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Benton County court advances collector staffing change, transfers FEMA funds and several budget fixes
Summary
The court approved a schedule change to add a chief deputy collector to accommodate the newly elected collector, approved a transfer of roughly $10.82 million in FEMA storm funds back to the general fund, and passed multiple appropriations and technical payroll transfers.
Benton County’s finance meeting on Dec. 9 included multiple administrative and budget actions: a Schedule 4 amendment to create a chief deputy collector position so the incoming collector can begin work, a $10,822,629.50 transfer of FEMA storm funds back to the general fund, and a set of grant appropriations and technical transfers intended to correct previously omitted budget lines.
A county representative (speaker 19) said the collector-elect, Joel Edwards, intends to start in the collector’s office and recommended removing two unfilled automation-fund positions and adding a chief deputy collector slot so no new money is required. The court approved sending the schedule-change ordinance to Quorum Court and then voted to make the change effective for both 2026 and the close of 2025 so onboarding could start earlier.
On transfers, finance staff (speaker 2) explained that FEMA reimbursements from the 2024 tornado resulted in a request to move fund 3950 back to the general fund. “The amount left after our 25% is $10,822,629.50,” the finance presenter said; the court voted to approve the transfer to Quorum Court.
The court also approved two technical payroll/transfers correcting environmental and planning department line items related to position moves, and appropriated two grant funds (3601 and 3602) for bomb-squad-related expenditures that had expenditures but no budgeted authority. A courtroom-enhancement request using existing automation/port-cost funds was approved unanimously.
Members discussed logistics for the collector’s early start, resignation timing and vacancy posting requirements; the court agreed staff and HR would handle onboarding steps and a potential early resignation so the collector-elect could begin work as staffing and publication requirements allow.
What happens next: The transfers, appropriations and Schedule 4 changes were approved to be sent to Quorum Court for ordinance/action; HR and the collector’s office will coordinate onboarding details and vacancy postings consistent with county policy.
