Supervisors Merge Justice Court Offices

Supervisor Amos Sims listens as Supervisor Tommy Vaughn recommends moving the justice court clerks.

Supervisors discussed the merger of the county’s two justice court offices during a recessed meeting last Wednesday.

Staff Report

COFFEEVILLE – Yalobusha supervisors ordered the merger of the county’s two justice court offices in a split vote during a recessed meeting last Wednesday. The merger will combine both justice court offices in the Carothers building located two miles south of Water Valley.

    The decision will change the long-standing practice of operating justice court offices in each courthouse.

    The decision came after a minor audit finding reported the cash collection and disbursement functions are not adequately separated. Simply put, the state auditors cited a potential problem because in each justice court office there is one clerk who is responsible for collecting the fine money and taking care of the necessary paperwork without any oversight.

    The matter was first discussed in the “first Monday” supervisor meeting, held Nov. 2, after Chancery Clerk Amy McMinn shared the audit report with supervisors.

    Supervisors had a second option to correct the audit finding, designating another county employee outside of the justice court offices to reconcile the bank statements for each justice court office on a monthly basis.

    Another driving force in voting for the merger, as cited by District One Supervisor Tommy Vaughn and District Three Supervisor M.H. “Butch Surrette, was the fact that the county is forced to close the office if one of the clerks is sick, takes a vacation or attends one of several mandatory training sessions held each year.

    District Five Supervisor Frank “Bubba” Tillman cast the sole dissenting vote against closing the offices.

The Debate

    “We need to start looking at consolidating some of our county offices and cutting expenses down with running several different offices,” Vaughn told supervisors, adding that the decision in Yalobusha County would be similar to budget cuts recommended by Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour last week.

    Vaughn, who prefaced his comments by noting the issue is “touchy,” added, “This is not Water Valley, this is in between,” referring to the location of the Carothers Building.

    “This is what is going to have to be done to meet the loss of revenue in the state and county. Sometimes we may have to bite the bullet,” Vaughn said, referring to tough budget decision that will have to be made. “With that being said, I am not going to say another word,” Vaughn added.

    “And I agree with you and I am not going to say another word,” Surrette said, adding that someone who needs to visit the offices has already  “inconvenienced themselves.”

    A third supervisor, Board President Amos Sims backed up Vaughn and Surrette’s position.

    “Tommy, I think you pretty well addressed it. I certainly took some time to look at this and I don’t think you can say it any better,” Sims said.

The Debate

    Tillman countered Vaughn’s proposal, asking supervisors to consider putting both justice court clerks in the Coffeeville Courthouse.

    “We got an opportunity now to move her (Water Valley clerk) down here (to Coffeeville) since we already have an office set up right here,” Tillman said. “We would have both of them together, they could check their money deal and we would be through with it.”

    “Naw, we don’t want that,” Surrette said.

    “The area up there, to me, is putting it more in the center of the county,” Sims also responded, referring to the location of the Carother’s Building.

    “We don’t want to make it look like we are pushing Water Valley or Coffeeville, all that old junk, get that stuff started because it don’t have a thing in the world to do with the decision being made,” Vaughn answered.

    “I just don’t like closing the offices,” Surrette said. “And then two, we eliminate this other deal. The audit department has already told us we had to do something about it,” Surrette continued.

   Following a lull in the conversation, Vaughn and Surrette then discussed who was going to make the initial motion to merge the offices.

     “I don’t have any pressure on me whatsoever. If y’all want me to make the motion, I will sure do it,” Surrette said.

    “Well actually both clerks are in my district,” Vaughn said, adding, “I am not considering politics, this is the right thing to do and I am going to make a motion to do it,” Vaughn responded.

    “I am seconding it,” Surrette added.

 Holding Court

    Before the actual vote could be taken, another question was brought up – where will the actual court be held.

    “What about your courtrooms and stuff?” Crow asked.

    “We need to consider that, there is actually a board room that can be used for it (court),” Vaughn answered, referring to also scheduling the actual court in the Carothers Building. Currently court is held each Tuesday at both courthouses.

    “Can you have the courtroom there, John?” Surrette asked, referring to the legal ramifications of the issue.

    “I will have to check on that and see. I think you can as long as it is county owned,” Crow answered.

    “We will have to address that later,” Surrette responded.

    McMinn also pointed to a  potential problem from the merger, connecting the court proceedings to the clerk’s computers, which allows receipts to be printed during court.

    “We may have to equip the court rooms so they print receipts,” McMinn explained. This would be required because currently the clerks go back to their offices, which are located in the courthouses, to print receipts during court.

    “I know what you are doing now,” Tillman said, referring to  Vaughn’s motion.  “The next thing you are going to want to do is don’t have court up here in the courthouses,” Tillman added, voicing his opposition for this potential change as well.

    District Four Supervisor George Suggs did not offer input in the matter, except to tell Crow how he voted in the matter.