By Ray King
Despite objections from several members of the Jefferson County Quorum Court, a 2022 budget was approved by a majority vote Monday night.
The meeting was chaired by Justice of the Peace Jimmy Fisher who was filling in for County Judge Gerald Robinson. The judge was absent because of a death in his family.
Justice of the Peace Alfred Carroll sought to table the proposed budget for more information, a sentiment Quorum Court members Reginald Adams and Brenda Bishop Gaddy shared but others, including Justices of the Peace Ted Harden, Dr. Conley Byrd and Glenda Daniels called for a vote.
After the meeting, Daniels explained her position to Deltaplex News.
The approved budget sets aside $10,862,998.40 for the county general fund, which is the main source of funding for elected officials and county departments. Another $22,306,189.13 was designated as miscellaneous funds. That category includes 1.9 million for juvenile justice, $1.397 million for solid waste contract, $5.595 million for the road department, $4.095 million for the adult jail, and more than $2 million from the one-cent public safety sales tax, with the money split between the sheriff’s department, juvenile detention center and rural fire protection.
The approved 2022 budget also includes a total of more than $107,000 to provide pay increases for elected officials, who did not receive raises when other county employees did earlier this year. Robinson’s salary went from $81,599.40 to $95.227.88 while the salary of Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr. increased from $81,599.40 to $94,228.88.
The salaries for the tax collector, county clerk, circuit clerk, assessor and treasurer, which had all been $74,800.80 increased to $86,410. 40. The only elected official whose salary did not change was that of the coroner, who is currently paid $64.800. The current salary is more than 146 percent over the maximum established by state law.
