Spencer County Fiscal Court adopts $12.08 million 2024–25 budget after debate over clerk fee oversight

Spencer County Fiscal Court adopted its 2024–25 budget ordinance, $12,082,702.63, during a June 3 meeting in Taylorsville.

The second reading and adoption followed a correction requested by the Kentucky Department for Local Government: recurring fuel purchases were removed from the pre-approved recurring expenses list. The approved budget lists a General Fund total of $8,960,012.00 and a countywide total of $12,082,702.63; the ordinance becomes effective July 1, 2024.

County Clerk Lynn Hesselbrock used the floor to question the court’s oversight of funds generated by her office, saying she had no input into her office’s operational expenses "for the second year" and citing HB 537 and an amount of about $64,000 that her office had generated. Hesselbrock asked whether Fiscal Court approval was required for expenditures from those funds. The judge and magistrates responded that county offices operate together to meet county needs and invited further discussion outside the meeting.

Judge Executive Scott Travis said fee offices contribute revenue to county operations and described the court’s role in balancing county needs, including supplementing offices such as the sheriff’s and EMS. In the exchange, Travis said the court could discuss administrative arrangements further but did not change the budget vote.

Esq. Travis moved to approve the second reading of the budget; Esq. Stump seconded. After a request to call the question, the court approved the ordinance on a voice vote.

The ordinance sets department-level appropriations in summary form and requires publication by title and summary in The Spencer Magnet within 30 days of adoption. The court recorded in the minutes that the state approved the budget as to form and classification on May 10, 2024.

Next steps: the budget takes effect July 1, 2024, and the court instructed staff on publication and follow-up items referenced in the ordinance.