Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Budget Amendments topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lauderdale County Commission approves multiple budget amendments, including $1.2 million for highway work
Summary
At its May 12 meeting in Ripley, the Lauderdale County Commission approved a slate of budget amendments affecting schools, highways, ambulance services and utilities; most measures passed by roll call votes of 20–0 with four commissioners absent.
Lauderdale County commissioners met Monday, May 12, 2025, at the Ripley courthouse and approved a series of budget amendments that move money into schools, roadwork, ambulance services and county operations.
The meeting opened with Sheriff Brian Kelley calling the session to order at 6:00 p.m.; County Mayor Maurice Gaines was listed as present. Commissioners quickly approved the April minutes and then handled a block of budget motions that had been posted in the meeting packet.
School-related budget amendments were approved by roll call and included a $67,500 transfer within central cafeteria accounts to balance food-service lines and a larger set of general-purpose school adjustments and program budgets filed by the board of education. Those school amendments were adopted on a roll-call vote with 20 ayes, 0 nays and 4 absent.
Commissioners also approved General Fund adjustments totaling $31,700 to cover planning, juvenile court and extension office needs; an ARPA-funded transfer of $1.2 million into Fund 127 for highway construction; and ambulance authority revisions totaling $651,000 that the packet identified to cover personnel, medical supplies, equipment and related revenues. The highway transfer was described in the highway department’s written request as funding for asphalt hot-mix and related roadwork.
The Lauderdale County Water System’s year-end transfers were approved and commissioners received a proposed 2025–26 water budget estimating $1,991,160 in revenue, $1,949,600 in operating expenses and $280,000 in capital projects. The packet also included detailed departmental line-item adjustments for the highway and water departments.
Votes at a glance
- Approval of April 2025 minutes — voice vote (passed) - Quarterly Financial Report (Trustee) — voice vote (approved) - School budget amendments (multiple line-item adjustments and program budgets) — roll call: 20 ayes, 0 nays, 4 absent (approved) - General Fund (Fund 101) amendments — roll call: 20 ayes, 0 nays, 4 absent (approved) - Fund 127 (ARPA) — $1,200,000 to highway construction — roll call: 20 ayes, 0 nays, 4 absent (approved) - Ambulance authority amendments — roll call: 20 ayes, 0 nays, 4 absent (approved) - Highway department transfers (asphalt, diesel, pipe, chemicals) — roll call: 20 ayes, 0 nays, 4 absent (approved) - Water system transfers and receipt of proposed 2025–26 budget — roll call for transfers recorded (proposed budget received) - Building permits report and list of notaries — voice votes (approved)
What this means
The packet moves previously reserved or budgeted funds into operating accounts for schools, roadwork and emergency services and advances a proposed budget for the water system for next fiscal year. The $1.2 million shift into the highway asphalt account implements prior planning for roadwork funded with ARPA/reserve dollars. The roll-call votes were unanimous among those present; four commissioners were absent from the roll calls.
The commission adjourned at 7:03 p.m.
