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Jasper County Auditor Richard Webster’s office provided more precise numbers for the controversial Law Enforcement Sales Tax grant fund at Tuesday’s Jasper County Commission meeting.
Assistant Auditor Doris Boyd, who keeps the books for the LEST grant board, told commissioners that $174,415 is available for grants to the smaller police departments in Jasper County in 2012, down from $283,133.91 that was available in 2011.
Boyd said the 2011 number included a large amount of money, $126,455.06, left over from the years 2006-2010, and an allocation of $156,678.85 by the commissioners in the 2011 budget.
The 2012 number includes $156,133,00 allocated by the commissioners, $17,330.86 in unexpected sales tax revenue, possibly a result of people making purchases to replace cars and other items destroyed in the May 22 Joplin tornado, and $991.82 in carryover from 2011.
Boyd said looking deeper into the numbers of the grant fund can be complicated because of how the auditor’s office lists line items in the fund.
She said the fund is collecting additional revenue each month as sales tax receipts, but the amount actually available for grants is set at the beginning of each year when the commissioners set the county’s budget.
Boyd said balance in the LEST grant fund on Dec. 31, 2011 was $242,084.80, including $67,669.11 in unspent grants awarded in 2011.
Boyd said the county’s entire budget was audited in 2011 by Mense, Churchwell and Mense, Certified Public Accountants.
“The results of that audit were presented to this commission in September by the firm,” Boyd said. “A separate audit was conducted in June, 2011 of the Law Enforcement Sales Tax Grant Fund by the same firm at the request of the newly-formed grant board. The results of that audit confirmed and agreed with the records of the Auditor’s office. I have both of these audit reports here for public viewing.”
RFPs
The Jasper County Detention Center on West Sixth Street in Carthage is getting some much needed attention as officials review three requests for proposals from three companies to make needed repairs at the jail.
Jasper County Presiding Commissioner John Bartosh said Sheriff Archie Dunn, Capt. Becky Stevens and Jail Maintenance Supervisor Craig Lund are reviewing three sets of plans to repair the jail’s electronic security and fire alarm system and sprinkler system and repair doors and locks throughout the building.
Bartosh said he hopes the commissioners and sheriff can agree to a plan and issue a request for bids to companies next week.
Bartosh said the current proposals only address security and mechanical issues. The county will look at adding beds to the jail in a separate project sometime in the future.
Jasper County Auditor Richard Webster’s office provided more precise numbers for the controversial Law Enforcement Sales Tax grant fund at Tuesday’s Jasper County Commission meeting.
Assistant Auditor Doris Boyd, who keeps the books for the LEST grant board, told commissioners that $174,415 is available for grants to the smaller police departments in Jasper County in 2012, down from $283,133.91 that was available in 2011.
Boyd said the 2011 number included a large amount of money, $126,455.06, left over from the years 2006-2010, and an allocation of $156,678.85 by the commissioners in the 2011 budget.
The 2012 number includes $156,133,00 allocated by the commissioners, $17,330.86 in unexpected sales tax revenue, possibly a result of people making purchases to replace cars and other items destroyed in the May 22 Joplin tornado, and $991.82 in carryover from 2011.
Boyd said looking deeper into the numbers of the grant fund can be complicated because of how the auditor’s office lists line items in the fund.
She said the fund is collecting additional revenue each month as sales tax receipts, but the amount actually available for grants is set at the beginning of each year when the commissioners set the county’s budget.
Boyd said balance in the LEST grant fund on Dec. 31, 2011 was $242,084.80, including $67,669.11 in unspent grants awarded in 2011.
Boyd said the county’s entire budget was audited in 2011 by Mense, Churchwell and Mense, Certified Public Accountants.
“The results of that audit were presented to this commission in September by the firm,” Boyd said. “A separate audit was conducted in June, 2011 of the Law Enforcement Sales Tax Grant Fund by the same firm at the request of the newly-formed grant board. The results of that audit confirmed and agreed with the records of the Auditor’s office. I have both of these audit reports here for public viewing.”
RFPs
The Jasper County Detention Center on West Sixth Street in Carthage is getting some much needed attention as officials review three requests for proposals from three companies to make needed repairs at the jail.
Jasper County Presiding Commissioner John Bartosh said Sheriff Archie Dunn, Capt. Becky Stevens and Jail Maintenance Supervisor Craig Lund are reviewing three sets of plans to repair the jail’s electronic security and fire alarm system and sprinkler system and repair doors and locks throughout the building.
Bartosh said he hopes the commissioners and sheriff can agree to a plan and issue a request for bids to companies next week.
Bartosh said the current proposals only address security and mechanical issues. The county will look at adding beds to the jail in a separate project sometime in the future.
