BENTONVILLE — Benton County’s Finance Committee approved some budget “cleanup” during an online meeting Thursday night.
The committee voted to transfer $500,000 from the general fund to the employee health insurance fund to cover the remainder of the fiscal year.
Tom Allen, Finance Committee chairman, said it was anticipated the transfer would be needed.
Also included is $125,000 in election and county clerk budget adjustments to cover additional staffing and postage related to the recent elections. The county estimates it will receive $78,000 in reimbursement from cities related to election costs, comptroller Brenda Guenther said.
The county sent out 16,156 absentee ballots for the Nov. 3 general election, said Dana Caler, Clerk’s Office elections administrator/voter supervisor.
“We were aware of how this election cycle was unique and taxing for the County Clerk and Election Commission, therefore we are not surprised at this need for funds,” Allen said.
There also is a transfer of $101,978 from the general fund to the substance abuse grant line required to cover a cash outlay already made. However, once money is received, it will go to the general fund as a reimbursement since the money will not be received before to the end of the year, Guenther said.
The county has about $23 million in the general fund, Guenther said.
The committee, made up of all 15 justices of the peace, voted unanimously to send the item to the Quorum Court for approval later this month. It was the last Finance Committee meeting of the year.
The Quorum Court will hold its last meeting of the year Dec. 17.
Justice of the peace orientation is set for 1:30 p.m. in the Quorum Courtroom on the third floor of the County Administration Building. There is a chance the meeting could be held online, but that hasn’t been determined yet, County Judge Barry Moehring said Thursday.
Orientation will include a county overview, elected official introduction and organization overview and description of their office’s primary mission and responsibilities, department heads introduction and organization description, human resources information and an overview of the budget, according to the email Moehring sent to current justices and incoming justices.
There will be a break after orientation, followed by the Quorum Court meeting.
Benton County’s Committee of the Whole will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Chairman Kurt Moore said it will be an online meeting.
Mike Jones may be reached by email at mjones@nwadg.com .