Supes pass budget for 2021
By Steve Swogetinsky
The Kemper Messenger
The Kemper County board of supervisors approved the county’s Fiscal Year 2021 budget during its September 8 meeting.
The board is budgeted to spend $28,848,316 during the fiscal year which begins October 1. Of that amount, $3,024,322 will be financed through the total ad valorum tax levy. That will take 100.81 mills, which is a 4.80 decrease from the previous year.
Supervisors also approved the local tax rate for the fiscal year.
All votes were 4-0. Board president Pat Granger was able to attend because of a family matter.
In other matters. The board voted to:
-Approve the minutes from the previous meeting, the county payroll and the claims docket;
-Accept the August meal loge from the Kemper County-Neshoba County Regional Jail. Supervisors also approved the expenses from the Kemper County Sheriff’s Department;
-Accept the low bid of G.R. Joyner to replace the concession stand that was destroyed by a tornado at the Kemper County Recreational Park. The replacement should be similar to the original building;
-Approve an order adjusting the solid waste balances for June-July 2020;
-Approve an order for the preservation and maintenance covenant as part of an application for the Community Heritage and Maintenance Grant for the courthouse in DeKalb;
-Approve an agreement with the Mississippi Extension Service to pay a part of the office associate’s salary at the office in DeKalb;
-Approve retaining Fortenberry and Ballard for the annual county audit;
-Approve overtime for deputy circuit clerks Linda Edwards and Totsseta Hearn for their work during last month’s grand jury. Supervisors also approved for additional help in the Circuit Clerk’s office to help with voter registration for the upcoming election; and,
-Approve for the board of supervisors to write a letter to former circuit clerk, Tracy Murray, telling her to close out bank accounts that have public funds in them with a detailed list of where the funds are to be settled at Commercial Bank in DeKalb.