Quorum Court amends county’s 2020 budget
The St. Francis County Quorum Court on Tuesday adopted three ordinances, one of which amended the 2020 budget to account for overages in some accounts.
Justices also transferred funds into the county general account and appropriated funds for the coroner’s office.
The ordinance amending the budget appropriated additional money to the sheriff’s department in the amount of $27,072.71, the I-40 Interdictory Force, $28,483.36; Juvenile Court Grant, $3,938; Extension Service, $213.32; Veterans Services, $63.50 and the construction of the new jail, $1,476,913.56.
Justice Charles Jones, who chairs the budget committee, offered a brief report on a recent committee meeting.
"The Budget Committee met and reviewed multiple requests," said Jones. "We heard from the St. Francis County Coroner on his request for a vehicle and supplies. We also looked at amending the 2020 budget and transferring funds from the CARES Act into our county general account. We recommend that all three ordinances be adopted."
According to SFC Judge Gary Hughes, the overage concerning the construction of the jail had already been approved, but needed to be approved again.
"Let me explain the construction of the jail in this ordinance," said Hughes. "This is the amount, after we originally appropriated $500,000 on the front end, after the money is spent we have to approve it again. The auditors suggest that we do it at the end of the year. The additional amount that we did spend on the jail through December 31 is this amount. We can show you every vendor and every purchase that was made. The I-40 fund will absorb its amount that it went over budget
through its own account. Tonight, ordinance number 2110 deals with the CARES Act funds that would zero out the sheriff's department."
Justices unanimously voted to adopt the ordinance.
Ordinance 21-10 transfers $27,072.71 from the Coronavirus Relief Fund to the general fund and then into the sheriff’s deputy fund.
The purpose of the transfer is to reimburse the county general fund for the amount that the sheriff’s deputy fund was over budget in 2020.
The ordinance was unanimously adopted by justices.
Justices also adopted an ordinance to appropriate $29,126.03 to the coroner’s fund for the purchase of a vehicle. It also transfers that amount from the Coronavirus Relief Fund into the county general fund.
Justices Chris Ray and Maceo Hawkins were not in attendance.