This article was in Wednesday’s (April 19th, 2017) Herald and News

Written By: Stephen Floyd, H&N Staff Reporter 

Klamath County Commissioners expect there will be few changes to the 2017-18 budget as revenue for the coming fiscal year is predicted to remain stable.

On Tuesday, Board Chair Commissioner Kelley Minty Morris said the budget for the fiscal year starting July 1 should differ little from the present budget and few cuts have been recommended for county departments.

“It’s a pretty status quo budget this year,” she said.

The county’s budget committee held the first in a series of meetings with department heads Tuesday to evaluate budget proposals. Regular budget hearings will take place through April 25 at the commissioners’ hearing room and are open to the public.

Minty Morris said signs of growth in the local economy have bolstered expectations for the budget. She said cuts so far have been meant to streamline departments rather than achieve drastic reductions in expenditures.

“We’re not anticipating any major cuts,” said Minty Morris.

In the past, a significant point of budget contention has been sheriff’s office funding. The department is the largest draw on county resources and is supported by often-unreliable federal revenue.

This year, Sheriff Chris Kaber said he does not expect the heated budget negotiations of years past and said he believes his department has the full support of commissioners to maintain county law enforcement. Kaber is expected to discuss his budget with the committee Thursday morning.

Though the 2017-18 budget is expected to remain stable, commissioners have not ruled out significant changes in the future. Commissioner Derrick DeGroot said, between himself and Commissioner Donnie Boyd taking office this January, the new board of commissioners is looking for ways they may need to refine county services later on and how those services should be funded.

“Right now we’re in the process of evaluating the county,” he said.

Despite few changes forecast for the next budget, DeGroot said residents are still encouraged to attend budget committee hearings and provide input. A tentative scheduled of committee hearings is available at www.klamathcounty.org and with this article at www.heraldandnews.com.