It’s officially budget season.

Monday marked the first day of four this week where the Warren County Commissioners will hold budget hearings with each department, office or community agency that receives funds under the county’s general fund budget.

Up first on Monday were the district attorney, sheriff, domestic relations and magisterial district judges.

For the sheriff’s office, the most discussed item was significant proposed increases for overtime and part-time deputies.

Sheriff Ken Klakamp said that training for new deputies is “one thing that would influence that” but noted that the costs are supposed to be reimbursed through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

Chief Deputy Chuck Fezeck said that part of the wage and overtime expense ties back to training.

Previously, the sheriff’s office would conduct training when the courthouse was closed for holidays. Now that the deputies are also off for those holidays, training now must be moved to nights and weekends.

Eric Hern, director of finance and administration, said revenues are lower for the department this year.

Klakamp cited a lack of revenue from the school resource officer program. That with a lower number of warrants served are impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Commissioner Ben Kafferlin said those COVID-19 related issues can be addressed via CARES Act and PCCD funding.

District Attorney

Hern noted there was no real change for this department.

District Attorney Rob Greene said “everything (is) fairly consistent” except for a staff pay increase already approved by the Salary Board.

From a capital expense perspective, Greene said he is requesting a vehicle — with lights and sirens — for the chief county detective.

“It is not a priority,” Greene said, but noted that it is something he has “requested quite a few years in a row.”

Kafferlin said a new vehicle is “off the table” but Greene said he has considered used vehicles.

Commissioner Jeff Eggleston asked whether it would be possible to track the mileage a vehicle might see as a means of determine whether the vehicle is going to actually be utilized. Greene said he put together such an estimate.

Magisterial District Judges

None of the three district judges in the county submitted budgets with particularly significant year-over-year changes.

Commissioner Jeff Eggleston asked District Judge Raymond Zydonik about the hypothetical possibility of sharing a space with District Judge Laura Bauer.

“I know that subject has come up before,” Zydonik said. “I don’t have an issue with it. It’s allowed under the rules now.”

He said the merged offices are permissible as long as the districts are contiguous.

Domestic Relations

Hern said the county contribution for this office is actually $18,000 less year over year.

Kafferlin said there were “no other real significant changes one way or the other” outside of the decrease.