At its most recent meeting, the Drew County Quorum Court was told that county-wide sales tax collections are trending slightly below amounts collected last year.
County Treasurer Charlie Searcy reported that this is the first year over year decline in roughly 12 or 13 years and attributed the decline to softer monthly receipts this fall.
According to the Advance Monticellonian newspaper, the county expects to end the year with a net increase of roughly $300,000 because of year-end property tax settlements and stronger interest earnings on county balances.
Also at the meeting, County Judge Jessie Griffin talked about the cost of removing roadside litter over the past three years.
Griffin reported that in 2023, about 6.51 tons of litter was collected from county roads, compared to 4.77 tons in 2024. Cost for the clean-up so far this year was listed as $18,240. A shortage of inmate work crews and volunteers was cited as the reason for reliance on paid services.
