Unexpected windfall translates into new tractors for Lowndes Co.
LOWNDES COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) – An unexpected windfall translates into new tractors for Lowndes County.
The county Road Department has 10 New Holland tractors that are reaching the end of their service life.
Their almost constant use has resulted in frequent maintenance issues, and the Road Manager and Supervisors have been wanting to replace them.
The cost has been a stumbling block, but at the meeting, the Board of Supervisors approved buying 5 new tractors.
Normally, an expense like that would be a tough sell at the end of the budget year, but an unexpected source of money came up.
“We received a phone call from an entity who said we inadvertently know that we owe taxes, and we want to do that. And, so, Greg and the Tax Assessor’s Office collected those taxes. Well, they assessed the taxes, and the prior year’s taxes, and those taxes came due and were payable two years ago. Well, that check came in. That’s unbudgeted funds. There’s $400,000 we collected that was unbudgeted,” said LCBS President Trip Hairston.
Supervisors went ahead and approved ordering the tractors now in order for them to be delivered and ready to go by next Spring.
Each District Barn will receive one of the new tractors.