WARREN — Trumbull County commissioners confronted a strained budget during a workshop meeting Wednesday while wrestling with immediate financial obligations.

The discussion kicked off with a $3,638 payment due for outstanding bills, including prisoner transport costs from the sheriff’s department dating back to October and November. A county official highlighted the lack of available funds, stating, “There’s nowhere for me to take it from other than (the general fund).”

The county’s budget, slashed by $2 million in recent years because of declining revenue, has left departments struggling to cover basic operations.

Commissioner Denny Malloy proposed generating revenue by housing federal prisoners, pointing to Mahoning County’s lucrative contracts with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal agencies.

“Mahoning County is making thousands of dollars from the feds,” Malloy said, estimating that Mahoning processes 300 prisoners monthly at more than $150 per day, yielding weekly checks of $20,000 to $30,000. However, Trumbull County Sheriff’s Office Chief Financial Officer Mark Manning explained that Trumbull’s jail is overcrowded and understaffed, with inmates “laying in canoes” because of insufficient beds. “It’s just not even close to being possible,” Manning said. He also said the jail was unable to meet federal standards for capacity and safety.

The sheriff’s department, a major budget driver, is operating at 70 to 80% of its allocated funds, having cut overtime, office supplies and $500,000 in school security contracts. To avoid repeating last year’s $2.2 million shortfall — or a $3 million deficit from two years prior — the commissioners reserved $1 million as collateral for year-end payroll. An additional $500,000 has been allocated for vehicles and an evidence room, leaving just $275,000 uncommitted from a contingency fund.

“If we don’t make more in the budget than we thought, that million backs the sheriff’s department up,” Malloy said.

Human Resources Director Alex DeVengencie-Bush warned of payroll risks across departments.

“If an office continues to deplete their payroll and there’s no money to offset that, there will be no corrections officers, no deputies,” she said, noting that other departments, like the Board of Elections, also are seeking additional funds after a $1.7 million budget cut.

Malloy expressed frustration, comparing Trumbull’s election costs to Ohio’s other counties, which he said manages voter registration and elections with similar budgets.

“If our Board of Elections can’t operate on what we gave them, there’s a problem, and it’s not the commissioners’ problem,” he said.

A proposed relocation of the county’s 911 call center to a Health Department building in Cortland emerged as a priority, requiring $90,000 for phase one studies, including structural engineering and renderings.

Tacy McDonough, 911 director, noted that the health department has offered the space rent-free, with shared costs for utilities and maintenance like snow plowing.

“It’s the best deal in town,” Malloy said, highlighting the cost savings compared to alternatives like partnering with the port authority to remodel a new building. The project, estimated at $500,000 to $1.5 million, aims to modernize emergency communications but relies on state or federal funding. “We need to pay now to see how much it’s going to cost,” Malloy said, noting that documents must be ready by October for capital improvement grants from state representatives like Nick Santucci or Dave Thomas, or even Governor Mike DeWine’s office, whom he said previously pledged support.

Commissioner Tony Bernard raised concerns about missed opportunities with American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds allocated in 2023.

“We had $10 million to solve all these problems,” Bernard said, referencing a public hearing where funds were distributed to township projects like water and sewer upgrades after community input.

Malloy countered that unforeseen issues, like the August closure of Steward Health Care’s hospital, which housed the coroner’s office for 15-20 years, shifted priorities.

“We didn’t know the problems at the time,” he said, noting that $8 million of the original $23 million ARP allocation was already committed when he took office in January 2023. A county official clarified that encumbrances — approved but unpaid commitments — further reduced available funds.

Sales tax revenue, a key funding source, is slightly higher than in 2024, but aligns with the auditor’s conservative projections.

“It’s almost identical to last year,” DeVengencie-Bush said, cautioning that it may not cover growing demands like building maintenance, where a $2 million cut has left roofs leaking and groundskeepers short-staffed. “If the budget isn’t there, they physically can’t do it,” she said, addressing complaints about delayed repairs.

Malloy urged departments to identify cost-saving measures, citing the county engineer’s office, which operates with seven employees, including three stock workers, yet maintains functionality.

“What are they doing to save money before they come to us and say, ‘We need more’?” he asked.

Commissioner Rick Hernandez stressed the need for a unified approach, noting that carryover funds, estimated at 11 to 12% of the budget per National Association of Counties (NACO) guidelines, may need to be tapped.

“We have no choice. We need to get organized and figure it out,” he said, as the commissioners plan a mid-year budget review to assess departmental spending and explore revenue options, including potential sales tax increases or state advocacy for infrastructure projects.