Growing Revenue Helps County Budget

RISON - In the past, it has taken the Cleveland County Quorum Court two days to hash out a budget that would fit within the revenue projections for the upcoming year. This year, County Judge Jimmy Cummings reported it took about four hours. Thanks to a slow but steady increase in general fund revenue over the past several years, the Cleveland County Quorum Court's budget committee, which consists of all nine justices of the peace court, was able to make relatively quick work of the budget thanks to that little extra cushion in the county general fund. The county general fund roughly includes all the county expenses outside the road department. The balance left in the fund at the end of the year serves as barometer, to some degree, of where the county stands finan-cially. Cummings said they were able to accomplish many of the goals they set out to achieve in the 2024 budget during the annual budget meeting held Nov. 15. While the entire court takes part in the budgeting process, what comes out of that meeting is only a committee recommendation and must still be formally approved by the quorum court. The court is expected to act on it during its next monthly meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 4, at the Hall-Morgan Veterans Building in the Rison. Cleveland County, over the past several years, as seen the balance in its county general fund increase on nearly a monthly basis. The trend began during the tenure of the late County Judge Gary Spears and has continued on almost a monthly basis since then. In the November monthly fi-nancial report submitted by County Treasurer Angie Sims, the balance in the county general fund as of Oct. 31 was $311,672. In comparison, the balance in the county general fund on Oct. 31, 2022, was $163,630. That reflects an increase of about $148,042 (90 percent) above what it was last year. Cummings recalled a visit he had with the late County Treasurer Jack Hopson a few years ago when ...