CARROLLTON — Carroll County supervisors continue to work on ways to eliminate a projected deficit of more than $28,000 for the budget year beginning Oct. 1.
The supervisors met Monday with department heads and others to discuss their funding requests for the next year. Much of the discussion was over the funding request of an additional $15,300 for the county’s public library system.
This year, the library system, which operates facilities in Carrollton and Vaiden, received $38,250 per library. The requested increase has been caused by cuts in state funding, according to library Director Sharon Tollison.
She told supervisors she has cut expenses “to the bone,” including reductions to the book budget and children’s programs. Only half of the magazine subscriptions will be renewed, and only one newspaper, the weekly Carrollton Conservative, will be available.
According to Tollison and Beat 1 Supervisor Jim Neill, the increase in costs for upgrading the library’s internet service has been addressed and hopefully solved. The Universal Service Program administered by the Schools and Libraries Division of the Universal Service Administrative Co., a not-for-profit appointed by the Federal Communications Commission to provide affordable telecommunications and internet access for schools and libraries, will cover 90 percent of the monthly Internet fees as long as all paperwork is filed in a timely manner.
Neill said he has communicated with Mississippi Library Commission representatives as well as AT&T. He stated that “this is the best deal,” which will give the libraries 10 times more Internet service.
Brandon Smith, warden of the Carroll-Montgomery Regional Correctional Facility, reported that the jail budget is in good shape. It started the year off with zero cash on hand. Now due to the money generated from housing state inmates, it has been able to build up a cushion to be used for emergencies, he said. Beat 4 Supervisor Claude Fluker commended Smith and his staff for their work.
The board is scheduled to resume its budget deliberations Wednesday at a meeting beginning at 9 a.m.
In a separate discussion Monday, Emergency Opera-tions Center Director Gayle Beard told the board that like many counties across the state, the 911 system is in need of upgrades. “Everyone is in the process of re-doing their equipment, and ours is eventually going to have to be done,” Beard said.
AT&T representative William Tucker told the board that technology has bypassed the Carroll County system. Microsoft has stopped supporting software upgrades, and much of the equipment is obsolete, he said. AT&T is able to maintain it due to a surplus of spare parts that have been collected over the years. Should a major failure happen, calls can be transferred to neighboring Montgomery County.
Carroll County financial adviser Tony Green said that due to the EOC running under budget annually, its surplus funds could be allowed to build up to cover much of the cost of a new system, estimated at $120,000 to $130,000. The board tabled the matter and will develop a plan of action.
In other business, the board agreed to raises for four county employees: Tammy J. Inmon, a bookkeeper in the Tax Assessor/Collector Office; Willie D. Lawrence, a Beat 4 road worker; and David Ross and Linda McClain, both EOC employees.
The supervisors also went into executive session, citing litigation and personnel matters. Chancery Clerk Sugar Mullins said today that no vote was taken.
