2015 Budget Set In Craighead County

A nearly $29 million county budget was approved Monday night (Dec. 8) by Craighead County justices, with some of the discussion on the budget centering around appropriations for several non-profit groups.

Justice Brett Provost asked to amend the budget to include a $5,000 appropriation for the NEA Baptist Hope Circle program.

June Morse, who helps lead the program, said the program works with families who face catastrophic care including cancer treatments.

The program helps to pay for cancer wigs as well as afghans and lodging for patients who undergo radiation.

Both Provost and Justice Ray Kidd, who is a cancer survivor, said the program has helped people who face difficult problems.

“I know I still have the scarf they gave me when I had my problem with cancer about four years ago,” Kidd said.

The budget also includes a $5,000 appropriation for St. Bernards Healthcare, $2,500 each for Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, $2,000 to the American Red Cross and $1,500 each to the Children’s Advocacy Group and Out of the Dark, a drug education program.

Tony Thomas, administrative assistant to County Judge Ed Hill, said the monies appropriated are not donations but instead funds used to provide services to county residents.

BUDGET
The budget, which takes effect Jan. 1, will include a $1,000 across the board pay raise for all county employees as well as a 4.8 percent increase in overall spending.

Thomas said most of the increase was due to health insurance and road department projects for the new year.

There is a $550,000 increase – from $450,000 to $1 million – in the county’s asphalt budget to do overlays on several county roads, Thomas said.

The budget also includes $294,250 for the county’s economic development budget. While not discussing specifics, Hill said the money would be used to buy land for industrial recruitment plus help with the purchase of land for the Trinity Rail project.

The company announced plans in June to open a railcar facility at the former Nordex factory in Jonesboro.

As for revenues, Treasurer Terry McNatt said after the meeting that the county is hopeful for a steady 2015.

McNatt said he expects sales tax revenues to see a two to three percent increase in the new year.

Voting for the budget were Provost, Kidd and justices Terry Couch, Ken Stacks, Jim Bryant, Fred Bowers, Barbara Weinstock, Mike Hawkins, Kenny Hendrix, Dana Watkins, Max Render and Josh Longmire.

Justice Bob Blankenship was absent.

OTHER ACTION
In other action, justices:

· Voted 11-0, with Longmire abstaining, to cancel their Dec. 22 meeting in Jonesboro unless something major happens.

· Voted 12-0 to appropriate $140,000 to buy equipment for the Jonesboro Fire Department Haz-Mat team. The money, which was received through a grant from the federal Department of Homeland Security, will help the department identify hazardous material as well as weapons of mass destruction.

· Presented plaques to Provost, Hendrix, Watkins and Blankenship, who are leaving the court.