While budget amendments and transfers are routine at the Travis County Commissioners Court, it is only recently that Covid-19 has necessitated large sums of money to be funneled into county operations in order to ensure that services, procedures and processes remain functioning in a “business as usual” manner. Travis Gatlin, budget director with the county’s Planning and Budget Office, told commissioners at their July 7 meeting, “We were spending approximately $1 million per month in March, April and May. And then we spent approximately $2 million in June.” He attributed the increase in expenditures in large part to the continued costs associated with working from home and the additional infrastructure it requires. In anticipation of July expenses, the Commissioners Court unanimously approved a $1 million transfer from the county’s emergency reserve to cover operational expenses. While Gatlin said there is no guarantee that the county will be reimbursed through FEMA or the CARES Act, he said the department is tracking expenses and will apply for additional federal funding.
Commissioners authorize $1M transfer for Covid-19
