In an abbreviated meeting Monday night, the Poinsett County Quorum Court quickly address three issues, the main one of which was generated by a question from Justice Johnny Johnson.

"How far off are we on our (budget) balance?" asked Johnson of outgoing Judge Doyle Hillis.

"It's critical," answered Hillis who then added that the county's funds always reach a critical point during the late summer months. "It may be a little better than last year, but only because we got some additional funding. If it hadn't been for that, we would be in real trouble."

Hillis who, at the end of his term in December, will turn the reins of the county over to Charles Nix, added that he was going to be looking at the situation beginning yesterday (Tuesday) to see where funds might be shifted to help with payroll and other necessary expenses.

"We're continuing to struggle with the finances," he went on. "We're only running the graders three days a week. But we're doing the best we can."

The judge then said the court needed to begin looking at the situation in the coming year after he has left office.

"We've been operation off the same revenue for the last 25 years," said Hillis. "But with cost like what they are, there are some hard decisions all of you are going to have to make. I won't be here, but I'm a tax payer like everyone else and I don't like more taxes, but something is going to have to be done."

"Didn't the reappraisals help?" asked Justice Mary Ann Arnold.

"Only about 5%," answered Poinsett County Tax Assessor Johnny Rye, Jr. from the gallery when turned to him for a response.

"How's the sales tax holding?" asked Arnold.

"About the same," Hillis answered then added. "Everything is just getting higher and because of that everything is being affected. We got August and September to get through before anything much will begin to come in."

In other business:

* Hillis declared a vacancy in the county coroner's position and said it had to be posted in the county's newspapers before it could be filled. Once it was posted, it was hoped the position could be filled quickly to run out the term.

* Appropriations and transfers of $26,868.20 for road department machinery and equipment, and $130. for profession services in the Assessor's office were read and approved.

* The minutes for June and current financial report were approved.