Todd County's year-end cash and investment balances have been very stable over the last eight years, Auditor Doug Host told Todd County commissioners at their April21 board meeting.

Host had just completed the 2008 county audit. The county had $11.7 million in cash and investments at year-end, he reported.

The general fund's revenue and expenditures overall were quite steady, he said. Revenues in 2008 for this fund were $9.9 million with expenditures at $8.6 million.

Host said revenues and expenditures in the public works fund were very steady. The social services fund showed expenditures going up, increasing about two per cent per year over the last six years. Other counties have increased more, he said.

The majority of revenue for the county comes from taxes and intergovernmental agencies, he said. Expenditures were consistent from year to year, with the highest spending in human services, highways, public safety, health and general government. In addition, the county is not committed to huge debt payments, Host said.

County fair grounds

Representatives from the Youth Agriculture Learning Center organization were given a one-year county fairground lease from the Todd County commissioners. The lease will provide the organization with space on the fairgrounds to build a miniature farm, said Eagle Valley School FFA teacher Curt Gjerstad.

The project will show how important agriculture is to our lives and communities, he told commissioners at their board meeting.

Local 4-H and FFA chapters, along with volunteers, will help to construct the fairground site. This could bring in more people to the fair, he said.

The organization is half way toward its goal of raising $25,000 for supplies and materials. They hope to have the project completed for Prairie Fest, which is held in June.

Commissioner Gerry Ruda said he applauds what they are doing.

Commissioners must soon decide if they want to hire a part-time maintenance person or hire a contractor for fairground maintenance. The county's custodial staff is busy with the county government buildings, said Commissioner David Kircher. County Administrator Nathan Burkett agreed.

He said it would be diffi cult for the county's custodial staff to maintain the fairgrounds at the needed level.

Budget reports

Commissioners may choose to have a new look to their budget report. Burkett suggested that each department have its own page, which could list such items as department description and employment data, department goals and how these goals will be achieved. The reports would be available on the internet.

In other business, the board:

o LEARNED that Zoning Coordinator Andrew Dahlgren has submitted his resignation. He has accepted a position elsewhere;

o DESIGNATED April 26 - May 2 as Crimes Victim Rights Week. Representatives from Hands of Hope, who presented the proclamation, said it was important to help crime victims rebuild their lives.