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Still watching spending

Prior to the auditor telling Fayette County Board members that the county’s current assets declined again during the last fiscal year, the board chairman continued urging department heads to watch spending.
Rod Croxford of the CPA firm Franklin and Vaughn told board members that the county’s current assets declined by about $580,000 last year.
“That’s not good,” Croxford said. However, he added, the drop in the previous year was about $730,000, “so you stopped the bleeding somewhat.”
Earlier in Tuesday’s meeting, board Chairman Jeff Beckman, in giving a finance committee report, said, “I don’t know how we’re going to make it to the end of the year.
“Everybody needs to keep close tabs (on their spending),” Beckman said.
“Something’s going to have to give,” he said. “I know we say it every month, but something’s going to have to give.”
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the board approved a raffle license for OB’s Place in Shobonier, but not before Beckman suggested a review of the county’s ordinance governing raffle licenses.
Under the ordinance, which was passed by the county board in 2012, those in the county wishing to hold a raffle are required to obtain a permit and pay a $50 fee.
Beckman questions whether it’s appropriate to charge a fee for the license, particularly to those holding gaming licenses.
“The idea of a raffle is to make money, not spend money,” he said.
“I would really like for (the) rules and regulations (committee) to look into this thing,” he said.
“I don’t know why we have to keep (charging) people with a raffle, especially if they hold a gaming license,” Beckman said.
“If they don’t have a gaming license, it could be someone coming in from anywhere, and I understand the $50 (fee).
“We need to start putting some thought into it,” he said.
Currently, raffle holders get the application for a raffle license from the county clerk’s office and the application is considered by the county board, Assistant State’s Attorney Brenda Duke said.
In addition to the fee charged, Beckman said that he doesn’t like the 45-day turnaround required for the license application process.
Duke said that in reading the ordinance, she doesn’t see a problem with the clerk’s office issuing the raffle permit.
Also at Tuesday’s meeting:
• County Treasurer Rose Hoover told board members that her office is running behind on getting tax bills out, and that they hope to get them out by next Friday, July 22. Last year, she said, the bills were mailed out on July 14.
She said that employees in other offices have volunteered to help with the mailing, and that she may take them up on their offers.
Hoover said that the first installment of taxes will be due on Aug. 23 and the second installment on Sept. 23.
• The board approved Sheriff Chris Smith’s request to purchase two 2012 Dodge Chargers from the Missouri Highway Patrol, at a cost of $12,000 for each vehicle.
Beckman thanked Smith for “digging around” for used patrol vehicles that will help the county get through a couple of years with its sheriff’s fleet.
The vehicles will be purchased with money from the county’s special police vehicle fund.
• The board allowed Smith to take bids on a 2004 Chevrolet Express van that has 102,000 miles on the odometer. The proceeds from that sale will go into the police vehicle fund.
• The board accepted the low bid of $167,808 from Depew and Owen Builders Inc. of Centralia for the replacement of a bridge on County Road 1875 East in Lone Grove Township, 2½ miles west of Loogootee.
• Smith reported that his department handled a “record” 570 incidents in the past month, and that it also booked 149 individuals, which is substantially higher than the regular total of 100-110.
• The board voted to approve the annual prevailing wage ordinance, as required by law, with five members casting dissenting votes – Beckman, Glenn Gurtner, Wade Wilhour, Chad Austin and Jake Harris.

 

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