By Ray King
Another special meeting of the Jefferson County Quorum Court Monday ended the same way all the previous meetings for the past two months have ended, with no progress.
The almost $38-million budget easily passed a special meeting of the court’s Finance Committee but when it came to the full court, it was a different story.
Five members of the Quorum Court voted to approve the proposed budget while the remaining eight voted either no or abstained, including the newest member, Richard Victorino, who abstained.
Before the vote, Justice of the Peace Reginald Johnson said that two elected officials, Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr., and Tax Collector Tony Washington did not receive the emailed notice of the special meeting, which included the revised budget proposal.
When they were asked, Washington said he did not even know about the special meeting until earlier in the afternoon and had only glanced at the revised budget. He went on to say he could not operate his office on the amount budgeted.
Woods said he had reviewed the proposed budget but told Deltaplex News he found errors in it.
After the vote, County Judge Gerald Robinson adjourned the meeting and barring another special meeting this week, Jefferson County will begin its third month with no 2025 budget and will continue to use the 2024 budget which was mandated by the Arkansas General Assembly and signed by the Governor.
