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JPs OK $13.36 million county budget |
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Thursday, 18 December 2008 |
Saline County Quorum Court approved a $13.36 million budget for county operations during Tuesday night’s meeting.
The sheriff’s department is allocated the most in county general funds with nearly $2.9 million. The county jail follows with $1.5 million. Other bigger budgets include the tax assessor with $827,921, tax assessor county appraisal partial state fund with $609,220 and communications 911 with $641,823.
Next year’s budget is slightly down from last year’s, which was approximately $13.4 million.
Mary Morrow, Quorum Court administrative assistant, said minor cuts were made to next year’s budget, such as funding for building improvements. Justices of the peace will have to revisit that issue after the first of the year.
JP Doug Curtis, chairman of the Quorum Court Finance and Personnel Committee, said the economic downturn had officials trimming their budgets.
“With the way the economy is, elected officials had to tighten up. They are trying to be responsible.”
Curtis added, “I compliment the elected officials. They are responsible with the taxpayers’ money. This was one of the easiest budgets we ever passed. Everybody did a great job and they really worked well with us.”
Regarding the building improvements, Curtis said he expects the Quorum Court to revisit the issue the second quarter of next year. “If the money is coming in, we might go in and update some things. Now, there are some maintenance issues that we have no choice to fix.”
County Judge Lanny Fite said officials “are trying to be prudent with the funds we have right now.” He said he believes revenues will come in higher than anticipated.
He added that most of the county’s revenue comes in at the end of year. “I’d say about 60 percent of our money comes in in October and November and revenue is dropping every month until October.”
“We had as high as $1.3 million in October and as low as $355,000 in March, but overall monthly costs is about $900,000,” Fite noted.
Other departments listed under county general funds include county judge with $336,268; county clerk with $504,167.58; circuit clerk with $472,389; collector with $624,250.35; District Court Benton Division with $494,826; District Court Bryant Division with $186,525; Quorum Court with $441,096; Office of Emergency Management with $195,247; and maintenance department with $332,553.
Appropriated from the county road fund is $5.8 million; county library $2.5 million; sheriff drug control $7,500; jail fund $2 million; and airport $46,746.
The full budget may be reviewed at the Quorum Court office at the courthouse in Downtown Benton.
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