County approves 2008 budget with changes
By SHARON KERR Staff Writer

In brief special session Monday, Sept. 17, Jasper County Commissioners Court approved the 2008 budget with minor changes, and the 2007 proposed property tax rate at the effective rate of .6653/$100.

One change was to allocate an additional $6,500 from the contingency fund to the sheriff's budget for a replacement vehicle. Chief Deputy Jack Jett reported that funds within the department that the court thought could be shifted toward the purchase were already budgeted elsewhere.

Other sheriff's and jail budget changes were shifted within the department with no increase to the bottom line.

The outside audit firm of Patillo, Brown and Hill LLP presented their annual report for the year ended Dec. 31, 2006. Their representative, Chris Prewitt, gave the county a clean bill of health and reported the general fund was $3.8 million, a net positive change of $3.3 million.

"This is considerably better than a year ago," Prewitt said. "You are back to a healthy amount."

He noted that $2.3 million came from ORCA reimbursement, and that actual revenue was $724,000 more than anticipated in last year's budget, and actual expenditures were one-half million less.

Prewitt told the court as part of their audit process they visit most county offices, especially any that take in cash, and make recommendations when changes are needed. Last year the firm had several suggestions for the Justice of the Peace court payments and for the County Treasurer's office; this year the firm had no recommended changes.

Precinct 4 Barn

Last week, commissioners opened bids for construction of the metal building to replace the county equipment barn in Buna that burned in January.

Precinct 4 Commissioner Vance Moss and Precinct 3 Commissioner Willie Stark reviewed the bids and recommended the lowest bidder, Mark Bean, at $174,000 for a turnkey job.

Moss said Bean's company is constructing the Mobiloil Credit Union building on U.S. Highway 190 in Jasper, and has also worked on the fire station in Deweyville.

The court unanimously approved Moss' recommendation to accept Bean's bid. Construction should begin before the end of the month and be completed in 90-120 days.

Bells will ring

Robert Hoehn of Paul Davis Restoration reported that the last part for the Jasper County courthouse bell tower had been ship, "and the bells should ring soon."

Hoehn's firm has completed most of the repairs to the courthouse and the sub-courthouse in Buna. He expects to complete the roof in Kirbyville this week, and is still negotiating with the county's insurance on funds to fix the roof on the courthouse annex in Jasper.