Pulaski County Highway Department to Get More Than $10,000 in Fuel Tax Reimbursements

Hiring an outside company to find potential fuel tax reimbursement appears to be paying off for the Pulaski County Highway Department. The highway department expects to bring in more than $10,000 in reimbursements, according to information shared during last week’s county commissioners meeting.

The share going to consulting firm Malcon is about $3,000. But the Highway Department doesn’t have that much money in the line item used to pay the bill, so a budget transfer will have to be considered by the county council tonight.

It’s one of a number of transfer requests expected. The Community Development Commission will ask to move $6,000 into the Marketing line item, while the sheriff, prosecutor, and treasurer will have transfer requests, as well.

In other business, council members will continue discussing the pay rate for part-time seasonal Highway Department employees. Highway Superintendent Terry Ruff has been asking to increase the hourly rate from $13, but there was some confusion last month as to whether the necessary funding made it into the final 2019 budget.

Superior Court Judge Crystal Brucker Kocher is expected to ask for a $30,000 additional appropriation for pauper attorney, and Assessor Holly VanDerAa will discuss a reassessment appeal. Additionally, council members will continue discussing how to budget the county’s technology costs going forward, following the elimination of the IT Department last month.