Pay raise in budget for county workers

Clara Aucoin
GCN Senior Reporter

  When the Commissioners voted to approve the Budget for 2005, they nailed into place a 5% pay raise for all county employees. Long in coming, due to paying cash for the $4 million over budget $12.5 million Community Center, county employees at last have a pay raise more than inflation.

  It was that same community center project that led the Gilpin County coffers to be extremely light at the end of 2003. It is good to know that the fund balances have recovered and at the end of 2004 the Commissioners have managed themselves into a fund balance of $4,068,367, after expenditures.

  In 2003, the Commissioners began the year with a General Fund balance of $2,379,083, and brought in $11,998,104. After expenditures they were left with $667,684. In 2004, the General Fund balance began with the meager $667,684, ballooned with revenues of $12,216,189, less expenditures of $7,649,377 and transfers out of $1,180,000, ended with $4,068,367. For 2005, estimates indicate the Commissioners will also end the year with a fund balance in excess of $5 million.

  The Commissioners have estimated the revenue for 2005 will be approximately $11,998,104. That income is derived from taxes, $1,833,072, and gaming tax, $8,715,286, essentially, and seems a safe guess because gaming numbers are a little ahead of where they were this time last year. That indicates the gaming revenue checks will be similar in amounts.

  Also included in the budget is a large chunk of cash earmarked for capital improvements. At this point most of that money is planned for completion of road construction and the possibility of building a new road and bridge building. However, opposition has been surfacing from the two subdivisions, Aspen Springs and Chalet Park, who are projected to have roads rebuilt and the decision on what to do with the project has not been finalized.