County labors budget
'What exactly does up mean?'
By SHARON KERR Staff Writer

Jasper County Commissioners Court began the first round of 2008 budget hearings last week with what amounted to a replay of last year.

All departments that had travel budgets asked for an increase due to the higher cost of gasoline. Constables requested an increase in pay to equal that of sheriff's deputies. Jasper Police Chief Todd Hunter asked the county to assume more the DARE budget, and Joe Lanier of the Jasper Lakes Areas Humane Society (JLAHS) requested that the county allot a budget for an animal shelter.

Salary increase requests generally ranged from three to seven percent. The Social Security Administration says the cost of living increase for 2007 is 3.3 percent.

County Judge Mark Allen anticipated that many departments would ask for increases, since most of the county's budget has been in a holding pattern since before Hurricane Rita.

Both District Clerk Linda Ryall and County Clerk Debbie Newman requested a five percent raise for their employees and a $5,000 raise for themselves, citing an increased workload.

At one point where Ryall was saying that passport applications are up, civil cases are up, spousal maintenance is up, Precinct 2 Commissioner Roy Parker interrupted to ask, "What, exactly, does 'up' mean?"

Parker said, 'up' could mean by one or a whole lot; in order to judge her request he needs "to understand just how much 'up' is."

Ryall guessed passports might be up 300 percent, then changed it to 500 percent since the new law requiring passports for trips to Mexico and Canada.

Newman said the passport situation also makes more work at the county level, because they have to make birth certificate copies. The clerk's office has also experienced a big increase in landmen doing research for oil leases, and her office has assumed the burden of additional elections. This includes local and school board elections, and 2008 will be a presidential election year.

Criminal District Attorney Steve Hollis is the only department that turned in a budget request lower than 2007, but he asked, "Please include this office in any consideration for employee raises."

Hollis told commissioners he didn't need "pretty leather bound law books," that paperbacks would do, and that he preferred to use computer access for research. (The county is required to maintain a law library for public access).

County Sheriff Ronnie McBride requested three additional deputies. Their salaries, equipment, training and vehicles, plus increased fuel costs, radio tower repairs and various small increases, totaled a request for $333,000 more than the 2007 budget.

Hunter told commissioners that Jasper Police Officer Wanda Brister serves the entire county for the anti-drug program DARE, and asked commissioners to increase the budget from $15,000 to $25,000.

Constables such as Gerald McAdams of Precinct 5 informed commissioners that they are taking more active roles in answering calls and assisting the sheriff's department.

Precinct 3 Constable Ronnie Hutchison informed commissioners that his collections program for hot checks and citations has already returned more than $11,000 in revenue for the county.

Constables are requesting pay equivalent to a deputy, an increase of more than $4,000 each, plus increases in expenses and travel allowances.

JLAHS requested $17,500 to assist in setting up an animal shelter, and has made the same request of the city of Jasper. Lanier estimated that JLAHS has enough dedicated funds to build a shelter on land donated by the city, but they need at least a part-time employee. They are also seeking either the county or the city to assume ownership of the shelter.

Allen observed that assuming ownership of the shelter could incur expenses for liability issues, insurance, and longterm maintenance. "I'm not sure the county wants to assume that," Allen said.

Allen asked Mc Bride if the sheriff's department wanted to assume responsibility.

McBride replied, "No, not really."

Chief Deputy Jack Jett said, "I don't think $17,500 is going to come close" (to what it costs). Jett said the sheriff's department could provide inmate labor, "but there are times we won't have trustees, plus that ties up an officer."

Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Susan Ratcliff showed the court photos of her dilapidated courtroom, which has water damage from Hurricane Rita and needed repairs even before that.

"My building is literally falling apart," Ratcliff said, and told the court, "I'd appreciate anything."

Precinct 3 Commissioner Willie Stark added, "We were hoping for a new building."

Precinct 4 Commissioner Vance Moss suggested that when his new metal precinct barn is completed to replace the one that burned, the county could take the two temporary buildings he is using to Kirbyville for Ratcliff's office and courtroom.

Budget hearings will continue in August. The figure approved for the 2008 budget is what Tax Assessor Bobby Biscamp uses to recommend the property tax rate for Jasper County.