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DeSoto County, Mississippi

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Budget Y
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Meetings Y
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Elected Officials Y
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Administrative Officials Y
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Permits, zoning Y
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Audits N
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Contracts P
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Lobbying N
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Public records Y
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Local taxes P
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Transparency grading process


DeSoto County is one of 82 counties in Mississippi.

DeSoto County is part of the Metropolitan Memphis (TN-AR-MS) Statistical Area. Its county seat is Hernando. As of 2000, the population was 107,199. By 2010, the county had grown to a population of 161,252.[1] It is now the third most populous county in Mississippi and the second most populous county in metro Memphis.

Website evaluation

Main article: Evaluation of Mississippi county websites

Last rated on September 5, 2012.

The good

  • Budget
    • Budgets are posted.[2]
  • Meetings
    • Meeting minutes and agenda available.[3]
  • Elected Officials
    • County supervisors listed with individual contact information.[4]
  • Administrative Officials
    • Administrative officials are listed under respective departments.
  • Building Permits and Zoning
    • Information on how to obtain a building permits and zoning information is available.[5]
  • Contracts
    • Bids for upcoming contracts posted, [6]
  • Public Records
  • Local Taxes
    • Tax appraisal data available.[8]
    • Property tax rates are posted.[9]

The bad

  • Meetings
    • Only current meeting agenda is provided.
  • Audits
    • Audits are not posted.
  • Contracts
    • Current contracts not available.
  • Lobbying
    • No information regarding lobbying.

Board of Supervisors

DeSoto County is governed by a five-member Board of Supervisors elected by district. [10]

Administration

The Board of Supervisors appoints a county administrator who directs the county's day-to-day operations. Michael Garriga has served as county administrator since 2004.[10]

The County Administrator, appointed by the Board of Supervisors, performs various tasks, which include:[11]

  • Carrying out the policies adopted by the Board of Supervisors, supervising the Board and other divisions of County government, preparing the budget for consideration by the Board of Supervisors, advise the Board as to the possible availability of federal or state grants and assistance for which the county may be eligible, securing insurance coverage for the county, receiving inquiries and complaints from citizens of the county, investigating such inquiries and complaints, and reporting his finding to the Board, and meeting regularly with the Board of Supervisors and having full privileges of discussion, but no vote.
  • The Administrative Services staff support the County Administrator and the Board of Supervisors. They are responsible for taking and researching citizen complaints, creating and maintaining the Board of Supervisor's agenda, attending the Board of Supervisor meetings and creating the minutes of each meeting and assisting the County Administrator with the day to day operations of the county.
  • The County Administrator's office generates the Board of Supervisor's agenda. The agenda is a detailed list of the items to be discussed in a Board Meeting. Citizens or organizations wishing to participate in a Board Meeting, should contact this office to be included on the agenda. Questions about the Board's Calendar should also be directed to the office of the County Administrator.

Budget

2011

Revenue and expenditures for the 2011 budget are $133,291,983.[12] This is a $10.5 million increase from 2010.

2010

Revenue and expenditures for the 2010 budget are $122,770,840.[13] This is a $22 million increase from 2009.

2009

Revenue and expenditures for the 2009 budget are $100,790,825.[14]

Revenue collected for the 2009 budget:[14]

Revenue General Special
Revenue 		Capital
Projects 		Debt
Service 		Total
AMOUNT NECESSARY TO BE RAISED BY TAX LEVY 29,149,610 11,662,845 7,028,654 47,841,109
TAXES AND AD VALOREM OTHER THAN TAX LEVY 3,127,220 1,500,000 4,627,220
LICENSES, COMMISSIONS, AND OTHER REVENUE 2,167,850 100,000 2,267,850
FINES AND FORFEITURES 877,240 25,000 902,240
FEDERAL SOURCES 50,000 340,329 390,329
STATE GRANTS 2,404,722 356,500 2,761,222
STATE SHARED REVENUES 1,001,900 1,495,000 12,500 2,509,400
LOCAL SOURCES 362,000 1,110,952 1,600,000 20,000 3,092,952
CHARGES FOR SERVICES 328,050 1,300,500 1,628,550
USE OF MONEY AND PROPERTY 740,000 2,231,510 38,800 3,010,310
MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE 57,010 2,700 59,710
OTHER FINANCING SOURCES 1,000,000 567,906 1,567,906
TOTAL REVENUES 41,265,602 20,693,242 1,600,000 7,099,954 70,658,798
BEGINNING CASH BALANCE 17,100,000 8,202,527 4,000,000 829,500 30,132,027
TOTAL REVENUES AND BEGINNING CASH
BALANCE 		58,365,602 28,895,769 5,600,000 7,929,454 100,790,825

Budget breakdown.gif

Expenditures for the 2009 budget:[14]

Expenditure General Special
Revenue 		Capital
Projects 		Debt
Service 		Total
GENERAL GOVERNMENT 14,507,699 1,286,604 15,794,303
PUBLIC SAFETY 18,732,904 2,647,922 21,380,826
PUBLIC WORKS 30,350 21,256,939 21,287,289
HEALTH & WELFARE 2,189,892 258,801 2,448,693
CULTURE & RECREATION 1,452,000 1,452,000
CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 356,960 356,960
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & ASSISTANCE 505,000 505,000
CAPITAL PROJECTS 3,150,000 3,150,000
DEBT SERVICE 1,460,000 6,465,320 7,925,320
OTHER EXPENDITURES 96,260 96,260
OTHER FINANCING USES 1,510,265 1,510,265
TOTAL EXPENDITURES 40,841,330 25,450,266 3,150,000 6,465,320 75,906,916
ENDING CASH BALANCE 17,524,272 3,445,503 2,450,000 1,464,134 24,883,909
TOTAL EXPENDITURES AND ENDING CASH
BALANCE 		58,365,602 28,895,769 5,600,000 7,929,454 100,790,825

Sheriff

The Sheriff is elected at-large and serves a four-year term. The Sheriff's law enforcement duties include keeping peace within the county. Administrative duties include serving as the county's jailor, submitting a budget of his office to the Board of Supervisors, keeping Mississippi Department Reports, and keeping a jail docket.[15]

Public Records

Information on how to make a public records request is provided on the website.[7] However, the website could do more to make the application more user-friendly and accessible.

External links

References

  1. ↑ [1]
  2. ↑ DeSoto County, Office of Finance and Accounting, Accessed: September 5, 2012
  3. ↑ DeSoto County, Meetings, Accessed: September 5, 2012
  4. ↑ DeSoto County, Supervisors, Accessed: September 5, 2012
  5. ↑ DeSoto County, Planning, Accessed: September 5, 2012
  6. ↑ DeSoto County, Contract Bids, Accessed: September 5, 2012
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 DeSoto County, Public Records, Accessed: September 5, 2012
  8. ↑ DeSoto County, Tax Appraisal, Accessed: September 5, 2012
  9. ↑ DeSoto County, Tax Rates, Accessed: September 6, 2012
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Board of Supervisors
  11. ↑ County Administrator
  12. ↑ 2011 Budget breakdown
  13. ↑ 2010 budget breakdown
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 2009 Budget
  15. ↑ Sheriff Department
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