Clinton County Fiscal Court, meeting in special session last Wednesday morning, May 25, considered first reading of the proposed 2016-17 fiscal year budget and a budget amendment. All members were present for the call meeting.

Judge/Executive Richard Armstrong noted that the $4,741,898 budget was around $20,000 less than the current year.

During discussion prior to a vote, magistrates noted that insurance costs were putting a strain on the budget, as well as transfers to the jail fund and EMS, which combined amounts to a little over 37 percent of the projected budget.

County Treasurer Tuesday Davis briefly reviewed the budget totals and it was noted the general fund was about $9,000 higher this year, and the jail fund was up about $99,000. Judge Armstrong also told the court the county was still paying back, having to “borrow and pay back from one account to another.”

During the discussion, in relation to the jail fund increase, Armstrong noted the county had a lot of inmates to deal with, saying the (local) jail was full with 27 inmates, while another 14 local inmates, at the time of the meeting, were being housed in the Russell County Detention Center.

Magistrate Ricky Craig said, “The jail is like a black hole.”

Magistrate Patty Guinn, although agreeing the jail cost the county money, said she’d still rather see Clinton County have its own jail.

Although no official action is required on a first reading, it was noted the budget had to be forwarded to the Department of Local Government by June 1 for approval, prior to second and final reading and adoption taking place.

After the brief discussion, Magistrate Johnny Russell moved to approve first reading and forward the budget to the DLG. The motion passed on a split vote, with Magistrates Hershell Key and Terry Buster voting yes and Magistrates Craig, Mickey Riddle and Patty Guinn voting no. Judge Armstrong broke the deadlock with a yes vote, with the motion passing 4-3.

The three dissenting squires each echoed their opposition was due to some salary increases that were in this upcoming year’s budget, which takes effect on July 1. Some of those increases had been voted on at the court’s regular meeting the week before, when again magistrates split on the issue.

Second and final reading of the budget will be considered in June.

The only other item of business was a budget amendment to move money to the reserve to balance out line items in the current year’s budget to make it balanced prior to the end of the fiscal year on June 30.

The following is a breakdown on the 2016-17 year budget by department and percent for each:

* General fund, $1,236,280 or 26.07 percent;

* Road fund, $1,178,229 or 24.85 percent;

* Jail fund, $656,740 or 13.85 percent;

* LGEA fund, $160,550 or 3.39 percent;

* DES fund, $15,994 or 0.34 percent;

* Ambulance fund, $1,132,311 or 23.88 percent;

* Forestry fund, $900 or 0.02 percent;

* OCC (Occupational Tax) fund, $42,690 or 0.90 percent; and,

* 911 fund, $318,304 or 6.71 percent.

The next regular meeting of Clinton Fiscal Court is scheduled for Thursday, June 16 in the upstairs courtroom of the courthouse and is open to the general public.