BY GENE COLEMAN

NATCHEZ —Adams County supervisors finalized the county’s budget for fiscal year 2018-2019 Friday with no tax increase by drawing on the county’s cash surplus, county officials said.

Supervisors unanimously approved the budget during Friday’s meeting, which had been rescheduled from the usual third Monday designated meeting time because supervisors David Carter and Mike Lazarus will be in Washington, D.C., Monday for a Leadership Mississippi Conference.

Under the budget adopted Friday, the county’s millage rate remains the same as last year’s budget at 65.60 mills and will be worth $251,583 per mill, said Joe Murray, county administrator. However, Murray also said drawing on the cash surplus would make things tight until property taxes come through in early January.

“It’s going to be a tough year,” Murray said. “If we didn’t have that cash there, the board would have had to raise the millage. No doubt.”

Murray said the county’s cash balance dropped approximately $1 million this year, and estimated the balance to be close to $3 million, depending on outstanding expenditures and revenue.

One of the county’s major expenditures was the $560,000 spent for Emergency Watershed Program (EWP) projects. EWP work restores severe land erosion. An outstanding bond that cost the county $265,000 this year could be refinanced for the next fiscal year, Murray said. Also, the sheriff’s office expenditures for debt, food and fuel accounted for $70,000, and the 2018 election will cost the county an estimated $40,000.

Sanitation expenses increased by more than $90,000, Murray said. Garbage revenue for the fiscal year is down $25,000 this year, partly due to uncollected fees.

“People don’t pay and they’re just not paying, and we’re fixing to try to take every measure to make sure they pay,” Murray said.

The budget also contains noticeable decreases of approximately $25,000 in sheriff fees, $25,000 in Grand Gulf distribution, $25,000 in homestead reimbursements and $10,000 in antenna fees.

Also, Victims of Crime Act funds that come from a portion of fines and penalties paid by convicted federal offenders, DUI funds and seatbelt grants were down $130,000, collectively. Murray said, it is not unusual for grants to disappear, as did the DUI and seatbelt grants.

“Any year, you’re going to have grants that are coming and going,” Murray said.

District 5 Supervisor Calvin Butler said the county would be able to move forward with purchasing four new patrol cars for the sheriff’s office on Jan. 1 or after. The cost of the cruisers, an estimated $129,680, will be paid through a Department of Agriculture grant of $45,300, leaving the county’s expense at $84,380.

Also, at Friday’s Adams County Board of Supervisors meeting, the board:

4Unanimously approved TMobile’s request to place three additional antennae and three remote units along U.S. 61 South.

4Heard a report from an AMR ambulance service representative, who told supervisors that two of the company’s EMTs had been deployed to Spartanburg, South Carolina, for relief efforts in response to Hurricane Florence.

4Unanimously approved $3,557 for a backup battery to ensure power for the Adams County Sheriff’s Office radios. The sheriff’s office also will replace two full-time positions with four part-time positions.

4Unanimously approved accepting FEMA’s award of $6,163 for firefighter training. The award will cover materials and training for 15 firefighters and 10 volunteer firefighters.

4Went into executive session to discuss potential litigation. No vote was taken.