By Ray King
Appropriation ordinances totaling more than $368,000 for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office were approved by two committees of the Jefferson County Quorum Court during a meeting held remotely Tuesday.
The first of those, for $191,600 will come from the Public Safety Sales Tax and will be used for salaries and benefits while the second, for $177,000 will come from County General and will be used for a variety of purposes including utility bills, professional services, parts and repairs and training and education.
Justice of the Peace Dr. Conley Byrd asked if the money was available and County Treasurer Vonysha Goodwin said cash was on hand, and in response to Byrd who asked if the appropriations would cover the department through the end of the year, she said it “is anticipated that it will.”
The funding will not cover costs associated with the juvenile detention center which Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr., said in a separate budget.
County Judge and former Sheriff Gerald Robinson said Woods has been working to increase revenues for both the adult and juvenile detention centers and has met with municipalities, asking them to help fund jail operations.
“I think we’re in pretty good shape and we will address those when they come up,” Robinson said.
Robinson also announced that Governor Asa Hutchinson has appointed Glenda Daniels to serve the remainder of the term of the late Dr. Herman Ginger who died in August. Daniels was sworn in Tuesday.
Also Tuesday, a proposed ordinance to deal with budget savings that resulted from shared work programs and furloughs that were implemented in May will be dealt with when the county’s legislative body meets Monday at 5:15 p.m.
The proposed ordinance was not ready until just before the committee meetings and some members of the Quorum Court had not received it.
According to the proposed ordinance, the various county offices and agencies generated savings of $1,046,534.35 with savings ranging from more than $538,000 from the sheriff’s office to more than $7,000 from the Health Department, the Coroner and the County Clerk.
