Deligation is setting the record straight.
Delegation Sets
the Record Straight
By Sherri
Blevins
On July 9th, 2019, the Jackson County Legislative Delegation issued a press release that sets the record straight concerning a recent Facebook post.
It states: In light of the recent announcement by the Jackson County Commission regarding a public meeting scheduled for Tuesday, July 16th at the Jackson County Courthouse, the Jackson County Legislative Delegation Members; Senator Steve Livingston, Representative Tommy Hanes, and Representative Ritchie Whorton would like to take an opportunity to set the record straight. According to a notice brought to the attention of the Legislators through a Facebook post, the Commission claims that the Legislators were invited to this meeting. The Legislators have yet to be notified by Mr. Guffey about this meeting. Members of the delegation will be out of town attending to prior obligations.
The Delegation is interested in the public’s opinion of the Commission budgetary issues and would like the opportunity to be present at such a public meeting. Moreover, the Delegation would like the facts presented to the public to be accurate and true. For instance, the Commission contends that the Delegation is unwilling to work with them. The truth remains that the Delegation met with the previous Commission some 14 times and has met with the current Commission between November 2018 to present six times. In fact, in November 2015, the Delegation agreed to give the Commission over $600,000 from their “Critical Needs Fund” to be deposited into the County’s general fund. The Commission also contends that the Delegation will not help them solve their current budget deficit; this is also not true. The Delegation has cooperated with the Commission on several issues. Senator Livingston secured funding for the Matheny Bridge Rehabilitation Project in the fall of 2018. The Delegation also carried a local bill in the 2019 legislative session which changed the Fund 100 to help the county to be able to utilize those funds. The Delegation carried yet another bill in the 2019 legislative session which reduced publication of expenditures and receipts to once per year, thus saving the county money. Finally, the Delegation members have presented the Commission with options which addressed the current budget deficit throughout those 6meetings, all of which were turned down by the Commission.
The Delegation remains open to communicate through all reasonable solutions to the Commission’s budget deficit, and their past record would prove that they have been and remain open to meeting with the Commission to find a workable, realistic solution. For questions, please contact the Jackson County Legislative Delegation Office; 256-218-3090.
The Delegation hopes this sets the record
straight concerning this issue.
