Mississippi County's general fund has begun 2016 with a balance of just over $2 million in January, an amount which finance committee chair Justice Michael White called "healthy."
"We have a little over $2 million but we have some bills to pay," he said. "We're healthy, we're okay, we can pay the bills. A few years ago, we were worried we couldn't make our January payroll...we followed our budget, which was really good for us."
White said that December of 2015 ended with the fund at 92 percent of projected expenditures, though county financial manager Brenda Burke added that some invoices for last year are still coming in and that the percentage will likely grow some more before the year is completed on the books.
The committee approved a recommendation by the personnel committee to give a raise to recently promoted landfill employee James Roundtree, who new director Will Allen moved from equipment operator to operations manager. The raise is approximately $8,000 a year, but Burke said that in comparison to his current package and what is being spent on the position which will be eliminated, the increase in spending for the county will only be $1,000 per year as long as no more hires for that position are made.
In a previous meeting, Allen requested an appropriation of $160,000 for equipment purchases, plus funding for three new pickup trucks. On Burke's recommendation, the committee agreed to transfer the funds out of available money in county general instead of entering into short term financing for the needed purchases.
The group agreed to look at the state bid program to get the trucks Allen requested.
"He has a whole stack of trucks out there that don't run at all," said Barry Ball. "They have a bunch of junk, they need some equipment. It's unbelievable what they're doing out there."
"He's got a bunch of junk but he's got it where they can use it," said Benton Felts. "He's doing a great job, I'm impressed. All of the employees have a positive attitude, and they're talking about how things are turning around."
Burke also informed the committee that the $600,000 which the county had planned on borrowing to pay for roof and HVAC improvements at the jail will likely not be needed, as bills have been paid along the way out of county general, in addition to an initial loan of $200,000.
The committee also agreed to appropriate approximately $60,000 out of county general for appraiser Harley Bradley to add two employees to his payroll. The slots were already open in Bradley's budget, but unfunded due to cuts in previous years.
Bradley said he wants to train two new people so that he can increase revenue in business personal taxes, which he asserts are not being properly assessed due to a lack of manpower in his office.
"If I can have these two people, I will give back a quarter of a million at the end of the year, and that's just to county general, that's a pretty good return on your money," he said.
Justice Bill Nelson brought a request for three economic development appropriations to the committee - all of which have been discussed in previous meetings: $60,000 for the preparation of a new site yet to be named which is being considered by incoming industry, $200,000 for ANC workforce training, and $350,000 for the recent expansion at SouthWorth in Manila.
sspears@blythevillecourier.com