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QUORUM COURT OKS JUVENILE CENTER BUDGET

By Ray King/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Monday, July 13, 2009 11:51 PM CDT

With no votes to spare, a six-month budget for the juvenile detention center won approval from the Jefferson County Quorum Court Monday night.

Nine of the 13 members of the county’s legislative body were present to approve the budget, which calls for spending $878,863 for the juvenile center, with most of those funds budgeted for salaries and benefits.

Justices of the Peace Jimmy Fisher, Sissy Granderson, Paul Jones and Vannette Johnson were present Monday.

A companion ordinance adding $18,543 to the center’s educational program was also approved.

The additional money resulted from a change in the way the center is funded by the state, so no county money will be involved in the increase.

A proposed ordinance establishing policies and procedures relating to travel expenditures and reimbursements for county employees travelling outside the county for training, court, transferring prisoners and other business was also approved, but not before Justice of the Peace Alfred Carroll voiced his opinion.

“It was my intention to vote against this piece of legislation, and that vote would have been on principal, not anything else,” Carroll said, nothing that a no vote Monday would have meant the ordinance would fail.

His primary concern was that people who make what he called “turn around” trips, for example a morning meeting at Little Rock and back in the county by later that same morning or by early afternoon should not be reimbursed for meal expenses.

County Judge Mike Holcomb sought to assure Carroll on the issue, explaining that “we will have plenty of documentation,” on those expenses.

A prior ordinance, which was amended by the quorum court’s actions Monday, required an overnight stay before meals and other expenses could be reimbursed.

In other business, the court recommended a $40,000 appropriation for the circuit clerk’s office to cover expenses for the remainder of the year be approved.

Circuit Clerk Lafayette Woods Sr., said the money was needed for recording books, file folders, and recording paper for deeds and mortgages.

A $30,000 appropriation for county buildings and grounds was also approved without dissent.

Building and Grounds Superintendent Thomas Tidwell said several unexpected expenditures drained the budget, including a state mandated requirement for key stop switches in elevators, renovations to the circuit clerk’s office, and cost over-runs during work on the courtroom at the juvenile detention center.

An ordinance appointing Justice of the Peace Eddie Lunsford to a three-year term on the Southeast Arkansas Regional Planning Commission was also approved.

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