Posted by Todd R. Hornak

CORRECTION:  THE NEXT MEETING IS AT THE VETERAN'S MEMORIAL WITH DINNER TO FOLLOW.  CEREMONY STARTS AT 6:30 PM.

HEADS OR TAILS:   Jim Dvorak is the winner.

GUESTS:  Trent Vesely, son of Ron Vesely.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:  A thank you was received from Geauga County Job and Family Services.

PROGRAM:   Tracy Jemison.  State of Geauga County.  The general fund for the county for 2011 is $26,714,754, down from approximately $30,000,000 in 2007.  The county is estimating the fund to drop to around $23,000,000 in 2012.  The number one revenue contributor to the general fund is county sales tax (45%) followed by real estate tax (25%).  Both of these revenue sources have been trending downward in recent years but the county feels we are starting to see the bottom.  Despite declining revenues, the county has been able to balance the the budget through cooperation between departments, wage freezes, staff reductions, keeping healthcare and workers comp costs in check, and aggressive paydown on the debt.  For instance, the Safety Center should be paid off by 2015, less than 10 years after it was opened.  The county has the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 6.5% and just had its bond rating improved to AA1 by Moody's.  A new program on the horizon is a wireless broadband initiative that would cover the entire county and generate as much as $150,000 per year through the sales of wireless cards.