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Pulaski County health staff warn SB4 cut will shrink prevention fund; plan to encumber nurse position
Summary
Health department staff described a large reduction in Senate Bill 4 funds and told commissioners they plan to encumber rollover money so a full‑time nurse can be funded next year despite the cut; staff also asked to use VaxCare and immunization grant revenue for outreach and incentives.
A representative identified in the meeting as Edwina spoke for the Pulaski County health‑related budget lines (fund codes discussed as 11.59 and 11.61) and warned commissioners that state funding tied to Senate Bill 4 had been reduced for next year. "This one is the one that has a large haircut," Edwina said, noting a drop from roughly $300,000 in prior cycles to about $93,000 for the coming year: "93,000. That's what's gonna be added in, next year." She described that decrease as a statewide correction tied to prior underspending by many counties.
Edwina said the county plans to encumber existing rollover funds so the health department can show a full‑time nurse in the November budget even if the state appropriation is lower this year. "We'll have, like he was saying, we haven't we will not spend all of our money that we appropriated in November this year. So with that rollover money, we'll be able to fund the nurse next year," she said. Commission discussion clarified that encumbering the money now and listing the nurse in the budget would be a way to preserve the position while the grant cycle is completed.
Staff also described other revenue sources and near‑term uses. Edwina said the department received about $15,000 from an immunization grant this year and that the health department has brought in roughly $10,000 from private insurance (VaxCare) to pay for vaccine incentives. "We brought in a little more than 10,000," she said, and asked commissioners to allow continued use of those funds for incentives and outreach. The transcript indicates the department asked for a $5,000 line item to fund events and outreach this year.
Commissioners and staff discussed fund accounting: whether existing CARES/COVID‑era grant money or other internal funds could be used to cover upcoming needs rather than pulling county general funds. Edwina and other staff said some line items previously appropriated in 2025 remain unspent and could be transferred if allowable by grant restrictions or audit rules.
Edwina said staff are cautious about future years because the remaining state funds are smaller and may not sustain the same level of programming. "We're not as bad off as next couple of years," one county official said in the discussion referencing projected declines in the state funding stream. The meeting record shows no formal final appropriation or vote for the health department in this excerpt; commissioners instructed staff to place the nurse in the November budget and to follow required encumbrance procedures.
Ending: Health staff left the meeting with a plan to encumber available funds and to follow up on grant spending rules and whether specific grant revenue must be spent in the current fiscal year.
