By Ray King
Through the first three months of this year, Jefferson County’s financial picture looks a lot better than at the same time a year ago.
According to the monthly financial report, the county’s overall balance at the end of March was $20.346 million compared to a balance on March 31, 2021 of $16.059 million.
After the Quorum Court meeting Tuesday, Deltaplex News asked County Treasurer Vonysha Goodwin about the numbers.
In a meeting that lasted just over 15 minutes, the county’s legislative body adopted an ordinance requiring that all the checks the county sends out that are over $25,000 will be sent by registered mail. This followed a check that the county sent to Southeast Arkansas College for $3 million last year that was sent by regular mail and never arrived.
A companion ordinance requires that all checks endorsed by the county will be reconciled within six months.
Also approved was an appropriation ordinance that will increase the salary of one county employee who was left off the list of employees who received six percent pay raises last year. That employee is the Division One District Court Chief Deputy and her increase was made retroactive to Sept. 1., 2021.
