Mid-year budget adjustments made at DPW

The mid-year budget adjustments approved May 8 by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors included appropriating $121,071 for survey equipment for the county’s Department of Public Works (DPW) and $490,707 to develop watershed load reduction plans to reduce bacteria in watersheds of the county’s responsibility.

The county supervisors’ 5-0 vote also transferred the $1,166.55 balance of Permanent Road Division Zone No. 14 to the county’s general fund, returned $101,349.77 of budgeted money not needed to complete a Bonsall land acquisition to the Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) acquisition fund, and appropriated $16,800 of accrued revenue to cover operating expenses for County Service No. 81 parks.

The third-quarter adjustments increase 2011-12 general fund expenditures by $3,269,603 with additional appropriations of $3,561,864 and cancellation of $272,811 of appropriated funds. The net increase for all other funds was $13,066,462 with $14,052,597 of appropriations being added (including $7,916,077.66 to transfer ownership and maintenance of 33 firefighting vehicles from the county’s Department of General Services to the San Diego County Regional Fire Authority) and $964,135 being cancelled. The county had a balance of $182.6 million in its general fund and $243.8 million in its other funds for the first three quarters of Fiscal Year 2011-12.

The funding for the Department of Public Works survey equipment was derived from salary savings in the Field Surveys division. The equipment will be used for construction staking and topographic surveys for capital improvement projects, land boundary retracement, setting control points for aerial mapping and flood control projects, and recovery and remonumentation of historical land corners.

During Fiscal Year 2011-12 the Regional Water Quality Control Board enacted a total maximum daily load regulation for bacteria. The county has contracted with Geosyntec Consulting to complete the technical aspects of the load reduction plan, and the funding from the mid-year budget adjustments will allow for completion of the plan by June 30.

In June 2008, the county supervisors dissolved Permanent Road Division (PRD) Zone No. 14, which was called Rancho Diego but which served Monserate Hill Road, Monserate Hill Place, Monserate Hill Court, and Fire Road. The PRD zone derived its revenue from a portion of property tax, but the revenue was not sufficient to cover the district’s administrative costs. The district had not imposed any assessments and had been inactive for several years prior to its dissolution.

In September 2009, the county authorized the purchase of 95 acres of open space preservation at the San Luis Rey River Park. In addition to the $3,282,050 appraised value, the appropriations included $9,300 for title and escrow, $14,000 for staff processing time, and $100,000 for one-time stewardship expenses. The transactions were completed with $101,349.77 remaining in the project budget, and the budget adjustment allows that balance to be used for any future MSCP land acquisition.

County Service Area No. 81 covers parks in Fallbrook, Rainbow, and DeLuz. Revenue of $16,800 beyond the 2010-11 budget from the La Paloma Elementary After School Education and Safety program will provide funds for operations and maintenance at the CSA No. 81 parks.

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