Butler County commissioners approved a $23.3 million budget for 2018 on Monday.
The county will spend about $32,000 on a 2 percent increase to payroll, before fringe benefit costs.
It ended 2017 approximately $1.6 million in the black, with just under half of that gain in the road and bridge fund. Almost a quarter of it, or almost $370,000, went into the general fund cash reserve.
"Everyone has cut back to help us," said presiding commissioner Vince Lampe. "You had to have everyone working."
The raise will be across the board for county highway department workers, who are entering a new two-year contract following union negotiations.
The contract stipulates the department will receive the same raise, if any is given, as courthouse employees in the second year of the contract, said highway superintendent Gary McDonald.
Each office holder will decide how the raise is distributed to employees within other departments, said county clerk Tonyi Deffendall.
Elected officials voted not to take a raise, Lampe said.
Commissioners believe equipment purchased in 2017 also will allow it to nearly double the amount of overlay work done in the coming year.
The highway department is now able to perform overlay work with its own staff, rather than contracting the projects out to other companies, said eastern district commissioner Butch Anderson.
The savings in 2017 have already nearly paid for the equipment purchase, he said.
The amount of improvements will be dependent on how much damage is done to gravel roads following an unusually hard freeze, said western district commissioner Boots LeGrand.
The ground froze to a deeper depth during early January's low temperatures, commissioners explained.
The thaw causes gravel roads to be softer and muddier than normal, with more repair work to be done by county highway crews, LeGrand said.
Commissioners heard concerns Monday from a resident of a gravel road that was difficult to travel because of muddy conditions.
County crews maintain approximately 850 miles of gravel roads and 150 miles of paved roads, in addition to nearly 100 bridges.
The 2018 budget predicts revenues of $19.9 million, however commissioners do not believe they will see a significant drop in cash balances.
The budget overestimates expenses and underestimates revenues, Deffendall said. This is similar to how the 2017 budget was initially projected.
Some expenses are estimated, including payments to a special taxing district, which covers improvements in the Eight Points retail area, she said. This payment is based on sales tax collections for the year.
The 2018 budget also includes spending on a railroad overpass at the Poplar Bluff Industrial Park and other possible grant projects.
Projected budgets include (approximate):
County commission, $6.2 million
Highways and roads, $5.9 million
Sheriff, $3.9 million
Employee fringe benefits, $811,200
Assessor, $582,400
County clerk, $440,300
Building and grounds, $438,800
Prosecuting attorney, $434,200
County collector, $352,900
Juvenile officer, $271,400
Elections, $260,500
Recorder of Deeds, $247,000
County coroner, $122,600