HERMANN — At least for a while, Gasconade County’s operating budget will look a lot better than it actually is. About $1.725 million better.

That amount, as well as another $35,000 for safeguarding the county’s elections against the coronavirus, was incorporated Thursday morning into the 2020 operating budget. The County Commission approved the amended operating budget offered by County Clerk Lesa Lietzow.

Although the federal dollars that have been filtered down to the county as part of the $2.2-trillion CARES Act beef up a painfully tight operating budget that was approved in January, the fact is that much — if not most – of the $1.725 million allocated to Gasconade County will have to be returned to the U.S. Treasury. The money is intended to reimburse local government for expenses incurred in fighting the coronavirus.

Here’s how Lietzow, the county’s chief budget officer, breaks down the allocation of the $1.725 million:

• $447,752 for Gasconade County government.

• $250,000 for school districts.

• $250,000 for reimbursement to various political subdivisions other than municipalities.

• $250,000 for public entity reimbursement.

• $250,000 to reimburse expenses incurred by businesses.

• $250,000 to reimburse cities for their expenses in fighting the virus.

As Lietzow explained, these amounts are simply numbers assigned to the budget, as required by law. Indeed, the only public agency that has indicated it would request reimbursement money is the Gasconade County Health Department, she said. However, she added, the health agency had provided no paperwork to document virus-related expenses.

County administrators in recent weeks have been looking at measures that could be deemed eligible for reimbursement with the CARES Act money. One of those is the use of a deputy sheriff as a screener for visitors entering the courthouse. After initially considering hiring its own security officer with arrest powers, the County Commission agreed with Sheriff Mark A. Williams’ plan to use part of his force as security at the courthouse, both during days of courtroom activity and non-court days.

The budget amendment appropriates $26,000 as the salary of the deputy sheriff assigned as a front-door screener. The salary is accompanied with benefits such as $6,624 for health insurance; $1,612 for Social Security contribution from the county; $1,326 as the county’s share of the deputy’s contribution to the Local Government Employees Retirement System (LAGERS); and $1,040 as the county’s share of the employee’s contribution to the County Employee Retirement Fund (CERF).

How long that deputy sheriff will be manning the screener station is unclear.

“I don’t know how long it will go on,” said Lietzow, who added that the county this week might move into the state’s next phase of operations.

She said Williams has indicated that his recommendations for easing the protocols in place for people attending a court proceeding will depend on what Gov. Mike Parson, the Missouri Supreme Court and 20th Circuit Presiding Judge Ike Lamke will have to say.