County government is largely in the business of people.

And the budget reflects that reality.

The county’s general fund in 2022 came in at about $10.5 million.

On the revenue side, nearly $9.5 million of that total is property tax revenue with another $1 million projected in delinquent taxes and $60,000 coming from penalties and interest.

Many county departments generate some kind of revenue — from permit fees in Planning & Zoning to filing fees in multiple departments and $250,000 in revenue from the Sheriff’s office.

Each department, though, is presented with a bottom line total for their operating costs.

June one county department generates a net operating profit — the Tax Claim office, which was projected to generate over $600,000 in 2022.

One of the core functions of county government is the administration of justice and over $5 million of the county’s budget stems directly from the range of departments that make that system go – the courts, district attorney, public defender, sheriff and probation.

The single largest net cost to the county is the jail, which brings a bottom line budget cost of $2.45 million.

The county also is required to contribute match dollars as part of the operations of Warren-Forest Human Services.

For 2022, that total exceeded $1 million with approximately $830,000 specifically allocated as match for Children and Youth Services.

The county’s finance and administration department shows a $1.85 million expense to the county but that includes $3.5 million in healthcare for all county employees (about $1 million is reimbursed) and a $575,000 retirement payment.

For most departments, the predominant expenses are salary and wages for the people doing the work, not surprising when largely in the business of people.

The county’s budget projected $556,554 remaining at the end of the budget year.

Some county services are funded outside the general fund.

That includes the 911 fund which brings in nearly $1 million in revenue, liquid fuels, funds for domestic relations and the pass-through of the hotel tax to the Warren County Visitors Bureau.

A separate fund is also established to appropriately expend the $119,000 generated in commissary funds at the jail. Of that total, $90,000 is allocated to “equipment/supplies/inmate benefits” including $2,000 for haircuts, $17,000 for technological offerings and $6,900 for television.

A total of nearly $225,000 was also allocated for capital improvements across many departments.