Social services, parks, code enforcement priorities in Stanislaus County budget plan

A Stanislaus County budget plan released Friday would add staff positions to handle the increased demand for mental health and social services. Residents could also expect to see better park maintenance and stronger code enforcement if county leaders approve the budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1.

The $1.08 billion budget for next year is down 1 percent from the 2014-15 fiscal year. The county expects to see almost $10 million in revenue growth that can be spent at the discretion of the Board of Supervisors.

The budget plan includes allocations for 58 additional staff positions, most of them in county departments that oversee behavioral health and social services. Those departments are dealing with a 70 percent increase in the population eligible for Medi-Cal services under federal health reform.

The budget would allocate 20 staff positions for Behavioral Health and Recovery Services and 13 positions for the Community Services Agency. It would restore six positions in parks and recreation that were cut during the economic downturn and also authorize hiring in the Health Services Agency, the chief executive office, environmental resources and other departments.

The plan would give the county a total of 4,124 authorized positions, still far less than the 4,603 in July 2007.

Chief Executive Officer Stan Risen said the county is remaining cautious as it enters a sixth year of economic recovery.

“The average economic recovery lasts only five years,” he said. “We recognize the next recession could be just around the corner.”

The budget projects almost 6 percent growth in discretionary revenue to $179 million, just short of the $181 million the year before the Great Recession.

Property tax values are expected to increase 4.5 percent next year. The county anticipates a 2 percent increase in sales tax categories but a $160,000 decrease in fines and penalties.

The Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on the preliminary budget June 9 and is scheduled to approve the final spending plan for 2015-16 in mid-September.

Because of funds previously allocated for restoring public safety, the Sheriff’s Department will continue hiring more deputies to fight crime and will reactivate special investigative units, including the auto theft task force and the Sheriff’s Team Investigating Narcotics and Gangs, or STING.

According to budget documents, about $90,000 in software will help with managing complex work schedules for deputies and $258,000 will be spent purchasing vehicles for STING. A truck and trailer costing $78,000 will transport horses for the sheriff’s mounted unit, reducing the county’s liability when deputies use personal vehicles.

Risen said the plan would rejuvenate parks and recreation after those services endured more than $1 million in cuts after the recession. The county would restore positions to improve maintenance and reopen restrooms in parks, support youth activities and bring more events to regional parks.

The budget plan would allocate almost $500,000 in additional money for parks and recreation and $270,000 to cover one-time costs.

The county also is working on a three-year plan to bolster code enforcement after cuts reduced the unit to two officers for the entire 1,500-square-mile county. A zoning enforcement officer, support staff and program supervisor would be added next year and two more enforcement officers would begin work by the end of 2017.

The plan would establish a code enforcement presence seven days a week.

“As one supervisor said, we don’t want people thinking the county is closed on the weekend,” Risen said.

Library spending is expected to increase 9 percent because of restored salaries and the costs of additional materials, electronic resources, facility maintenance and improvements. A librarian will be hired for the Modesto reference department.

In response to a 43 percent increase in land use applications, Planning and Community Development wants to hire a clerk and double-fill a vacancy for two months when a veteran staff member retires in March 2016.

Almost a dozen county departments have made requests for purchasing a total of 118 vehicles, which would add 33 to the county fleet and replace 85 older vehicles.

This story was originally published May 29, 2015 at 6:11 PM with the headline "Social services, parks, code enforcement priorities in Stanislaus County budget plan."