Clinton County Fiscal Court, meeting in special session last Thursday afternoon, June 25, with five of six magistrates present, approved second and final reading of the 2020-21 county budget of just under $5.1 million.

The budget, which is over $3 million more than last year’s, by department, includes:

General fund, $1,073,222.44; Road fund, $1,671,731.00; Jail fund, $657,595.00; LGEA (Local Government Economic Assistance), $97,050.00; DES (Disaster Emergency Services fund), $14,227.88; Ambulance fund, $1,204,300.00; Occupational Tax fund, $53,280.00; 911 fund, $328,159.68.

The budget was approved unanimously following a motion by Magistrate Jerry Lowhorn.

County Treasurer Cindy Thrasher said the county was in good standing on the road and other departments and had a carryover balance of $254.00 in the Occupational Tax fund despite having to pay out numerous back expenses from previous years from the account.

“It looks like we are in good shape for another year,” she added.

Judge/Executive Ricky Craig also noted the county ended the year with a balanced budget.

It was noted previously that a quarter per hour increase in this year’s budget was included for all county employees across the board.

The court also approved second and final reading of the county’s Policies and Procedures/Administrative Code amendment unanimously on a motion by Lowhorn.

The court did opt to make one change in the code.

The state has now allowed counties to make purchases up to $30,000 without the necessity of a bid process, but left open to each county to set their own amounts.

In years past, the purchase of equipment or services made by the county without requiring a bid was $20,000, and court members agreed to keep the $20,000 bid limit on purchases made by the county that had to be let for bids.

Also during the meeting, the court, on separate votes, approved three cash fund transfers, all from the Occupational Tax account.

They included $30,000 to the General fund; $22,000 to the Jail fund and $13,700 to the EMS.

The court also approved line item transfers to close out the current 2019-20 fiscal year that ended June 30.

The next regular meeting of Clinton County Fiscal Court is scheduled for Thursday, July 16, at 5 p.m. in the upstairs courtroom of the courthouse and will be live streamed on the judge/executive’s office Facebook page.