Faulkner County Reports

Accountability, Ethics, & Transparency in Government

2023 Budget Session Talk Centers on Sheriff’s Department

Published · Updated

JP Tyler Pearson (D, Dist. 7) continued his now-familiar close questioning of anything related to the Sheriff’s Department, and County Treasurer Scott Sanson updated the Committee on current revenue figures as the Budget & Finance Committee met for its second 2023 Budget session on Thursday, December 1.

The Committee to about an hour to unanimously pass many budget items on the agenda (listed below) with no discussion, pausing mostly to question Sheriff’s Department funds relating to appropriation/budget requests for jail needs assessments / architectural work, the jail’s medical services and health services contracts, and the COPS program funding:

2022-12-01 BUDGET 2023: Jail Contract for Medical Services

2022-12-01 BUDGET 2023: Mental Health Jail Contract

2022-12-01 BUDGET 2023: COPS Grant for 2023

JPs learned that the Criminal Justice Sales Tax fund is projected at $6.3 million for 2023, and Sheriff’s Department Fiscal Officer Angie Wooley explained:

2022-12-01 BUDGET 2023: JP Tyler Pearson Questions Capital Improvements/Jail Fund

2022 -12-01 BUDGET 2023: Wooley on the 2023 Criminal Justice Sales Tax Request

Responding to a question about “machinery & equipment,” Prosecutor Carol Crews reported that her office is replacing outdated computers. JP Matt Brown (R, Dist. 8) questioned why utilities for the Museum are up by about 35%.

OEM Director Shelia Bellot pointed out that OEM spent “vehicle money” that would have paid for a new truck to replace generators; she said two more generators still need to be replaced.

911 Program

Bellot also provided a bit more information about next year’s mandated 911 equipment upgrade and the 911 consolidation that’s been discussed for the last couple of years:

2022-12-01 BUDGET 2023: OEM Director Talks 911 Program Costs

BUDGET REQUESTS HEARD on DECEMBER 1:
1000.0400 SHERIFF
1000.0418 COUNTY JAIL
1000.0433 JAIL JUVENILE GRANT
1000.0445 COPS GRANT
1005.0407 CARES ACT / SHERIFF RESERVE
1801.0426 COMMISSARY
1810.0418 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS / COUNTY JAIL
3007.0438 SHERIFFS AUTOMATION
3015.0425 DRUG CONTROL
3017.0439 JAIL OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE (medical services contract)
3018.0437 COUNTY DETENTION FACILITY
3046.0418 ARP / COUNTY JAIL (mental health services contract)
3405.0424 FEDERAL DRUG FORFEITURE
3407.0421 CJST / COUNTY JAIL
3407.0436 CJST / DEPUTIES & DISPATCHERS
3513.0513 JAG GRANT
1000.0416 PROSECUTING ATTY
1000.0429 VICTIM SERVICES / DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
3025.0428 VICTIM OF CRIME / VICTIM WITNESS 
3044.0416 DRUG CONTROL – PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
1000.0401 DIVISION 1 CIRCUIT COURT 
1000.0409 DISTRICT COURT
3027.0408 DISTRICT COURT PROBATION FEES
3401.0604 MUSEUM
1000.0500 OEM/911
3020.0501 911 / PSAP
1000.0419 CORONER
1000.0403 DIVISION 3 CIRCUIT COURT
1000.0405 DIVISION 5 CIRCUIT COURT
1805.0104 COUNTY COLLECTOR
3001.0118 COLLECTOR’S AUTOMATION

Videos edited from original video on Faulkner County’s YouTube channel.)

Visit Faulkner County Reports on YouTube for more videos and video excerpts from this and other County meetings.