New 2008 county budget.

December 19, 2007 - The Douglas County Board of Commissioners approved a 2008 county budget of $99.6 million. Douglas County’s proposed 2008 budget total is $99,618,521, and a 2.8 percent increase over last year’s budget.  Employees will receive a 2 percent cost-of-living increase and a 2.5 percent merit increase of $1,311.650.  Other allocations include $1,500,000 for park expansion, $1,750,000 for road improvements and safety projects and $885,493 for jail annex debt service. Jennifer Hallman, county finance director said the county is budgeting $400,000 for new sheriffs’ office vehicles, $95,000 for technology replacements and $379,500 for software and data center replacements.
Twenty-eight new county positions are expected to be created during the increase in county budget:  traffic operations, Superior Court clerk, solicitor, district attorney, State Court, public defender, State Court public defender, sheriff’s detention, fire/EMS, Boundary Waters Park, skateboard park and library.  Douglas County’s first attempt for the budget was $102 million, but there was a $3.6 million surplus with interest, governmental grants and revenue transfers.