MANSFIELD — Richland County commissioners were not overly critical of the $3.34 million 2023 budget presented Thursday by Juvenile Court Judge McKinley.
Commissioners were, however, curious why the judge hired outside legal counsel from the Cincinnati-based firm of Montgomery Johnson to attend the meeting to help answer questions about the court’s planned revenues and expenses for next year.
“So are you paying for (attorney Cooper Bowen’s) legal fees out of your budget?” Commissioner Tony Vero asked McKinley.
The judge said funding for Bowen’s analysis of his budget is provided “primarily” by the Ohio Supreme Court.
“I believe there is some amount that the court’s gonna be responsible for … maybe a couple hundred dollars,” McKinley said.
The tone of several moments during 38-minute budget review was not unexpected given the sparring match that occurred in May after commissioners accused court administrator Brian Bumpus of providing misleading information about wages paid in other counties.
Commissioners and the court clashed in May after McKinley and Bumpus sought to obtain pay increases for the lowest-paid employees — clerks and detention workers.
They said the starting wages for these employees needed to be raised to $15 per hour, up from $14, to help in attraction and retention of workers.
Commissioners ultimately granted the increases on May 17, but continued to express concerns that the court’s top three administrators were making a combined $271,169 in 2022.
Afterward, in a four-page letter, McKinley put the commissioners “on notice” and said the court may “order its budget” in the future.
“The Court hereby puts the Commissioners on notice that should the Board, in any future meeting with the Court, conduct its business in a derogatory or otherwise unprofessional manner; or attempt to pursue Court budget matters which are outside of the Board’s lawful authority, this Court will immediately terminate the budget discussions and order its budget,” McKinley wrote.
During Thursday’s meeting, McKinley pointed out court revenues were also increasing to a projected $1.3 million, up from $1 million in 2022.
He said the proposed budget “draws about $23,000 more from the general fund than in 2022, which is a fairly small amount (and) demonstrates good faith toward commissioners and toward other agencies in the county that the commissioners are responsible for funding.
“I believe the proposed budget sets forth the estimated necessary and reasonable administrative expenses for the operation of the juvenile court,” McKinley told commissioners.
“It provides for court staff, the maintenance and operation of the detention center, and for the care, maintenance, education and support of neglected, abused, dependent and delinquent children,” the judge said.
“In addition to determining the expenditures, that I believe that are reasonably necessary, a calculation of expected revenue has also been done, as well as an estimate of the grants the court will receive or is likely to receive,” McKinley said.
The judge reminded commissioners that the Ohio Supreme Court has recognized a judge’s budget “is presumed to be reasonable and necesssary and that commissioners would have to prove (otherwise).”
“The commissioners’ role as the funding authority doesn’t place the commissioners in authority of the finances of the court,” McKinley said.
“I’m the only elected official who observes the day-to-day operation of the court. So I think it would be presumptuous to assume that another elected official has better knowledge of the needs of the court,” he said.
“My staff and I are working to protect the best interests of children. The nature of the court’s work of caring for young people requires hiring and retaining qualified people with integrity to care about the important work of the children that they are serving.
“Because of the importance of the work, it’s important to financially reward the loyalty, the expertise, and the experience of the staff,” the judge said.
Commissioner Darrell Banks said he was concerned about rising salaries throughout the justice system.
“It’s scary,” he said. “Somewhere we have got to draw a line.”
McKinley said his court must have good people to meet its statutory requirements and those people must be paid.
“They need to be compensated in a way that rewards their expertise and their experience.”
Vero replied, “Juvenile Court is the place to be then.”
Vero said commissioners need to trim “several million dollars” in department requests in order to balance the county budget for 2023 with projected revenues.
The commissioner asked Bowen what budgets he would trim, given his belief the juvenile court budget was reasonable.
“I am asking you … (McKinley) brought you here,” Vero said.
Bowen replied, “Well, I am not your attorney to advise you on that situation.”
Vero again pressed, “I am asking if you were us, what you would do?”
Bowen again deferred, “That’s a hypothetical I am not fully prepared to entertain because I am not a county commissioner and I haven’t been retained to advise the county commissioners.
“I believe the (court’s) budget request is reasonable,” Bowen said.
Vero said, “I guess some departments are going to have to be cut a lot.”
Commissioners have one budget hearing remaining next week with the county auditor’s office.
After that, commissioners will trim budget requests to meet projected revenues with a goal of passing a 2023 spending plan by the end of the year.
