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Fiscal Court authorizes sheriff's revenue bond, praises conservative budgeting and discusses 3% COLA proposal
Summary
The court approved a sheriff's revenue bond effective Jan. 1, 2026, reviewed the sheriff's and county clerk's 2026 budgets favorably, and heard Sheriff Hopson propose a 3% cost-of-living raise for county employees.
The Simpson County Fiscal Court approved the sheriff's revenue bond Dec. 16 and authorized Sheriff Jere D. Hopson to sign paperwork that will take effect Jan. 1, 2026.
During budget discussions, Judge Mason Bames praised both the sheriff and the county clerk for managing their 2026 budgets well. County Clerk Austin Johnson said staffing changes are planned to address the upcoming retirement of employee Marla Fuller and requested permission to hire an additional staff member to begin shadowing Fuller before her retirement.
Sheriff Hopson told the court the sheriff's office budget showed increased revenue and steady expenses and proposed a 3% cost-of-living adjustment for employees. The court recorded broad approval of the budgets but did not take a recorded vote on the COLA proposal during the meeting.
The sheriff's revenue bond was authorized on a motion that passed with the same voting pattern recorded for several items (Poston, Thurman, Chandler and Judge Bames voting yes; Burr recused). The meeting record does not include the bond's principal amount or repayment schedule.
