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Chickasaw supervisors debate levy rates, ending fund balance and approve $1.18 million in claims
Summary
Supervisors spent most of the meeting on a budget work session discussing levy/rollback scenarios (3.39806, 3.115, 3.20) and options to use fund balance for capital transfers; they approved claims totaling $1,181,410.13 and directed an EBS refund of $2,000 to the county health‑insurance trust.
The Chickasaw County Board of Supervisors devoted substantial time on Feb. 9 to a budget work session and a detailed discussion of levy-rate options and ending fund balances ahead of publication and a March public hearing.
County staff presented multiple rollback/levy scenarios — including the current maximum rollback factor (3.39806) and proposed lower factors (3.115, 3.20). Supervisors examined projected revenues and ending fund-balance outcomes under each scenario, noting that property valuation growth increased revenues even at a lower levy rate. Board members debated whether to lower the levy to reduce tax asking or retain a larger ending fund balance to protect cash flow early in the fiscal year.
The auditor presented a draft plan to transfer up to $1.5 million to capital projects from ending fund balances if the board chose to allocate reserves that way. Several supervisors cautioned that drawing down reserves would limit next year's tax‑asking flexibility and emphasized the need to consider obligations such as Heartland payroll and three months of benefits.
Separately, the board reviewed claims totaling $1,181,410.13 and approved them by voice vote. During claims discussion a supervisor said, "it just seems like the transparency is not quite there for all county departments," raising concerns about a procurement policy threshold being exceeded; county staff and other supervisors noted internal policy and the limits of board control once funds are budgeted and released to departments.
The board also directed the auditor to move a $2,000 refund from Fidelity Bank & Trust (an EBS flex debit-card reserve) into the county health‑insurance trust fund to cover administrative costs and adopted a retirement-plan resolution (2926-11) to keep county plan documents in IRS-compliant form.
Next steps: staff will prepare public‑hearing publication materials for a tentative March 2 hearing and return with final budget amendment paperwork and any remaining department requests.
Sources: Auditor and board discussion during Feb. 9 budget work session; vote on claims and direction for EBS refund.
