Board to Assess Agencies' Financial Health Monday

The heads of several Riverside County agencies will appear Monday before the Board of Supervisors for a hearing on anticipated financial challenges in the current fiscal year.

“Continued improvement is expected in revenue and reserves,” county Executive Office spokesman Ray Smith told City News Service. “No dramatic budget variances (are expected) in comparison to the overall size of the budget.”

The board approved a working 2014-15 fiscal year budget of $4.76 billion in June. That spending plan is expected to be formally ratified on Sept. 23, with adjustments made in accordance with whatever comes out of Monday’s “budget impact hearing.”

Following a practice that began several years ago, the board in June postponed implementing all components of the budget to wait and see what transpires during the state budget process. About a third of the county’s non- discretionary funds originate from the state.

The sheriff, district attorney and CEO of the Riverside County Regional Medical Center will be the first to address the board Monday.

In June, interim RCRMC Chief Financial Officer Chris Hans told the board that while the Moreno Valley hospital continues to face “significant challenges,” the financial picture is improving, with next year’s deficit projected to be $20 million instead of $82 million.

The troubled hospital is undergoing operational reforms being implemented by consultants hired at a collective cost of more than $28 million. The Executive Office has expressed confidence that the 18-month overhaul would result in ongoing annual savings of $55.5 million -- enough to erase the medical center’s red ink within a few years.

Sheriff’s officials did not immediately respond to requests for an update on that agency’s fiscal position. In June, the sheriff’s department received nearly $10 million in additional general fund support to cover cost overruns.

The department is in the process of expanding its correctional and line deputy staff by 500 under a board-directed plan to increase the number of patrol personnel in the unincorporated communities and have jail guards in place when the East County Detention Center in Indio opens in 2016.

According to District Attorney’s Office spokesman John Hall, the D.A.’s budget is balanced at $99 million. But District Attorney Paul Zellerbach will be asking for an additional $10 million to cover anticipated “needs” between now and June 30, when the fiscal year concludes.

– City News Service.

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