With the Sampson County Board of Commissioners expecting to approve the county’s budget Monday, questions are still being raised as to whether county manager Rick Moorefield’s proposed budget will be maintained based on the uncertainty of the state’s fiscal plan.

The concept of holding the county’s final vote on the budget was outlined in Moorefield’s budget message, where he noted various pieces of legislation that could lead the county to alter its budget. Some legislation that may influence the county’s funds include shifting the cost of rent for probation offices from state to counties, the shifting of the state’s regional child support enforcement offices to counties, the cost of jail inspections being transferred to counties, the elimination of state payments for housing misdemeanants in local jails and the increase in age limit for juvenile detention to include 16 and 17 year olds.

However none of these legislative pieces have passed at this point. But, if any do, Moorefield stated in his budget message, “the fiscal impact cannot be absorbed in the recommended budget and will require either a reduction in force throughout several departments or concentrated in a single department.”

County finance officer David Clack pointed out that, at this time, he does not foresee any major changes in the county’s submitted fiscal plans.

“We don’t see any reason to be decreased and cost someone a job,” said Clack. However, he stressed that these things may change as the state puts a stamp on its fiscal plan.

“We will be getting more updates,” said Clack, and those updates could reflect a change.

In the meantime, county employees will have to brace for potential alterations to the county’s budget. So far, most department leaders seem to be satisfied with the manager’s proposed financial plan, even though each faced a five percent cut in their own department’s funding.

Register of Deeds Eleanor Bradshaw said she is satisfied with the budget despite the cuts that had to be made.

“I know that the commissioners had to make cuts, and I know that they worked diligently on it. I can work with it,” said Bradshaw.

However, with lower cashflow moving through her department, this has translated into some internal moves to help keep costs down. For example, she pointed out that, this year, she does not have any major projects planned for the Deeds office.

“We are also conserving our use of paper and turning the lights off more,” said Bradshaw.

Department of Aging director Lorie Sutton is also satisfied with the budget as proposed by Moorefield.

“It is tighter, but we are happy that we still are able to provide services for our clients, and we are thankful that we still have jobs,” said Sutton.

Sheriff Jimmy Thornton said, even with the cuts, he can live with the budget proposed for his department.

“We are all in the same boat, and we all must sacrifice. I am no different than anyone else,” Thornton remarked.

He also pointed that his office is having to cut back everywhere it can as well. But, he pointed out, “We will be able to operate, and for the sake of taxpayers, we just have to deal with it.”

Katie Holland can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 136, or by e-mail at silife@myclintonnc.com.