Clinton County Fiscal Court, holding its first regular meeting of 2021, made it brief with only general items of business on the agenda. All members were present for the approximate 15 minute meeting.

After acknowledging receiving the treasurer’s report, the court voted to approve the monthly report and also acknowledged receiving the quarterly report.

The court, on separate motions, approved a total of six cash transfers, including: $21,000 from the Occupational to Jail checking account; $34,000 from the Occupational to the Ambulance checking account; $1,000 from the Occupational to the 911 checking account; $7,000 from the Occupational to the LGEA checking account; and a federal account (per Cashier’s Check) of $35,169.28 to the General checking account.

On a separate motion, the court voted unanimously to transfer the federal account transfer of $35,169.28 to the sheriff’s department as part of the COVID-19 relief act to first responders from the federal CARES Act.

Prior to paying claims and bills, magistrate Jerry Lowhorn questioned a recurring bill of $600 for tires for the county road skidder and also questioned the ambulance gas bills, suggesting when two new ambulances are put in place, they should be used in the county only and the ambulances rotated per calls.

Following a brief discussion on the questions, the court approved the claims and bills by unanimous vote.

Clinton County Judge/Executive Ricky Craig also announced two dates set aside in April for a county equipment surplus sale, recommending Saturday, April 10, with April 17 being a rain date.

The judge said he would leave it up to the magistrates as to what method to use to conduct such a sale.

Clinton County Jailer Tracy Thurman then gave his monthly jail report, including turning over a check to the county for booking and housing fees collected.

Magistrate Jerry Lowhorn then brought forth an old business issue that had previously been voted on and passed–on a split vote–dividing one county road department salary among the remaining employees on the road department.

Lowhorn questioned Clinton County Treasurer Cindy Thrasher about the amount of raises each employee had received and the total amount it would be annually.

Thrasher said the hourly pay for the remaining employees increased by $1.18 per hour or $19,000 for a fiscal year.

Lowhorn, who was opposed to the measure brought forth by magistrate Ray Marcum, said he felt the people should know this and said he felt it was unfair to other county employees.

However, following the meeting, magistrate Terry Buster noted that a county employee had quit and his salary was split among the remaining employees. He also said over the past couple of years, the road department had gone from 10 workers to eight employees doing the same job.

Buster further noted that road department funds were from a separate account, the road fund, and couldn’t be used for anything other than the road department.

Also, prior to the meeting beginning, Lowhorn presented the Clinton County News a copy of the breakdown in collections and projected tax revenues collected from the sheriff’s settlement for the period of April 16, 2019 through May 15, 2020, saying he felt the totals should be of public record.

According to the settlement numbers, which are part of the financial statement, the county tax collections would bring in $276,403; taxing districts (i.e. library, extension service, health department, soil conservation) combined, $805,177; schools, $1,874,260 and state taxes, $565,879.

The next regular meeting of Clinton Fiscal Court is scheduled for Thursday, February 18, at 5 p.m. at the courthouse. Unless otherwise announced, the meeting will again be streamed live through the Clinton County Judge/Executive’s Office Facebook page.