County elected officials and department heads will participate in public session to discuss their budget requests

​YORK – This year, all the York County elected officials and department heads will be asked to publicly discuss their budgetary requests as part of the budget process.
As explained earlier by Commissioners Daniel Grotz and Randy Obermier, who are on the budget committee, they feel each department’s proposed budget should be discussed in public so everyone knows why the department heads feel they need the funding they are requested. They also said this would be a great way for the public to be more informed regarding how tax dollars are used by each department. It would be a way for the public to be more informed about the budget process.
“We are looking at the first meeting date in August to do this,” Obermier said this week as the county board members met in regular session.
“Yes, and we want all the commissioners’ thoughts on Aug. 4, as to whether we should do this in regular session during our regular meeting in the morning or should we hold a special meeting in the evening?” Commissioner Grotz said. “It may or may not attract more people from the public, having it in the evening . . . or would it be more convenient for the department heads and elected officials to have it during the work day?”
“Another thing we have to consider is how the public defender and the county attorney might prefer making their presentations in the evening as court is held during the day,” Obermier added. “Maybe we would need to do split sessions, with some in the day and some in the evening.”
Grotz said he would be reaching out to elected officials and department heads to see about their availability on Aug. 4 and when it is determined, the public will be made aware of when these sessions will be held.