Mississippi County budget approved

scottw@standard-democrat.com

CHARLESTON -- Other than disaster relief reimbursements tapering off, this year's operating budget for Mississippi County is pretty much the same as last year's.

The county's annual operating budget was approved during the County Commission's regular weekly meeting Thursday following a public hearing and County Clerk Junior DeLay's annual budget message.

"Bottom line numbers" in the county's 34 funds are very close to last year's, according to DeLay. "Mostly we just tweaked it a little bit."

Total revenue for the county is projected at $5,938,658.84 with 6,543,293.47 in total expenditures for an operating deficit of $604,634.63.

As that deficit includes $417,222.22 in transfers between county funds, the actual deficit would only be $187,412.41, according to DeLay. And as the county started the year with cumulative fund balances of $1,846,658.32, there is enough to cover the deficit, he said.

"These figures contain conservative estimates of revenues with a level of expenditures that should allow each operating department within the fund to sustain its prior levels of service delivery to county residents," DeLay said. He later commented following his budget message that "it's surprising to me sales taxes have held up they way they have."

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