Floyd County Judge Marty Lucke (File Photo/Floyd County Record)
FLOYDADA — Floyd County Judge Marty Lucke gave the annual State of the County address during the Floyd County Commissioners Court regular meeting on Friday. During his remarks, Lucke explained the county’s financial disposition.
“When I came into office, I set a goal,” Lucke said in opening. “I sat down and set a goal that before I ran for a third term, I would this county in good financial shape.”
“I get everything put together, look at the numbers, and there’s just some things you can’t keep to yourself — you run down the hall and slam (County Treasurer Lori Morales’) door and you dance around,” Lucke said, noting that the county has sufficient funds to operate even if it did not collect any revenue this fiscal year.
“This year, the money in the road and bridge fund at the start of the fiscal year pays for the entire precincts’ budget for the year, and we haven’t taken in a penny,” Lucke said. “The library fund covered 94.5 percent of their budget, and that doesn’t include your CD — that’s just cash on hand.
“The total available funds in the general fund are $131,113 short of covering the entire rest of the budget, and that doesn’t include our CDs,” Lucke said. He added that cashing in some of the county’s certificate of deposit investments could cover those deficits.
Lucke said that, considering all incumbent funds in the bank excluding federal coronavirus relief funds, the county has more than $1 million dollars on deposit above the needs of the year’s budget.
“My goal was to have a year’s budget in the bank before I ran for a third term,” Lucke explained. “We’re not a savings account for the people’s money. That’s not our job, but we have to have the money to operate, and if we do not collect a penny’s taxes in this budget, this budget’s still paid for. I think that’s a pretty well sign of all the elected officials in this county being thrift with the people’s money.”
Lucke did not keep the credit for himself however, praising the other elected officials for their role in the county’s financial stewardship.
“This county went from the verge of bankrupcy to sitting pretty, and it couldn’t have happened without the Commissioner’s Court and the elected officials,” Lucke said.
“It’s been an honor to get the county where it’s at,” Lucke said. “I hope I’m here for one more term, and I hope y’all are planning on being here with me.”
