Fiscal Court Approves Clerk’s And Sheriff’s 2024 Budgets

Robert Moore
Herald Staff
[email protected]

The Mercer County Fiscal Court approved the 2024 budgets for the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office and the County Clerk’s Office. At their first regular meeting of the year on Tuesday, Jan. 9, Angie Patton of the sheriff’s office took them through the office’s 2024 budget, which includes receipts of $1,488 million and $1,484 million in disbursements, with a projected $4,390 book balance.

Not counting the $260,000 advance from the state—which covers the sheriff’s office for months when they do not collect taxes—projected total revenues for the sheriff’s office are more than $1.2 million, including $615,000 in commission on taxes collected and $288,000 from the finance and administration cabinet.

As for expenses, $1 million goes toward salaries, including $117,000 for the sheriff’s gross salary, $588,070 for deputies’s gross salaries and $285,596 for court security gross salaries. The payroll projections include a possible cost of living increase in July. The fiscal court also approved the 2024 salary cap of $938,404.

“There are no bells and whistles in the budget,” Sheriff Ernie Kelty told the fiscal court. Kelty said his staff was looking for grants to purchase equipment. “We watch every dime.”

County Clerk Chris Horn also presented his 2024 budget, which includes a projected $6.5 in revenues and $6.4 in disbursements for a projected book balance of $67,728.

“We hope to have a great 2024,” Horn told the magistrates. The motor vehicle department is still in training. Horn said they hope to open the office on Friday. The office is still open for recording deeds.

The fiscal court also approved the county clerk’s salary cap of $374,920 for 2024.