new revenue before it reaches a critical point.

"The past couple of years we've been able to fund everybody as requested, within reason, their request because of the money that's came in," Shryock said to the meeting attendees. "Looking to the future, we're concerned we're not going to be able to do that."

Shryock mentioned how sales tax, one of the county's biggest revenue sources, is going down. Sales tax revenue for 2022 was $7.32 million, up 5.6% from the previous year. However, sales tax for 2023 was just $7.37 million, up only .78%. For January 2024, sales tax revenue was down 5.9% from January 2023.

Shryock said one reason for this is inflation affecting the cost of living without salaries rising to meet it. People don't have as much expendable income as they once did.

Another reason is Coshocton lacks the big box stores and major chain restaurants of neighboring counties like Muskingum, Licking and Tuscarawas. He said corporations base where they go on population and median income. Nor does Coshocton have the huge tourist draw that Amish country is in Holmes County.

"Coshocton County is blessed with wineries and things like that driving tourism. Tourists spend dollars, which generates sales tax. But we do not compete with other communities like Holmes County," Shryock said.

Clary Gardens - one of the top wedding locations in the state - is just one of the many local areas and attractions that bring tourism dollars into the county every year. However, these attractions combined cannot compete with places such as the Amish Country in Holmes County in terms of tourism dollars. That's just one difference between Coshocton County and surrounding counties, as pointed out during a recent county budget meeting. County officials are asking department heads to be proactive in cutting costs and generating new revenue.

Property taxes in Coshocton County also don't bring in as much as in other counties that have higher evaluation rates. Every county gets 10-mills of property taxes, with additional voted on by residents for specific entities. Meaning counties with higher evaluation rates bring in more money as it's the same percentage drawing off a larger figure.

Coshocton County Commissioners recently had a budget meeting with department heads and elected officials to discuss revenue and expenditures and how to keep the county operating moving forward as costs continues to rise and revenue goes down or remains flat.
Coshocton County Commissioners recently had a budget meeting with department heads and elected officials to discuss revenue and expenditures and how to keep the county operating moving forward as costs continues to rise and revenue goes down or remains flat.

Shryock also said that another top earner in interest income could also be down if the federal government lowers interests rates as it's predicted to do. Meaning money the county has in the bank won't earn as much in interest income.

"If the (Federal Reserve Board) would lower the interest rate by half a percent, we would instantly start losing money on that," Shryock said as an example percentage.

Shryock is encouraging all departments to aggressively explore grant funding. He cited the new Coshocton County Emergency Medical Services building and in construction Coshocton Justice Center as two essential projects that wouldn't have been done without grant funding his office staff found and strongly pursued. He also named the common pleas and juvenile and probate courts as being very good at acquiring grants.

"I know most people are looking for that opportunity, but try to be creative and think about things like that. Presently, the county's been very good at receiving grants," Shryock said.

He also has encouraged Sheriff James Crawford to pursue renting out beds in the new jail once completed to other counties who need inmate housing. This could be up to $100 a day per inmate.

"I'm not trying to sound doom and gloom. I just want you to understand where our dollars come from and why we may be facing an issue that other counties may not be facing," Shryock told meeting attendees. "We will do everything we can do to keep the county running. It's a business and a major business when you're talking about $18 million. It takes a lot to run everybody's office moving forward."

Leonard Hayhurst is a community content coordinator and general news reporter for the Coshocton Tribune with more than 15 years of local journalism experience and multiple awards from the Ohio Associated Press. He can be reached at 740-295-3417 or llhayhur@coshoctontribune.com. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @llhayhurst.

This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Coshocton County leaders looking to cut costs, generate new revenue