The things that are going right with Stanislaus County finances are overcoming those that are going wrong, officials said Tuesday during study of a third-quarter report.

Despite several struggling departments, overall the county should finish its budget year June 30 in the black, said Patty Hill Thomas, assistant chief executive officer.

The struggles include an ongoing dispute with Stanislaus County Superior Court officials, who since July have withheld money the county had gotten used to receiving. At stake is about $318,250 this year, Hill Thomas said.

Assistant Court Administrator Don Lundy said state law governing the sharing of civil assessment fees and the county's contract with the courts both are ambiguous.

Civil assessment fees are added to fines that aren't paid on time. Most stem from traffic violations. Court officials believe the law allows them to split the fees with the county, and are keeping half the money. The county, which formerly got all the money, doesn't agree, Chief Executive Officer Reagan Wilson said.

County Supervisor Ray Simon said the issue may require a ruling from a third party -- another court -- but Wilson and Lundy said they're still negotiating.

Supervisors approved a calendar for presenting their new budget, including a June 27 public hearing on a draft spending plan and a Sept. 12 public hearing on a final proposal. The current year's budget is $596 million.

If things go as expected through June, the county's contingency fund will dwindle to $504,600. By comparison, last year's amounted to $721,700 at the same point; the year before, it came to $1.75 million.

The county has had to take money out of the contingency fund to balance the budget.

Other trouble spots in the county's financial picture:

* The Health Services Agency expects to finish the budget year $6.6 million in the red, as predicted months ago, despite making significant improvements in managing accounts and collections.

The agency received bad news Friday, Director Bev Finley said, from state officials who continue to refuse to forward money that the county used to get when operating its own county hospital.

Stanislaus has argued that transferring inpatient services from the now-defunct Stanislaus Medical Center to Doctors Medical Center shouldn't render the county ineligible for state money heading toward poorer counties. Los Angeles County successfully lobbied to continue receiving that money after making a similar transfer, local officials said.

"We tried a 'Me, too,' but the governor didn't allow it," Finley said.

• Workers compensation needs an extra $800,000 to cover unexpected claims and increased medical expenses.
• Employee dental insurance is running about $200,000 behind. Simon suggested looking for different coverage.
• The county's accounting and human resources computer systems are in trouble. A detailed analysis soon will go before the board, Wilson said.
• State-mandated increases in payments to group home and foster care providers will cost an extra $152,000.
• A long-awaited reorganization plan of District Attorney James Brazelton's department is still being reviewed by Wilson's office, though supervisors have said the department is on the right track.
• A number of high-profile murder cases have burdened an account for poor people's defense, which may end the year $100,000 in the red.

"We cannot do anything about the number of cases," Hill Thomas said.

In a separate matter, supervisors directed staff to invite Modesto Airport Manager Howard Cook to discuss Modesto's support for new passenger service to the Stockton Metropolitan Airport.

"I just don't want to do anything to jeopardize our (airport) here," said Simon, noting that United Express flies about 50,000 passengers per year out of Modesto.

Staff writer Garth Stapley can be reached at 578-2390 or gstapley@modbee.com.

Reprinted by permission of Modesto Bee