The Chester County Budget Committee met this past Monday, April 13. Four county offices presented their budgets.
The Sheriff’s Office and Jail were first up. Like many other offices in Chester County, the budget has been tight, but they have been able to eliminate around $10,000 for next year’s budget. The jail is over budget on medical, maintenance, and food this year. This is because the jail has seen a major increase in inmates this past year. They usually only hold around 60, but they have been averaging 80 for the past several months. While this increase has been problematic for the budget, the department is optimistic that these numbers will come down over the next few months. The committee had no further discussion on this budget.
Next, the Veterans’ Services Office presented its budget. They were over on some items, such as travel expenses, but not over on the whole. The committee had no further discussion on this budget.
The Register of Deeds had no comments on the budget except for the reminder that around $4,500 will be added in the next year for additional shelving in the office. This is so that all of the records can continue to be stored in an organized way. The committee was pleased with the budget and had no further questions The final office was the Election Commission. The commission met this past week and agreed to close the Deanburg, Harmony, and Beech Springs voting precincts. This will save several thousand dollars in the updated budget. Alternative locations for these precincts have been secured and there is a timeline on how they will come into operation. Follow the Chester County Independent and the election commission for further news regarding these closings.
The Chester County Budget Committee will continue budget discussions at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 21, at the Chester County Board of Education board room.
