Even though monthly benefit payouts are increasing, Carbon County’s retirement fund is in good shape.

“The fund continues to be strong, we ended up 2017 at a funded ratio of 102.98 percent with a return net of pension plan expense of 14.38 percent, said county Controller Robert M. Crampsie.

“The monthly benefits that we are paying out continue to increase,” he said.

He cited year-to-date numbers coming out of the retirement fund.

A year-to-date total of $3,004,906 in monthly benefits and refunds has come out of the retirement fund as of July 31, Crampsie said.

Monthly benefits to the county’s 355 retirees totaled $355,478 in July; with refunds totaling $4,580, that came to $360,058.

“I would think we have more retirees now than we do full-time employees,” he said.

The county’s retirement portfolio value as of July 31 was $78,685,679.

“Even tough we paid out that $360,000 in July, we’re still up $1.4 million,” Crampsie said.

“July ended up being a pretty good month from a performance standpoint,” he said.

The retirement board also heard from financial consultant Sarah E.R. Wilson, vice president of Marquette Associates, who gave a presentation on the quarterly performance report as of June 30, 2018.

She also said the county’s retirement portfolio was performing well, but cautioned that correction in the stock market was expected in the coming year and advised the county to take steps to protect its assets.