Autry turns over excess to general fund

Circuit clerk Monet Autry announced she turned over $59,000 to the general fund from her account. She asked the Board of Supervisors at the April 21 meeting to use the money to purchase speakers and monitors for the courtroom.

She said judges recommended upgrading the monitors and placing them in various areas of the courtroom so audio visuals will be available for the jury, the judges, and the attorneys for the prosecution and for the defense.

The courtroom currently has only one monitor and the speakers are not adequate. She said someone will also have to be paid to install the equipment.

(Mississippi law specifies that all fees received by circuit clerks exceeding their salary limit must be turned over to the county. This ensures that any funds collected in excess of the salary allocated for the clerk’s office are used for the benefit of the county as a whole, rather than being retained by the clerk. The deadline for depositing these excess funds is April 15th of the following year, relating to the preceding calendar year’s receipts. Internet source.)

The board approved purchase of extra monitors and speakers.

Representative John Faulkner discussed the state’s budget and a special session that will be called to set the next fiscal year’s budget.

He said the state has $7 billion. Approximately 46 percent of the new budget will come from Federal sources, he said.

In fiscal year 2025, $13 billion from federal sources goes to some 38 state agencies.

Faulkner said if federal dollars are cut, Mississippi will not be able to afford to fund healthcare and education.

“If we lose this money from the budget, the low income and middle income will lose,” Faulkner said.

District 5 supervisor Ronnie O’Neil Bennett asked what is going on at the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), that many state employees take their jobs because of the retirement benefit.

Faulkner said a fifth tier has been created which will affect new employees retirement investments.

“Some agree this new tier won’t be attractive for new state workers,” Faulkner said.

“That’s one of the main incentives, like my daughter’s first year (as a teacher),” Bennett said.

County administrator Tim Powell said tier 5 kicks in after March 2025, so Bennett’s daughter came in before the new tier went into effect.

The discussion turned to whether the county met the threshold for tornado losses to qualify for Mississippi Emergency Management Agency funds to help pay for the April 3 tornado cleanup in the Slayden area.

“We’ve been on the phone with MEMA every day,” Faulkner said. “I just don’t know. People need help.”

Faulkner turned back to the proposal to eliminate the state income tax - HB1, favored by the governor.

He said a possible $2.4 billion shortfall will mean services will have to be cut.

“I hate to come with doom and gloom after Easter,” he said.

He said the speaker of the House and the lieutenant governor have not been able to agree on what is called a Christmas Bill, money that can go back to the districts.

“The lieutenant governor has issues with it because of the tax bill,” Faulkner said.

In other reports, the board:

• accepted the claims docket - $423,489.

• approved travel for constables for training in Gulfport.

• approved fire coordinator training for Adam Stone.

• authorized the county to participate in the state’s solid waste grant.

• approved a bid of $29,430 for weed control on rights-ofway. The county has 300 miles of rights-of-way to maintain.

• discussed debris on the curbsides in the Slayden tornado cleanup area. Powell said there will be no money for debris removal unless the area is declared a federal disaster. He said it can take up to three months to hear back from MEMA (Mississippi Emergency Management Agency) on whether the county will qualify. He advised the county can advertise for bids to remove the debris. If there is no declaration, the county will have to pay for the removal of debris.

District 2 supervisor Johnny Walker said it will cost a couple of million or more to remove the debris.

Powell said the cost to remove between 100,000 and 200,000 square yards will likely cost $5 million.

He said if the county has to foot the bill for cleanup there will be no money to pave roads.

“Take it to Boswell Road and burn it,” Bennett said.

Board attorney Amanda Whaley Smith recommended the board advertise for a request for proposal for debris removal in case MEMA does not come through.

The board approved a motion to advertise for RFPs for debris removal and for debris disposal.

• approved training for four employees to go for training as jailers in Oxford at $720 per person.