Policies and procedures for setting the 2013 budget for Jefferson County will be considered when committees of the quorum court meet Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
The county’s legislative body will discuss a resolution that establishes those policies, which will begin on or before Sept. 24 when County Treasurer Elizabeth Rinchuso projects the anticipated county revenue for next year.
Three days later, on Sept. 27, the court’s Finance Committee will set percentage guidelines for the budget, which could be general in nature or vary from department to department.
The first of two public hearings on the 2013 budget will be conducted at 6 p.m. Oct. 2, and will allow the general public an opportunity to offer comments and suggestions on proposed spending of County General Funds..
All county agencies, offices and departments as well as any other agencies or departments wanting financial aid from the county will submit their proposed budgets to the office of the County Judge by 4 p.m. on Oct. 18, and within seven days, or Oct. 25, those budgets will be assigned to the appropriate Quorum Court committee for review and recommendations.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
For example, the budgets for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Adult Detention Center and Juvenile Detention Center will be sent to the Public Safety and Emergency Services Committee and budgets for the Circuit and District Courts will go to the Judiciary Committee.
On or before Nov. 15, the respective committees will submit their review and recommendations to the Finance Committee, and by Nov. 20, that committee will return the entire budget to the County Judge with its recommendations.
A second public hearing on the 2013 budget will be held on Dec. 4, and the entire 2013 budget will be adopted the following Monday, Dec. 10.
All budget requests will include a personnel schedule and salaries requested; 2011 actual expenditures for the agency, office or department; 2012 supplemental appropriations if any; actual to-date expenditures for the first nine months of this year; and the total 2012 budget approved by the Quorum Court.
Budget ordinances must stipulate the maximum number of personnel for the agency, office or department, as well as the monetary appropriation for those positions.