(A) The Judge/Executive shall annually prepare a proposed budget for the expenditure of all funds, including those from state and federal sources, which are to be expended by the Fiscal Court in the next fiscal year.
(B) The proposed budget shall be classified into budget units as outlined in division (C) below and shall include or concern the following:
(1) The Judge/Executive shall obtain budget proposals prepared by each county office or agency receiving funds from the Fiscal Court, including the County Clerk, Sheriff, and Jailer;
(2) The Judge/Executive shall prepare a report of anticipated revenue from intergovernmental transfers from city, state, and federal governments;
(3) The Judge/Executive shall review the expenditures in each classification of each fund for the preceding year and for the current year;
(4) The Judge/Executive shall obtain from the County Treasurer a statement of receipts for actual expenditures made during the current fiscal year;
(5) An estimate shall be made of expenditures for the remainder of the current year and of any surplus, by fund, which will remain;
(6) The Judge/Executive shall obtain from the Sheriff an annual settlement, showing county taxes collected, not later than May 1 of the current year;
(7) Prepare the actual county budget from the proposals submitted by each county office or agency;
(8) Add temporary borrowing, estimated surplus, and transfer of funds to anticipated revenue to determine the amount available for the year; and
(9) In the event the estimated expenditures exceed the estimated amount available, an adjustment shall be made by reducing the expenditures as the Judge/Executive finds in the best interest of the county to bring the budget into balance.
(C) (1) The Fiscal Court, at a meeting or meetings held no later than June 1 of each year, shall make a detailed investigation of each separate activity of the county for which the Judge/Executive proposes that county funds are to be expended by the Fiscal Court.
(2) All expenditures shall be classified into budget units, including:
(a) The General Fund;
(b) The Jail Fund;
(c) The Road Fund; and
(d) The LGEA Fund.
(D) The county budget shall include such budget units as may be required by the activities of the county. When necessary, the county budget may be subdivided into separate budget funds so that the cost of each class of expenditures can be ascertained at any time and regulated according to the financial condition and needs of the county.
(E) The funds set apart in the county budget for a budget unit, or any subdivision thereof, shall constitute a separate Budget Fund and shall be appropriated and accounted for separately.
(F) The proposed budget shall be submitted to the Fiscal Court for tentative approval and any changes the Fiscal Court deems reasonably necessary shall be made by the Judge/Executive.
(G) Following action by the Fiscal Court, but not later than June 10, the budget shall be submitted to the Commonwealth Local Finance Office for approval as to form and classification.
(H) (1) If the Commonwealth Local Finance Officer finds the proposed budget is uniform with the budgets of other counties of the same class in classification of units and conforms to the budget laws, he or she shall approve the classifications, return the original copy to the Judge/Executive, and retain the duplicate copy as part of his or her records.
(2) If the Commonwealth Local Finance Officer finds the proposed budget is not uniform with the budgets of other counties in classification of units, the County Judge/Executive shall notify Fiscal Court and shall schedule a meeting as needed.
(I) (1) The proposed county budget tentatively approved by the Fiscal Court and approved by the Commonwealth Local Finance Officer as to form and classification shall be submitted to the Fiscal Court for adoption not later than July 1 of each year or within ten days after receipt of the certified assessment from the Department of Revenue, as provided in KRS 122.180, whichever shall be the later.
(2) The Judge/Executive shall cause a copy of the proposed budget to be posted in a conspicuous place in the Courthouse near the front door, and be published pursuant to KRS Ch. 424, at least ten days before final adoption by the Fiscal Court.
(J) Any taxpayer or group of taxpayers may petition the Fiscal Court in respect to the budget or any part thereof before final adoption.
(K) If the Fiscal Court rejects any part of the proposed budget, it shall make the changes in the nature and amount of funds a majority of the Court considers desirable; but it has no power to make any change in the form or classification of the budget units or subdivision of units.
(L) Within 15 days after the budget is adopted by the Fiscal Court, the Judge/Executive shall certify to the Commonwealth Local Finance Officer a copy of the original budget as approved by the Commonwealth Local Finance Officer, indicating clearly all changes made by the Fiscal Court.
(Ord. 215, passed 2-1-1995)