Union County Treasurer Jody Cunningham was granted approval last month to use funds earned in her office for upcoming expenses.
During their regular meeting on April 20, the Union County Quorum Court considered an ordinance that would allow Cunningham to appropriate $22,224.20 from the Treasurer's Automation fund for several purposes.
The Automation Fund contains monies raised by the Treasurer's Office.
"Most every department has automation funds, and we as a finance committee have encouraged the elected officials to use as much of that automation fund as they can in their budgets rather than going to county general," said District 1 JP Mike Dumas, who chairs the finance committee.
The ordinance called for $12,224.20 to be appropriated for health insurance matching; $2,000 for advertising; and $8,000 for professional services.
Cunningham explained to JPs that the health insurance was for an employee who, when the 2023 budget was drafted last year, hadn't yet signed up for health insurance.
"We didn't know if that person would need health insurance at that time, so that line wasn't set up," she said. "That person does need single health insurance, so that's what that's about."
The $2,000 will go toward purchasing ad space in the News-Times for the publication of the county's 2023 financial statement, which are required by law to be published in a county or municipality's local newspaper of record.
Cunningham said the $8,000 is an estimate of what the cost will be to hire an accountant to create a final tax settlement for the county at the end of the year.
"I thought instead of doing another ordinance just to appropriate the money now," she said.
Dumas noted in February that the county would need to contract with an IT specialist or accountant other than Jim Monk, who oversaw all technical updates in the county for 40 years until he retired this year, for the final tax settlement. Cunningham said Friday she has already spoken to a certified public accountant in Malvern about the work.
"He does several counties and he's agreed to do ours," she said.