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KIRKSVILLE, MO -- The Adair County Sheriff's Office met with County Commissioners and the County Clerk at the Adair County Courthouse in Kirksville Wednesday morning.
    
The 2012 budget was finally finalized and approved with $1.8 million in operating expenses.

Most of the money will be coming from general revenue and the law enforcement sales tax funds.

"In order to operate this office efficiently, we need both accounts." Said Adair County Sheriff Robert Hardwick. "Because it's so expensive to run and operate both the office and the jail. Jails don't make money, they cost money. When individuals are incarnated here, you have to take care of them by providing meals and medical care to them. You also need a correctional staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to address their needs and the situation they face in the back."

According to Hardwick, it costs about $800,000 a year to operate the Adair County Jail.

The law enforcement sales tax was approved by voters in 2008 and collects 1/4 of a cent on sales to help support law enforcement operations. Three members of that tax committee were present at today's meeting to remind the county of the intended purpose of the sales tax and that the Sheriff's Office should always have access to that fund.

"The implementation of the law enforcement sales tax was to create additional funding for the Sheriff's Office to have additional funding for a professional organization for day to day operations. I want to thank them for coming out and explain to the County Commissioner and County Clerk what was the intended purpose of the law enforcement sales tax." Hardwick said.

Also discussed at the finalization meeting was that the sales tax would be used to help pay the $46,000 in inmate healthcare. Originally the Sheriff's Office wanted that money from the countryside account but County Commissioners said that account could only be used on a "as needed" basis.

Also the Sheriff's Office recommended that $50,000 be set aside for the E-911 system for emergency purposes.

Overall both the Sheriff's Office and the Commissioners are pleased.

Here are previous stories on the budget: http://www.heartlandconnection.com/news/story.aspx?list=194787&id=705951 http://www.heartlandconnection.com/news/story.aspx?list=194787&id=702236