Funding was a major issue during 2016

In 2016, one word dominated the headlines and discussion throughout local governments: funding.

While the Green River City Council has dealt with decreased revenues for the past several years, the issue spread to the Sweetwater County government after a decline in the county’s valuation resulted in a 20 percent decline in the 2016-2017 budget.

Wally Johnson and the other commissioners told residents layoffs would be a last resort and held true to that statement as county employees were not eliminated in the process of reigning in the budget to match the anticipated revenues. The county has worked to cut vacant positions during the past several years in preparation for tougher economic times and approved an early retirement program for specific county employees in June. The program allowed certain employees nearing retirement to take a payout and retire early. Those eligible were employees in positions that could be closed and duties assigned out to other employees within a department.

“This is a necessity,” Commissioner John Kolb said at the time. “This is something we have to do.”

Funding also effected the county’s satellite organizations such as the Sweetwater County Library System. The library system was forced to cut back it’s hours as a result of decreased staffing levels.

Funding continued to be a problem for the city, with the city council being forced to cut many programs during its budget hearings. The council approved a $30 million budget, which was $2 million less than the previous year’s budget. Cuts made by the city included a 30 percent decrease in training and travel in the Green River Police Department, a decrease in the number of seasonal positions in the Parks and Recreation Department. The parks department also killed the Middle School New Year’s Eve Party and Middle School After School programs due to low attendance, as well as the Movies in the Park summer event. Funding for the Crystal Classic ice show was cut severely and will not involve ice carvers next year, which will lead to the event changing from its traditional format. Brad Raney, director of the parks and recreation department, said the costs to bring ice carvers to Green River was “extremely expensive.” The city also decided to cut a number of vacant positions within various departments.

Funding was a word also frequently tossed around during the Sweetwater County School District No. 2 meetings prior to adopting a budget. School board members were able to give district employees a small raise despite decreases in the district’s tax revenue and district valuation.

“It’s amazing we came up with this product,” Pete Brandjord, business manager for the district, said at the time the budget passed.

 

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