The Jefferson County Quorum Court on Monday sent back a proposed 2017 budget to elected officials and department heads, asking them to look at making cuts.
The problem was that the budgets requested by elected officials and department heads exceed the amount of money that will be available by $836,498.57.
Jefferson County Judge Henry “Hank” Wilkins IV explained that at the end of last year, the decision was made to roll over the 2016 county budget for 90 days so that the new administration and five new justices of the peace could have input into the process.
“We’re in the process of doing the budget for the rest of the year,” Wilkins said. “We did the budget hearings and got a lot of positive feedback, but there are differences between the projected revenue and the requested money.”
Justice of the Peace Ted Harden, who has been acting as chairman of the Finance Committee, said that under state law, the county can’t appropriate more than 90 percent of anticipated revenue, which will curtail a lot of the requested funds.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Wilkins said he has asked Dr. Herman Ginger, who was formerly head of the Finance Committee, to work with Hardin as co-chairs of the committee to try and resolve the issue.
“I wish we could do everything that is being asked but we can’t,” Ginger said, adding that the county is expected to receive $9,760,050 in revenue in 2017, 90 percent of which is $8,784,045.
“If we approve more than that, we’re breaking the law,” Ginger said.
Justice of the Peace Mandy Alford said that both the county clerk and circuit clerk were asking for increases this year, and if those offices could go back to their 2016 budgets, it would help the situation.
County Clerk Shawndra Taggart, who took office Jan. 1, defended her request, saying that the additional funds will be necessary because of an increase in money collected from APERS (Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System) beginning in July.
Taggart also said that there were 14 elected officials and department heads who have requested budget hikes.
“We need to ask each department head to go back and look at places to tighten their belts and then meet with the Finance Committee before the end of the month,” Wilkins said.
Justice of the Peace Reginald Adams asked if there were any way to get the total amount that APERS will collect this year and then deduct it from the requested budget. Taggart said that each elected official and department head would have information about their respective office or department.
Harden also pointed out that at the end of last year, there were “pretty significant bonuses” from money left over in various offices.
Wilkins said those bonuses were not an attempt to be fair with all employees since some employees received several thousand dollars in bonuses while other employees got significantly less.
“I don’t believe that was the right way to do business,” Wilkins said.
A memo was to be sent to each elected official and department head Tuesday, asking them to take another look at their requests with an eye to making cuts. The suggested cuts are then to be turned in to the Finance Committee, which will meet again at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 21, to review the new information and try to create a budget that will comply with state law.
“We need to wrap our heads around this,” Wilkins said. “We’re not a conglomerate of a couple of different offices. We’re all in this boat together, and we need to make sure it doesn’t sink.”