VIENNA — Maries County Commissioners on Dec. 30 approved its second savings transfer in just under two months.

Last October, commissioners approved a $100,000 transfer to the General Revenue fund after revenues lagged behind budgeted revenues and the fund was dealing with an approximate negative $97,000 balance.

December’s transfer was $150,000 to the 911 fund after it reached $116,214.25 with another round of payroll costs before the end of the year. Citizens Safety had also dwindled below $5,000 with another payroll ahead. Before the transfer, the county’s savings totaled about $214,000.

Eastern District Commissioner Doug Drewel asked where the money was supposed to come from.

County Clerk Rhonda Rodgers said some of it was from a grant that had not been reimbursed that the commission discussed at a previous meeting. Staff turnover also meant payouts on workers’ compensation and vacation time.

Retiring Western District Commissioner Ed Fagre, at his final meeting, said declining tax revenue from landline phones, which previously supported the 911 fund, had also contributed to the dip in the account’s balance.

“If Jeff City doesn’t do something about cell phones…” he said. “The landlines just aren’t picking up the tab.”

“We’re not in good shape at all,” Rodgers said.

“We have to figure out where we can cut some money, boys,” Drewel said.

Presiding Commissioner Victor Stratman suggested requesting another meeting with the Maries County Law Enforcement Restitution Fund Board to ask for some of the money it oversees to help cover the budget deficit in the sheriff’s office.

“There has to be something that changes about all this money being spent and then you sit here and approve it after the money’s spent,” Drewel said. “We’re going to have to come up with some (purchase order) numbers or something so that it’s approved and then it’s bought.”

Sheriff Mark Morgan said the city of Belle had expressed interest in contracting Maries County for dispatching services, which could add another source of revenue going forward.

“You have a plan to keep this from happening again?” Drewel asked Morgan.

“I’m working on the budget as we speak,” Morgan said.

Maries County has also been paying to hold inmates in other jails after temporarily closing the jail last September. Morgan said he hopes to have the jail reopened within a few weeks after staff members receive training from the Missouri Sheriffs’ Association about how to work with detainees.

Stratman asked if Morgan had decided how to handle meals in the jail. The previous administration replaced frozen meals with fresh meals cooked by an employee.

Morgan said he planned to return to frozen meals, at least when the jail reopens, because it is cheaper and faster. Laundry duties, which the cook previously handled, will revert to overnight jailers.

Drewel questioned if some of the money used for the shooting range and storage space at the intersection of Highway 28 and Route Z should have been spent elsewhere. He asked if Morgan wanted the fence around the property, which was approved but not yet installed.

“I need the fence more than I need the shooting range,” Morgan said. “All this problem with equipment and storing it at people’s houses…I know we can’t go back and change all the dirt work, but the fence, we need that.”

“How much fence do you need?” Drewel asked. “If you’re not going to use the shooting range, does it need to be fenced in?”

“It would be silly not to use the shooting range with how much money we’ve already invested in it,” Morgan said.

“I think we need the fence,” Stratman said.

“I agree,” Morgan said. “As much money as we’ve put into it, for us to say ‘We’re not going to do anything with it,’ we’re just wasting it.”

Drewel asked if Morgan planned to buy new vehicles this year.

Morgan said he did not expect to be able to fit new vehicles in the budget.