Nothing is off the table in terms of potential cuts to the 2023-24 county budget.
After appearing to come in over budget, Chancery Clerk Dr. Gloria McIntosh submitted several cuts to the Sunflower County Board of Supervisors this past Monday in an attempt to keep the budget close to where it has been for the past eight years.
““Last week, we did a lot of maneuvering, the best we could,” said McIntosh.
McIntosh said the board has operated at about 63.95 mills since the same board took office around 2016.
Purchases during that time include adding several new departments and salaries like code inspection, solid waste and maintenance, as well as increasing salaries and the county’s minimum wage to $15 an hour.
“We’ve done a lot with that 63.95 mils,” McIntosh said. “I think we’ve just about choked it out.”
With these changes, McIntosh was able to shave off nearly $4 million, but in order to function within the budget an additional $1.4 million needs to be shaved of as well, she said.
The amount the county needs to function under is just over $13.6 million dollars, she said.
Some hypothetical cuts proposed by McIntosh include removing salary increases, taking travel from chancery budget and other departments, removing funds for all access supplies and reducing insurance payments.
Also in an attempt to balance said budget, purchases for heavy equipment were removed, some road materials, vehicles and building equipment for emergency management.
McIntosh told the board that in the past, they were able to stay within budget by doing short-term loans on items like the ones directly above.
“I’m suggesting we look for another way to make those purchases,” she said.
According to McIntosh, in the past, the county never put those big numbers in the budget.
Then the supervisors had a chance to add input.
Different suggestions were made from several supervisors on the board.
District 5 Supervisor Gloria Dickerson suggested that the county remove additional funds from the vehicle maintenance department.
District 1 Supervisor Glen Donald suggested a possible modest tax increase to meet the budget.
“All of these things that we are talking about, we realize we need them and want them,” District 2 Supervisor Riley Rice said, “But if you can’t afford it you just can’t afford it.”
No decision has been made and none of these suggestions have been set in stone. They will further discuss the budget at the next meeting.
