Overview
- County leaders, following Monday’s special Quorum Court meeting, unanimously approved moving money from the Emergency Reserve to prevent delayed paychecks for county employees.
- Treasurer Debra Buckner warned the General Fund was negative $9.3 million at March’s close and said her office could not issue checks without an appropriation, noting about $52 million in cumulative shortfalls over three years.
- The county’s Emergency Reserve holds about $51.5 million and a separate Contingency Fund holds about $2.4 million, and officials authorized a transfer to the General Fund to meet near‑term obligations.
- County Judge Barry Hyde said he will impose a hiring freeze Tuesday morning, with a financial audit and pausing some projects under consideration to slow costs.
- The special meeting grew heated as Hyde cut off Buckner’s microphone, while Democratic nominee Wendell Griffen criticized Hyde’s management, supported the transfer, and pressed for a deeper spending review.