Barry County commission approves $4.9 million budget
January 29, 2020
Charlea Estes-Jones
The Barry County Commission approved the county’s annual budget at a meeting on Thursday, January 23. The commissioners approved a budget of $4,914,979.55, a marginal increase over 2019’s approved budget of $4,887,461.39.
In all, county officeholders requested $5,162,656.77, however, Barry County commissioners Gary Schad, Wayne Hendrix and Gary Youngblood stick to the commission’s tradition of maintaining a fiscally conservative approach to the county’s finances in the event that sales tax revenue takes a downturn during the year.
Northern commissioner Gary Schad said, “We have a really good group of office holders. Historically, we budget very conservatively, and they understand that.”
Barry County clerk Jill LeCompte read the budget summary, noting they estimated the revenue for 2020 to be $4,229,488.00. They add the remaining balances from 2019, which was $824,350.80 for a total allowable of $5,053,838.80. Even in the event of a low-revenue year, the county should be able to maintain the budget.
Presiding commissioner Gary Youngblood said, “The economy is good. As long as fuel prices stay low, which that affects more than a lot of other things, we do well. If they have $4 a gallon gas, then people don’t have the money to spend on other sales tax items.”
The departments with the biggest changes from 2019 to 2020 are the county commission’s budget, the sheriff’s office budget and the jail. All of the other offices maintained a budget close to the same as last year.
The county commission budget dropped from $389,503.00 in 2019 to $288,655.00 approved in 2020. Youngblood said that change was to return the commission’s budget to a more standard number. In 2019, they had to purchase new voting machines, which was a big ticket item in the budget, but was a mandatory change.
The sheriff’s office budget changed from the $910,920.23 approved in 2019 to $943,211.70 approved for this year. Last year, Sheriff Gary Davis’s office came in under budget by over $33,000 and the jail’s budget was under by over $68,000. Davis said he was under budget due to staffing issues, a problem he attributes to Barry County’s lower pay scale. He said, “At the jail, we can’t keep people for what we pay.”
This year’s jail budget is very similar to last year’s at $585,512.36. Jailers will start at $24,000 a year with the ability to be bumped up to $25,000 annually after three to six months. Davis said the jail currently has four vacant positions, which has been a recurring issue.
Last year, the commission approved a pay bump for road deputies to attempt to alleviate the staffing issues that plagued the department. Road deputies with Barry County make $30,000 per year, but in neighboring counties, the pay is higher. Davis said Stone County pays $35,000 and Newton County pays $38,000 annually.
One big change that will take place this year is regarding the jail. The county appropriates $280,000 each year for capital projects.This year, that money will go toward a jail remodel that Davis says is long overdue. The part of the jail that was built in 1971 will be remodeled, converting it to 24 beds in a dorm-style room. While the project probably will not be completed this year, it will begin and work toward a comprehensive remodel of the jail.
While a couple of office holders requested funds that were not granted by the commission, most budgets requested around the same amounts as last year and were approved for the same amount.
At the conclusion of the budget hearing, Youngblood said, “We want to thank the office holders for their conservative values.”
Charlea Estes-Jones
The Barry County Commission approved the county’s annual budget at a meeting on Thursday, January 23. The commissioners approved a budget of $4,914,979.55, a marginal increase over 2019’s approved budget of $4,887,461.39.
In all, county officeholders requested $5,162,656.77, however, Barry County commissioners Gary Schad, Wayne Hendrix and Gary Youngblood stick to the commission’s tradition of maintaining a fiscally conservative approach to the county’s finances in the event that sales tax revenue takes a downturn during the year.
Northern commissioner Gary Schad said, “We have a really good group of office holders. Historically, we budget very conservatively, and they understand that.”
Barry County clerk Jill LeCompte read the budget summary, noting they estimated the revenue for 2020 to be $4,229,488.00. They add the remaining balances from 2019, which was $824,350.80 for a total allowable of $5,053,838.80. Even in the event of a low-revenue year, the county should be able to maintain the budget.
Presiding commissioner Gary Youngblood said, “The economy is good. As long as fuel prices stay low, which that affects more than a lot of other things, we do well. If they have $4 a gallon gas, then people don’t have the money to spend on other sales tax items.”
The departments with the biggest changes from 2019 to 2020 are the county commission’s budget, the sheriff’s office budget and the jail. All of the other offices maintained a budget close to the same as last year.
The county commission budget dropped from $389,503.00 in 2019 to $288,655.00 approved in 2020. Youngblood said that change was to return the commission’s budget to a more standard number. In 2019, they had to purchase new voting machines, which was a big ticket item in the budget, but was a mandatory change.
The sheriff’s office budget changed from the $910,920.23 approved in 2019 to $943,211.70 approved for this year. Last year, Sheriff Gary Davis’s office came in under budget by over $33,000 and the jail’s budget was under by over $68,000. Davis said he was under budget due to staffing issues, a problem he attributes to Barry County’s lower pay scale. He said, “At the jail, we can’t keep people for what we pay.”
This year’s jail budget is very similar to last year’s at $585,512.36. Jailers will start at $24,000 a year with the ability to be bumped up to $25,000 annually after three to six months. Davis said the jail currently has four vacant positions, which has been a recurring issue.
Last year, the commission approved a pay bump for road deputies to attempt to alleviate the staffing issues that plagued the department. Road deputies with Barry County make $30,000 per year, but in neighboring counties, the pay is higher. Davis said Stone County pays $35,000 and Newton County pays $38,000 annually.
One big change that will take place this year is regarding the jail. The county appropriates $280,000 each year for capital projects.This year, that money will go toward a jail remodel that Davis says is long overdue. The part of the jail that was built in 1971 will be remodeled, converting it to 24 beds in a dorm-style room. While the project probably will not be completed this year, it will begin and work toward a comprehensive remodel of the jail.
While a couple of office holders requested funds that were not granted by the commission, most budgets requested around the same amounts as last year and were approved for the same amount.
At the conclusion of the budget hearing, Youngblood said, “We want to thank the office holders for their conservative values.”