GREEN RIVER — The Sweetwater County Commissioners hosted a public hearing and approved a budget amendment for the Child Development Center this morning.

CDC Executive Director Lu Kasper appeared before commissioners previously on March 6 to request changes to the disbursement of sixth cent overage dollars.

Kasper said that unforeseen circumstances, such as needing to put on a new roof on the building, combined with budget cuts have had the CDC absorbing their budget shortfalls the last few years. Over the last several years, CDC revenues from the state have been reduced by 28%, over $1 million, Kasper said.

County commissioners approved a payment exception for the CDC at the last meeting as well as a change in how they were going to make payment to them in the future.

“Paragraph 8 changes the annual payments that we make to the CDC from $50,000 to $60,000 and approving $100,000 that we will pay them at the end of this meeting today. We will continue making payment to them of the interest which is occurred annually in the month of June. That $60,000 payment will be made in the month of December. We will be making two payments rather than the one we have done in the past,” said County Treasurer Robb Slaughter.

The budget amendment was approved for a $50,000 expenditure increase, but those dollars don’t come out of the general fund.

“This money is set aside for the CDC. It is, in fact, their money being distributed,” said Commissioner John Kolb.

“It is an expenditure increase for the CDC. It’s a completely separate fund. It’s not the general fund. It’s not the county’s money. This is the CDC building fund from the sixth cent overage,” said Accounting Manager Bonnie Berry.

They had a public hearing, but no comments were made.