After a hearing held during a special meeting Tuesday morning, the Pierce County Board of County Commissioners approved the preliminary budget for 2019.

During the hearing County Auditor-Treasurer Karin Fursather explained that the amounts the county requested will remain the same, however the estimated taxable value would decrease. The county requested over $2.17 million for the general fund and over $5.5 million for special revenue funds.

Fursather also explained that multiple transfers would be made from the general fund into other funds. In 2019 $40,000 will be transferred into Social Services; $5,982 into 9-1-1; $4,000 into Community Service; $30,000 for Mental Health services; $5,000 for ITD security; $1,702 for Marsy’s Law and $15,000 for Social Service funerals.

Fursather said the social service budget was $667,504.65, but the state would pick up $565,200 of that total. The balance remaining would be $102,304.65.

Other actions

– The board approved a payment of $5,032 from the 2017 Disaster Fund to Barton Township for road repair.

– The board approved the purchase of a folding machine that all departments in the county would be able to use.

– The board approved abatement applications for Ruth Atkinson, Neil Mack, Monty Lynnes and Allen Geisen.

– The board met with Daniel Schwartz, of Nexus Planning & Consulting, to discuss a proposal to update the county’s Comprehensive Plan. The current plan was done in 1987. The board approved hiring Nexus Planning to update the plan.