Van Buren County quorum court approves solid-waste appropriation, property-tax collection and dash-cam funding

The Quorum Court of Van Buren County unanimously adopted four ordinances and approved several budget transfers at its meeting, moving forward with a solid-waste appropriation, emergency tax-collection authority for 2023, funding for patrol dash cameras and a small clerical correction.

Mary read an appropriation ordinance to increase revenues and appropriate $48,000 into the county's solid-waste budget. The presiding official said, "Since we didn't read it, that money is, revenues are well above projections. So we're just appropriating those funds." The court approved the ordinance by roll call; all members present voted yes.

The court also enacted an emergency ordinance authorizing collection of the county's 2023 property taxes. The presiding official noted a local difference in Damascus, saying there "was just a little bit of a difference that was a vote taken down in, Damascus, and that city chose to lift their millage from ... 0.003 to 0.005." The court adopted the emergency tax-collection ordinance by unanimous roll-call vote.

Law-enforcement equipment spending was addressed in an emergency appropriation that transfers $50,000 within the local-assistance fund to purchase dash cameras for patrol vehicles. County discussion clarified the purchase covers two different camera purchases: $50,000 in ARPA funds will be used toward body cameras, and another grant applied for by Derek is expected to cover the rest of the body-camera costs. The $50,000 approved at the meeting was described as part of a larger $150,000 dash-camera purchase, with the remaining cost scheduled to be paid over four years from the sheriff's budget if recurring grant funding is not received. An official explained, "The 50 that was the ARPA goes towards the body cams, and we're paying the rest of that with another grant that Derek applied for. And then the dash cams is the 50 they're appropriating tonight towards the 150 for all the dash cams." The ordinance passed on a unanimous roll-call vote.

Justice Phillips moved to transfer $30.78 from the 911 budget to the stoplight-maintenance budget to correct a clerical error; Phillips said the mistake was his oversight. The court approved that small transfer by roll call.

The court then approved the listed transfers by voice vote. No public comments were recorded, and a motion to adjourn carried without opposition.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance (solid-waste appropriation, transcript identifier 0202347): adopted by unanimous roll call (members recorded as voting yes: Holcomb; Nikki; Phillips; Mike; Paige; Lemmings; Bass). - Emergency ordinance (2023 property-tax collection, transcript identifier O202348): adopted by unanimous roll call. - Ordinance (dash-cam appropriation, transcript identifier 0202349): adopted by unanimous roll call. - Ordinance (transfer $30.78 from 911 to stoplight maintenance, transcript identifier O202350): adopted by unanimous roll call.

Next steps The budget committee update indicated the full budget should be ready for the next quorum court meeting in December, pending one clerical review. The court adjourned after completing the evening's business.