The Benton Courier

JPs to vote on budget amendments

By Sarah Perry sperry@bentoncourier.com

The Saline County Quorum Court is set to meet 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Saline County Courthouse. The meeting agenda includes three ordinances to amend the county budget.

The amendments were previously approved during a committee meeting.

Two amendments involve bonuses for law enforcement officers and Saline County Sheriff’s Office detention officers.

A $5,000 bonus was recently approved by state legislators for all certified law enforcement officers. The proposed ordinance would appropriate funding for these bonuses for certified officers at the SCSO and Prosecuting Attorney Office.

Since most detention officers would not be eligible for the statefunded bonus, the justices of the peace will also discuss a bonus of $4,000 for detention officers. The officers would receive the bonus in two payments. For officers who have

fulfilled their 90-day probationary period, the first payment will be paid in August and the final payment will be in December. Officers who qualify for the state bonus will not receive the $4,000 bonus.

According to JP Josh Curtis, county officials hope this bonus will serve as a recruitment tool.

Officers who are hired by September 10, 2022, and meet the 90-day probationary period would receive the full $4,000 bonus in December.

Money for the bonus will come from unused jail funding because of open positions, according to the ordinance.

The final budget adjustment included $34,755 from an insurance check for the loss of a SCSO vehicle, $25,000 for part time work for the Saline County Tax Collector’s Office and $63,710 for overtime work for the SCSO and the Office of Emergency Management.

The JPs are also scheduled to hear a presentation Monday from Kris Elliott Boulton, Saline County extension agent staff chair.

Other items on the agenda include: an ordinance adding roads to the county road system and appointments to the Saline County Arkansas Waterworks and Sanitary Sewer Public Facilities Board.

All meetings of the court are open to the public and attendance is encouraged.

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