Mercer Fiscal Court OKs Sheriff, Clerk Budgets
Robert Moore
Herald Staff
rmoore@harrodsburgherald.com
The Mercer County Fiscal Court held their first meeting of the year and the county clerk and the sheriff presented their budgets for the upcoming fiscal year.
Mercer County Sheriff Ernie Kelty showed up on crutches to present his budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
Kelty, who was injured Monday while working an accident, and Beverly Stratton told the fiscal court they projected receipts of $1,090,591 in 2018, versus disbursements of $1,088,863.
The sheriff’s office expects to collect $486,000 in commissions on taxes. Their largest expense is salaries.
The magistrates also approved a maximum salary cap for the deputies of $643,800, which will pay full-time and part-time salaries and overtime as well as vacation, sick leave and Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund and retirement.
Mercer County Clerk Chris Horn projected his office would take in $5,076,231 over the next year, with nearly half coming from licenses and taxes, including $2,105,838 in tangible property taxes.
Against that, the budget estimates $5,106,665 in expenses, including payments of $2,889,950 to the state for licenses and transfers, usage taxes and ad valorem tax distributions.
The magistrates also approved a $309,000 maximum salary cap for the deputy clerks, which will pay full-time and part-time salaries and overtime as well as vacation and sick leave. The salary cap includes a 3-percent increase.
However, neither the clerk’s office nor the sheriff’s office is responsible for employees’ retirement benefits, which are paid by the county. Mercer County Treasurer Sandy Sanders said they’d have a clearer idea of how much the county would need to pay into employees’ pension fund after a budget workshop in February.
The magistrates also agreed to pay $500 documentation fees for the sheriff’s vehicles. The sheriff’s office expects to receive two new cruisers next week.
The next meeting of the Mercer County Fiscal Court will be on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 10 a.m.
To learn more, check out this week’s issue of the Harrodsburg Herald.
