County passes annual vessel fund resolution
Shoshone County Commissioner Mike Fitzgerald
News-Press file photo
WALLACE — The Shoshone Board of County Commissioners passed resolution earlier this week regarding Shoshone County’s vessel fund revenue.
The resolution, an annual item for the BOCC, basically announces their intent to not return the unexpended vessel fund revenue and to expend those monies during the next fiscal year.
The vessel funds are part of the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation Boating Program.
Funds from the Vessel Account may be used for the protection and promotion of safety, to improve parking areas for boating purposes, to improve boat ramps and moorings, for search and rescue, and for marking of waterways.
Idaho has a unique user designation system in place which allows users to indicate where their money is sent. Based on primary and secondary use designations, boating funds are placed in a County Vessel Fund.
Expenditures of the monies (as listed in the resolution) mirrors the three revenue sources, the Boat Sticker Program, RAC Grant for toilets and garbage bins, and to a very lesser extent (if used) taxes.
This projected year's budget for the Vessel Fund is approximately $28,000 with no taxes levied.
According to BOCC Chairman Mike Fitzgerald this fairly common practice by the county as part of their regular budgeting process.
“It is common for us to retain a $15,000 to $25,000 year-end balance for the Vessel Fund,” Fitzgerald said. “For budgeting purposes, the county typically sets aside a portion of this balance for cash flow and bill paying needs.”
Shoshone County retained roughly $32,000 with their resolution.
Of those monies, roughly $7,000 was carried as cash into the current year’s budget with the remaining total budget of $28,000 coming from the Boat Sticker Program and RAC Grant revenues.
RAC Grants or Resource Advisory Committee Grants are grants through the United States Forest Service that have been used over the years for things like dumpsters, restrooms, law enforcement and road striping, along the North Fork and St. Joe regions of Shoshone County.