Conversation down at the coffee shop was very lively this morning. When I arrived, my old coffee-drinkin' buddies, Elmer and Herb, were already there. The conversation centered on the financial condition of Gasconade County. Elmer had heard that the county is in very serious financial trouble, but Herb said it wasn't really so. They asked me my opinion, and I said that I didn't really know for sure. I told 'em that I was waitin' to read a full report in the County Commission Meeting Minutes that the Hermann A-C always carries. I told 'em that I was sure the County Commissioners would be managing the county's budget very closely. Afterall, I told them, the concern about the county's finances had been raised way back in July. The County Clerk had urged the Commissioners to address the problem back then. Surely, I told Elmer and Herb, our county officials have been cutting out unnecessary expenses all along and allocating county money according to the highest county priorities.
About that time our waitress, Sarah, approached the table to refill our coffee cups. "Well good morning, Sarah!" I said. "Have you heard anything about the county's financial condition?"
"Well, I've just overheard people talkin' about it here in the coffee shop." Sarah responded. "Seems we don't have money to properly clean and maintain the courthouse, nor to pay the utility bills, nor to even pay the bills for housing prisoners up at the Montgomery County Jail."
"Is that so?!" I exclaimed. "So what's the County Commission gonna do about all this?"
Sarah said she didn't know.
I guess we'll just have to wait and read all about it in the County Commission Meeting Minutes. Or maybe we could attend the weekly meetings of the County Commission. I understand the meetings are held every Thursday morning at 8:30 am.
If anyone has information on this subject, please drop us a line here at Hermann Hearsay.
I'm kinda like Sarah, Clark. I've been hearing things about the county's financial condition, and I don't like what I'm hearing. Nobody can get a raise. They act like they don't have money to clean or maintain the old county courthouse there in Hermann. Where the heck is all the money going?!
ReplyDeleteA.E. Newman
Bland, MO
Mr. Newman,
ReplyDeleteWe will try to get ahold of a thorough analysis of the county's expenditures YTD vs. the 2009 budget. I haven't seen such an analysis coming out of the County Commission, led by Presiding Commissioner Ron Jost. I don't see publication of budget specifics in the Commission Meeting Minutes. I don't see the kind of transparency that citizens deserve.
Clark Kant
Editor In Chief
Mr. Kant,
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you could secure a copy of the 2009 budget as well as expenditures through the current month, and publish all of this information on your blog site? The citizens of Gasconade County deserve to know exactly where the county stands!
G.C. Citizen
Hermann, MO
Mr. Citizen,
ReplyDeleteAs I wrote to Mr. Newman, 'Hermann Hearsay' will try to get more detailed information regarding the financial condition of the county.
Thanks for your comments! Please visit us again!
Clark Kant
Editor In Chief
Clark,
ReplyDeleteI read all about this over on 'Hermann Muenster'. Seems our county officials are sayin' the county finances are in sad shape. Sales tax revenues down. Real estate and personal property collections down. They ain't said much about what they can do to cut expenditures.
I ain't seen a full report on the issue in the Hermann A-C or the Gasconade County Republican yet. I'm sure they'll be coverin' the topic this comin' week.
Accordin' to my cypherin' on a napkin down at the coffee shop this mornin', the county needs to cut out any overtime it may be payin' out to hourly-paid county employees, reduce expenditures by the road and bridge department, maybe consider a few layoffs, cut all discretionary spending in all county departments, etc. In other words, tighten up belts for a few months.
But I may be wrong. I'm only a 6th grade graduate. I'm sure our county officials will figure it out directly.
Jethro Bodine
Brown Shanty
Maybe we can organize a bake sale to raise some money!
ReplyDeleteDaffy Duck
Owensville