Additional money for maintenance and operational expenses for the sheriff’s department and jail will be discussed Tuesday when committees of the Jefferson County Quorum Court meet at 5:30 p.m.
On the agenda is a proposed supplemental appropriation that would transfer $337,000 from various funds to the maintenance and operations budgets of the sheriff’s department, adult jail and juvenile justice center.
No additional money will be needed for those departments because the transfer will come from funds that were budgeted for salaries of employees.
In a letter from Sheriff Gerald Robinson to Dr. Herman Ginger, chairman of the Public Safety/Emergency Services Committee and County Judge Mike Holcomb, Robinson said the jail population has been running 300 or more since the first part of the year, and many repairs and upgrades have had to be made to keep the jail in compliance with state standards and with the state Health Department.
“The jail is a major investment and in order to protect that investment, it is important that we keep it properly maintained,” Robinson said in the letter.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
He also mentioned that fuel costs have increased from $2.79 per gallon at the beginning of the year to $3.59 per gallon now, and “that cost has been passed on to us from many of our service providers.”
Robinson said because of the nature of the job, turnover is higher than in most departments.
“Because of these turnovers, we have excess salary and matching money,” Robinson said. “We do not need any additional funds appropriated to meet our needs, only those funds designated as salary and match to be re-appropriated to maintenance and operations.
Also Tuesday, a proposed $160,000 supplemental appropriation to cover the costs of the November General Election and likely runoffs is to be considered.
County Election Coordinator Will Fox said in a letter to Holcomb that the requested funds should carry the commission through the end of the year.
Fox said that so far this year, the state has reimbursed the county $102,351.32 for election expenses, and as soon as the school elections are completed, the school districts will be billed according to state law.
A proposed $70,000 supplemental appropriation for the county recycling department will also be discussed.
Tom Tidwell, who runs the recycling department, said the money is necessary for repairs to recycling equipment and sharpening the blades on three tire shredders. No additional funds will be needed.
Also on the agenda is a $10,000 supplemental appropriation from the County General Fund for the J.P. Levying Court to cover expenses for the rest of the year.
Those funds will be used to pay the cost associated with the publication of ordinances and for mileage for members of the county’s legislative body.