Craighead Co. Justices Approve Day Off, Discuss Budget

To take or not take a day off was the question Monday night as Craighead County justices discussed the way to handle a possible five-day weekend during the week of Christmas.

Justices voted 9-2 to approve allowing employees to take off Dec. 26 (the Friday after Christmas). The proposal was discussed during the county’s Public Service Committee meeting Nov. 10 but no action was taken.

Justice Barbara Weinstock, who voted no on the proposal along with Justice Josh Longmire, said the county has a set policy in its employee handbook to allow for 11 holidays this year.

They include New Year’s Day, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day and two days each for Thanksgiving (Nov. 27 and Nov. 28) and Christmas (Christmas Eve and Christmas Day).

Weinstock said the change would have an impact on the county’s sheriff and road departments, plus could inconvenience people wanting to pay taxes or pick up a marriage license.

“To close five days, it is not necessary,” Weinstock said.

Sheriff Marty Boyd said his department would not face an impact one way or the other.

Longmire said the proposal came after a report that state employees would get the same day off this year.

Justice Ray Kidd, who supported the idea, said it would give employees added morale at the end of the year and that no circuit court was scheduled that day.

“I feel like we owe it to our employees,” Kidd, a former state representative, said.

Voting for the change were Kidd and justices Ken Stacks, Bob Blankenship, Fred Bowers, Jim Bryant, Kenneth Hendrix, Brett Provost, Dana Watkins and Terry Couch.

Justices Max Render and Mike Hawkins were absent.

2015 BUDGET
Stacks spoke to justices about the 2015 budget. The finance committee met for several hours Monday afternoon to try to iron out the finances for the budget, which will take effect Jan. 1.

While the numbers are still being figured, Stacks said each of the requests by county officials will be funded while the sheriff’s department will have three new deputies and seven new patrol cars.

“They are in definite need for those,” Stacks said about the patrol cars.

The budget also includes a $1,000 per employee raise, Stacks said.

County Judge Ed Hill said the finance committee worked hard on the budget.

“It will be tight. There was a lot of wrangling around,” Hill said.

There have been recent reports that the county has received $58 million in property tax collections so far this year.

Hill said the figures are a misnomer because the county does not receive all of that amount, with the money divided among the county, cities and school districts.

“We don’t get it all. But I feel good about it,” Hill said.

The budget, with complete figures, will be given to justices Dec. 1, with debate on the budget expected at the justices’ Dec. 8 meeting.

In other action, justices:

· Voted to set the personal and real property tax rates for the county, cities and school districts in Craighead County.

· Heard from Hill about a road construction project on Kathleen Street. Both the county and the city of Jonesboro have worked on the project for some time.