LAWRENCE COUNTY SUPERVISORS: Budget discussions begin for new year

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By John Carney

Lawrence County’s new fiscal year begins Oct. 1, and officials are beginning to map out the anticipated spending plan for the year.

Financial Advisor Charlie Prince discussed with supervisors many of the factors that go into budget planning during their July 15 meeting, with one of the most difficult issues being dealing with inflation that has taken a big bite out of the county’s spending power.

Prince presented a preliminary spending plan and said he had tried to include all requests so they could consider all options. Requests are up $500,000 from the current year’s budget.

He said revenues and expenses for the current year are running very close to budget, and cash balances should be about where they should be at the end of this year on Sept. 30, allowing the option of funding some of the requested increase from the county’s cash balance.

Prince told supervisors that $360,000 of cash on hand and a one mill tax increase would fund the $500,000 in additional requests, but the cash is one-time money that would not be available in future years. One mill of ad valorem tax is anticipated to bring in $122,000 in the new budget year.

He expects tax collections to remain about the same across all categories for the year. However, an increase in county valuation that has helped bring in additional revenue in prior years without a tax rate increase is not anticipated this year.

The funding request from the Lawrence County School District is also an unknown. Prince said there is the possibility the tax rate to fund the schools could go from 54 to 55 mills. Under current state law, 55 mills is the maximum amount the district can claim for operations.

Additionally, Chancery Judge Gerald Martin dropped by the meeting room and said new state laws on how the court handles mental health cases could add to transportation costs in the Sheriff’s Department. They can no longer be held in jail for over 24 hours and will have to be transported to facilities with open beds, which could be a several-hour drive.

There are also requests that will help improve fire protection in the county by adding an additional career fireman to the Monticello Fire Department who will roll on all county fires during the day, when many volunteers are at work and cannot respond.

Prince said there is an increase in all budget categories except insurance. That expense category did not increase during the current year and seems to have plenty budgeted for the new year.

Prince said one area that will have more flexibility is road construction and equipment. Previously, internet sales tax money the county received could only be used on material for road maintenance. New state law allows it to also be used for road maintenance equipment.

Supervisors will approve a proposed budget in mid-August.

In other business, Emergency Management Director Tony Norwood received approval for a hazard mitigation plan that must be updated every five years.

He also suggested some funding be included in the budget for radio equipment repairs and updates. Many of the radios used by emergency responders and county employees are eight years old and are beginning to need service.

Undersheriff Brad McLendon removed Willie Collins, who is retiring, from the department’s roster.

Supervisors approved various travel, invoices for payment totaling $9,959, and an annual contract renewal with Tri-State Consulting for mapping services for the tax office.

Monticello Mayor Martha Watts thanked two board members for their attendance at a recent hearing on flood control measures for the Pearl River. Communities downstream from Jackson are working to see that their interests are considered as decisions are made about the future of the river. She said it is imperative that Congress authorize the U.S. Corps of Engineers to manage the river. It was deauthorized a number of years ago. Getting that corrected could bring additional resources to help prevent bank sloughing and other problems that are plaguing landowners along the river. She stressed the importance of the river to Lawrence County and asked everyone to communicate that to the Corps before the current comment period closes.

The low bid of Southern Paving for a countywide paging project over the next two years was accepted, and County Engineer Jeff Dungan said it was accurate. The bids were received last month, and the work will be done on a task order basis under the contract.

Dungan also reported the bid opening for a bridge replacement on Light Plant Road will be held in August.

He explained that currently, the county has $1.7 million in its state aid road maintenance account, $654,000 in the local system bridge replacement program, and $968,000 in the state aid bridge program. Plans are in place to use the funding for bridges on Light Plant, New Zion, and St. Stephens roads, and continued maintenance on the river bridge on N.A. Sandifer Highway.

Board members will decide which state aid roads are most in need of maintenance in the upcoming months.

The next regular meeting will be held at 9 a.m., Aug. 5.