Due in large part to a nearly $1.5 million debt owed to the Regional Jail Authority, Webster County's budgetary problems reared its ugly head today.
Circuit Judge Jack Alsop was informed today that the account set aside to pay jurors for their duty was depleted. Jurors were owed about $1,100.00 and no funds were readily available for payment. After a meeting today with certain county officials, Judge Alsop ordered that funds from other county office's accounts would need to be shifted immediately to pay the jurors.
Compounding Webster's budget woes is a duo of bad news. First, the Jail Authority is still withholding about $300,000.00 in coal severance taxes due to the County. Second, due to the recent bankruptcy of a coal company, the County has learned that the coal company failed to pay about $400,000.00 in taxes, all of which would have ended up in the County coffers.
In light of these growing budget deficits, many courthouse employees are raising concerns over whether the County will have sufficient funds to pay office expenses and their salaries through the end of the current fiscal year (which ends June 30, 2016). The County Commission meets Wednesday and the continuing budget deficit is likely to be a topic of discussion.
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