The DeWitt County Board is shifting its focus toward long-term planning as it prepares to tackle the upcoming fiscal year's budget.

On the WHOW Morning Show, DeWitt County Board Chair Joe Witte told the Hart Media Group that July kicks off the initial stages of the county's budget planning process. He noted that the board is committed to maintaining fiscal responsibility by avoiding the creation of new positions the county cannot afford to fund.

Property maintenance also topped the agenda during its recent June committee meetings. Witte highlights several ongoing regular maintenance items that have already gained approval, with more scheduled.

The board has also advanced a timeline for seeking bids on facility improvements, specifically targeting the county's air conditioning systems and other properties. Witte says the anticipated rollout is for evaluating and awarding those upcoming maintenance contracts.

Turning to public safety, the Board continues to work through intergovernmental agreements, with the County actively looking to expand its animal control service partnerships beyond Clinton and Farmer City to any interested municipalities.

Witte reminds the recent tax bills that were issued do not represent new taxes. Instead, the bills now feature a detailed breakout of the County's retirement fund portions, including Social Security and IMRF allocations, to provide greater transparency to the public.

The Board will meet on July 23 this month.