County officials and employees are doing a great job holding down expenses for the year thus far, said Michael White, chairman of the Mississippi County Quorum Court's Finance Committee. The problem, White said, is county revenues are lagging behind, causing the need for added cash from savings.
White said County Treasurer Peggy Meatte has had to cash in two certificates of deposit worth nearly half a million dollars in the first three months of the year.
Those expenditures mean the county only has about $500,000 left in CDs, he said. There is a possibility that another CD will have to be cashed to make the payment on new patrol cars ordered by Sheriff Dale Cook. The amount budgeted for the cars is $135,000 and the amount will be due when the cars are received next month.
White said he was not yet worried about the financial situation, because tax receipts are general slow this time of year.
"I'm not talking gloom and doom here," he said. "Things are going to get better. We just have to wait."
County Collector Patricia Caldwell said collections have been coming in at a fast pace in the last two months. "But all that goes to the schools," said Brenda Burke, the county's financial manager.
The county recently loaned the county's hospital system $330,000 to receive its inter-governmental transfer funds. The money was quickly repaid to the county and was "gone less than a week," White said.
"That's the first money we've given the hospitals," said County Judge Randy Carney. "We will not give the hospitals any more money."
Carney reminded justices that the hospital system is "in much better shape now than it was at this time last year."
White agreed, saying that "they're getting better everyday, and getting out of our pocketbook."
The committee also discussed upgrades to the courthouses. A new sound system has been installed in the Blytheville Courtroom, and Carney has said he hopes to replace carpeting and jury chairs as well. Burke told justices that the courtroom has tile floors underneath the carpet that is reported to be in good shape. The cost of new jury chairs is estimated to be $11,000, while recovering the chairs has been estimated at $5,000.
White said the upkeep of the courthouse is the county judge's responsibility.
"We could appropriate $500,000 for the courthouse maintenance and he could spend it or not," White said.
Burke asked the committee to approve the appropriation of $7,500 paid by Ritter Communications to AT&T for switching the county's telephone service. The fee is that charged by AT&T for early termination of the contract. Ritter agreed to pay the fee when the county entered into the contract with the company. Burke said it would be easier to appropriate a new line item than to re-address each individual office's budget. The committee approved her request.
dhilton@blythevillecourier.com