WARREN — Trumbull County commissioners at a special meeting Friday approved a $2 million transfer from the county’s emergency reserve fund to shore up department budgets and avoid layoffs.
The decision, which drew from the county’s $14 million rainy day fund, aims to address shortfalls in critical departments while maintaining essential services for residents. The move comes after weeks of deliberation and pressure from department heads and employees concerned about potential job cuts.
Commissioners emphasized the transfer leaves the county with a healthy reserve of more than $11.5 million, which is in line with national standards for counties of Trumbull’s size.
“I’m okay with it,” said Commissioner Denny Malloy during post-meeting comments. “When I looked at what goes on nationwide, we have about $2 million more than what we should have reserved, according to the National Association of Counties. Taking $2 million out of that fund, leaving ourselves with more than $11.5 million remaining, is a safe bet. That’s the taxpayers’ money, let’s put it to work.”
The funds will be allocated to the Sheriff’s Office, Auditor’s Office, Clerk of Courts and Board of Elections, among other departments. Malloy expressed confidence that the additional funding would prevent layoffs, though he cautioned department heads to streamline operations and minimize overtime.
“We’ve reviewed some departments and seen excessive overtime over the past few years,” Malloy said. “We’re asking department heads to budget better and eliminate voluntary, non-essential overtime. Taxpayers don’t mind paying for services, but they do mind paying overtime for services.”
Commissioner Rick Hernandez echoed Malloy’s sentiments, stating the need for unity and fiscal responsibility.
“We value our employees,” Hernandez said. “We don’t want layoffs or job losses. With these additional funds, departments may still need to cut hours slightly, but we’ve avoided the worst-case scenario.”
The decision to tap into the reserve fund follows a similar move last year, when $1.5 million was transferred to balance the budget. Commissioners acknowledged that this year’s solution is not a long-term fix but a necessary stopgap amid rising costs and economic uncertainty.
“This is still a band-aid,” Malloy said during the meeting. “We’re going to be dealing with this in future years. We have to put everybody on alert, including the citizens. We have the lowest tax rate in Northeast Ohio, which means we have less money to spend per capita than our neighbors.”
The commissioners also addressed concerns about overtime, particularly in departments like the Sheriff’s Office and Auditor’s Office, which reported $73,000 in overtime last year. Malloy urged department heads to justify any overtime and explore alternatives like comp time.
Despite the challenges, commissioners expressed optimism about the county’s financial future. Hernandez highlighted ongoing efforts to collaborate with townships and explore economic development opportunities.
“We need to work together to move this county forward,” he said. “We have some great things in the works to get this monkey off our back and focus on economic growth.”
The county’s budget commission will review the transfer Monday, with talks expected to continue at the commissioners workshop Tuesday. Commissioners emphasized their commitment to transparency and accountability, pledging to monitor the budget monthly and adjust as needed.
“We’re not going to sit up here and impose anything,” Malloy said. “We’re going to work with the townships, the state, and the feds to come up with the best financial formula. If we’re going to ask for more from people, we’re going to give something back.”
As the county moves forward, Malloy said he hopes employees are breathing a sigh of relief.
“I saw a young lady today who said, ‘Commissioner, please don’t forget about us,’” Malloy recalled. “I think we protected every job we were responsible for. Employees can go home tonight, hug their kids, and know they have a job to come back to on Monday.”
