By Billy Davis

An encouraging financial picture of Crenshaw town government continued Tuesday night, when financial advisor Lygunnah Bean shared figures that show the cash-strapped town is in the black.

But Bean’s positive figures conflicted with news that Crenshaw’s finances look good because its mayor continues to withhold payments for electricity, garbage pickup and phone service, among other services.

Year-to-date figures provided by Bean showed the police and maintenance departments, and administration at town hall have stayed within their budgets in the new fiscal year, which began October 1.

The numbers are an improvement compared to figures from 2007, when the town was $1,050 “in the red,” Bean told the mayor and board.

Bean also informed Mayor Sylvester Reed and aldermen that employee layoffs they approved, while difficult to do, are adding $6,000 a month to the town’s bank account.

Yet the matter of unpaid bills continues to be an issue of Reed’s administration. As the town’s chief executive, Reed is authorized to sign checks, and aldermen each month approve the pay docket with the expectation that those payments will be made.

Crenshaw, however, remains months behind in paying vendors such as AT&T, Entergy and Panola County’s solid waste department, among others.

“I don’t understand why we’re not paying,” observed Alderman Patricia Dodson, the town’s newest elected official, in the Tuesday meeting.

“Because we don’t have enough money,” Reed angrily replied, making his closest admittance to date of financial struggles at town hall.

Alderman Alberta Bradley inquired about the town’s monthly bill to electricity provider Entergy. The current bill is $2,700, and Crenshaw is three months behind in its payment.

“I have met with them and they are in agreement that we will make a clearing in March after we get our taxes,” Reed told the board.

The mayor also claimed that he had recently sent payment to AT&T, but that recollection was rebuffed by Town Clerk Renee Ward.

“No sir, we have not sent them a check,” Ward responded.

“We have sent them a check,” Reed angrily repeated.

“No sir, we have not,” Ward quietly replied.

Regarding Crenshaw’s past due and overdue solid waste bill, Reed blamed that arrearage on the administration of former Mayor Oscar Barlow.

“We are paying that (late) bill down and also paying a regular one,” Reed said. 

Crenshaw residents pay town hall monthly for garbage service, and those funds would typically be forwarded to Panola County. But Crenshaw’s payments to Panola County Solid Waste have climbed after the town missed three payments this year and never caught up, a department spokesman said.

Crenshaw’s monthly payment to Solid Waste is $3,531 including a catch-up payment of $300. The town missed its 2008 payments in January, July and November.

Crenshaw currently owes Panola County Solid Waste a total of $44,241, Administrator Kelley Magee said when reached after the Tuesday meeting.

Reed went on to claim that other municipalities are falling behind in payments to vendors from October through December, the lean time when towns await the annual sales tax reimbursement check from the state of Mississippi.

“All towns are not paying. Check around,” Reed said.

Bean was not present during discussion of the town’s arrearage, but he announced earlier in the meeting that he and CPA Bob Sullivant plan to address the town’s outstanding bills in coming weeks.

“Bob has a plan to attack the arrearage,” Bean said.

Bean has enlisted Sullivant’s help just in recent months to provide an updated financial outlook to town government.

At Sullivant’s suggestion, aldermen last month approved the purchase of computer software that will update employee payroll among other applications.