Miller County officials tussle with budget

After weeks of discussions regarding the 2016 Miller County, Ark., budget, a member of the Budget and Finance Committee said the panel was no closer to approving the budget than “spitting water in the wind.”

District 1 Justice of the Peace John Wilson expressed frustration over the budget process, and the other justices of the peace, who attended the called meeting Thursday, agreed with his assessment.

The justices of the peace discussed failures to communicate with other elected officials over the proposed budgets for each department and suggested talking “one-to-one” with the other elected officials next year regarding each department’s budget.

Those who attended the meeting include committee Chairman Carl Standridge, Lois Toombs, John Wilson, Joe Gillenwater, Andy LaGrone and Jimmy Hickey.

The county needs about $780,000 to fund the proposed budgets, Standridge said.

The committee needs to know if “slashes” are needed in the individual department budgets or if the budgets have “fluff.”

Justices of the peace approved an additional meeting Monday night at 5:30 p.m. in Miller County Courthouse for the Economic Development Committee, which will consider an ordinance to participate in the Tax Back Program with the state of Arkansas.

Their approval of participation in the tax program, will allow Texarkana, Ark., to land a FedEx Distribution Center in Maxwell Industrial Park.

About 60 jobs will be created through this investment, with full-time jobs paying more than $20 per hour and part-time paying $11.07 per hour. Participation in the incentive program, which the city Board of Directors also recently approved, provides a refund of sales and use taxes paid on purchases of building materials and taxable machinery and equipment.

After the Economic Development Committee meeting Monday, the Budget and Finance Committee will have a session at 5:45 p.m. to discuss an appropriation ordinance to move about $14,500 from the general fund to the bailiff’s department to pay part-time salaries for additional bailiffs who provide security for the courthouse and court sessions in Miller County.

The budget committee will review a transfer ordinance to move about $4,000 to the 911 emergency fund for salaries and fringe benefits.

After the budget committee completes its session, the justices of the peace will meet as Miller County Quorum Court to approve the recommendations from the budget committee.