Date: Fri 12-Mar-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: KAAREN

Quick Words:

budget-district-hearing

Full Text:

Hearing Monday on Health District Budget

BY JAN HOWARD

A public hearing on the Newtown Health District's proposed 1999-2000 budget

will be held Monday, March 15, at 7:30 pm, in the conference room adjacent to

the Health District office in Canaan House on the Fairfield Hills campus.

The Town Council recently made no change in the Health District's proposed

$343,975.24 budget, according to Health Director Mark Cooper.

There is no increase in borough or town health assessments for the Health

District budget, he said. The local contribution under the proposed budget

remains the same as that of the current year, $205,564.35 for the town and

$19,488.63 for the borough.

The budget is up $10,372.54, or about 3.1 percent more than the current budget

of $333,602.70, mostly due to increases in state aid because of changes in the

funding formula for municipalities and anticipated salary increases as a

result of union negotiations. The average salary increase last year was three

percent, but the union contract is up for renewal this year.

The salary account for 1999-2000 remains unchanged from the current year at

$222,686.58.

Mr Cooper said funds have been included in the contingency fund for

anticipated wage increases. The contingency fund is $8,168.52, up $6,168.52

from $2,000 in this year's budget.

Operating expenses are projected at $14,169.98, up $1,127.04 from $13,042.94.

"We hope to work closer with the VNA (Visiting Nurse Association) to do

additional health education," Mr Cooper said. In line with that goal, the

Health District has doubled its education budget, from $1,250 to $2,500.

Also, Mr Cooper said that the Health District has also absorbed the cost of

the public health nurse, in addition to the costs of a nurse practitioner for

the well child clinic.

Other budget items include contractual, $13,592, up $2,210 from $11,382;

transportation, $14,015 (no change); workers compensation, $6,446.95, up

$2,396.59 from $4,050.36; employee health insurance, $40,731.21, down $877.28

from $41,608.49; legal/financial, $6,800, down $50 from $6,850; employee

Social Security, $17,365, up $405 from $16,960. There is no appropriation for

capital, down from $1,007.33.

Anticipated revenues include a state per capita block grant of $38,200 and a

block grant of $3,592, both approximately the same as last year. The district

projects $53,881.86 in fees, the same as in the current budget.

Per capita health costs for 1998-99 were $10.69. Mr Cooper said he expects the

amount will be lower for 1999-2000.

Mr Cooper also noted there has been a 1.6 percent increase in net health costs

for the Health District budget over the five-year period since the district

acquired full time Health Department status.

"Health services have increased while health costs are down," he said.

Final approval of the Health District budget is required by April 1, according

to Mr Cooper, but he said he expects the district's Board of Directors to

finalize the budget one to two weeks after the public hearing.

Copies of the proposed budget are on file for review in the office of the

Newtown Health District, Canaan House, 4 Fairfield Circle South on the

Fairfield Hills campus and the office of the Town Clerk, Edmond Town Hall, 45

Main Street, Newtown.