By Billy Davis

Panola County supervisors, after learning of a projected half-million dollar shortfall in the general fund, will return for another budget meeting Wednesday.

The county board is in the final weeks of finalizing its budget, inching toward a mandatory deadline of September 15. The fiscal year begins October 1.

Two weeks have passed since supervisors sat stone-faced in their boardroom after County Administrator Kelley Magee reported an expected shortfall of $560,000 in 2010-2011. 

Several minutes passed, and supervisors continued to sit in silence.

“What do y’all want me to do?” Magee finally asked – and never got a clear answer.

A couple of supervisors finally half-joked with a reporter that the board would begin discussing the budget if the press was not present.

Supervisors were especially despondent when they learned that county employees would likely begin the fiscal year without a pay raise – the second year to do so.

But adding a pay raise – even a suggested $50 a month raise – would add about $117,000 to the shortfall, county figures show.

The county board agreed to revisit the pay raise issue a few months into the new year, when more property taxes are paid and the first revenue figures can be tabulated.

Magee went on to assure supervisors that her projected revenue is a conservative estimate. Final numbers for 2010-2011 will likely look better than projected, she said.

Magee repeated that assurance Monday, telling The Panolian that even a slight improvement in the economy could benefit county government.

“Remember those revenue estimates are very conservative,” she said.

Magee also reported that county government, while still hurting for revenue, has improved its revenues and expenditures during the current year.

The county began 2008-2009 with an $800,000 deficit, but projected estimates show that figure may be reduced by $300,000, she said.

The county administrator credited county departments for diligently watching their spending – a request made by supervisors earlier in the year.

“Everybody’s trying to cut back and that’s helped,” she said.

Board president Gary Thompson, also reached Monday, praised Magee for using cautious figures.

“She leans toward the conservative side,” Thompson said. “That’s better than somebody who spends what we don’t have.”

Thompson, aware of the reduced deficit, said Panola County government will enter the fiscal year in better shape than the current year.

He also praised cooperation from county departments.

When supervisors meet Wednesday, Thompson said the board may discuss more cuts to the budget. But most departments are already operating with tight budgets, he said.

The board president singled out the two largest spenders, the sheriff’s department and road department, for possible trimming. But any sizeable cuts to those departments are also questionable, he said.

The sheriff’s department operates a fleet of over 50 automobiles, and Magee has said the county can save fuel and maintenance costs by requiring that some staff stop driving vehicles home after work.

Sheriff Hugh “Shot” Bright has resisted that suggestion and did so again at the previous budget meeting.

“My men are not going to get up in the middle of the night” to respond to a call, Bright told Magee.

“I didn’t say all of them,” Magee responded. She also suggested cutting cell phone use to save money.

Bright and Magee continued to discuss the budget trimming after the meeting, when Bright asked why he was being singled out for making more budget cuts.

“Because you’ve got the biggest budget,” Magee replied.