Lawrence County Facing Financial Woes; Fiscal Court Votes to Suspend All Unnecessary Spending

By Roberta Cantrell
BSN Editor

The Lawrence County Fiscal Court met in regular session Tuesday, June 16 (yesterday). After approving the treasurer’s report and the second reading of the 2026-27 fiscal court budget, it was time to get down to what the county was going to have to do to keep afloat. LC Treasurer Josh Puckett explained to the court that oil and fuel taxes that usually arrive around April and May aren’t expected to come this year until August. The court also expects other reimbursements such as FEMA that should be arriving soon, but for now the spending has to stop.

The first payment which was ten percent of the $2,944,000 total cost of the sale of the Lawrence County Community Center (one of the county’s biggest assets) to the LC Board of Education was crucial to getting the county’s bills paid and this month’s payroll met.

Puckett asked the court to put $250,000 of the first payment of $294,400 from BOE into funding that is used for bills and payroll until oil and fuel tax monies come in and it can be replaced.

Puckett asked the court to suspend any spending by all departments that was considered non-essential until they can get back on track. The fiscal court unanimously voted for the suspension until further notice.

The fiscal court also voted that no raises in salaries and wages can be given at this time as well.

The fiscal court got into the sales of county equipment, however Rick Blackburn, recently voted for Judge-Exec said he wanted a written list of the equipment because he said the current Judge-Executive Phil Carter is trying to sell equipment that the county workers are utilizing every day and is in good working order and if they sell it that they will just have to replace it. Carter said he didn’t understand what items Blackburn was talking about. When given an example, Blackburn also said before the court voted on it, they should be given a list so they could see what needs to be sold and what needs to be kept.

The item was tabled with Judge Carter saying he would provide a list.

The fiscal court voted to have a special meeting on Wednesday, June 24 at 10 a.m. in the fiscal courtroom, downtown. All meetings are open to the public.