PULASKI COUNTY, Ark. — The Pulaski County Judge is calling for the Treasurer’s resignation as questions grow over how millions in county funds have been mismanaged over the past two weeks.
“As County Judge and Chief Financial Officer of this county, I’m calling for the Treasurer’s immediate resignation from that position,” County Judge Barry Hyde said.
Hyde tells the media during a news conference Friday afternoon that there’s been no mismanagement after earlier this month, the Quorum Court voted to transfer $42 million in emergency funds to the county’s operating funds after Treasurer Debra Buckner said there was no money to pay employees.
Something Hyde and County Comptroller Mike Hutchins said was false, and there was no emergency.
A review and audit, Hutchins said as he shared during the news conference, that there’s no missing money.
He adds that earlier this month, Buckner reported general fund shortfalls, and said it came from no cash reserves, and revised budgets were increased without court authorization.
“No budgets have been altered without Quorum Court authorization,” Hutchins said.
According to Hutchins, in 2023 and 2024, the county ended the year in positive balances, contradicting her reports.
“The Treasurer, in her presentation to the court, failed to mention revenues collected throughout the year and the ordinance appropriating monies to the various budgets making up the general funds,” Hutchins said.
For 2025, there was a deficit, but Hutchins said that was attributed to outstanding funds owed to the county. By the end of the year, the city of Little Rock paid all outstanding balances and is current as of April 1st this year.
We asked Judge Hyde what happens with the $42 million the court moved earlier this month.
“It’ll be up to the Quorum Court whether or not they want to transfer that back to the reserve fund or hold it for whatever reason in the general fund,” Hyde said.
We reached out to Treasurer Buckner’s office for comment, but we have not heard back.
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