NATCHEZ &045; Due to large health insurance claims and lower-than-expected fees, fines, taxes and port and gaming revenues, Adams County is borrowing $892,600 to make ends meet this fiscal year.

&uot;We need this to cover our revenue shortfalls,&uot; County Administrator Charlie Brown said during Monday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.

During this fiscal year, which started Oct. 1, large health insurance claims by employees have cost the county $325,000 more than anticipated.

The county has also taken in $263,600 less in fines, fees and funds used to house prisoners, including $200,000 in justice court fines.

To cover the insurance costs and fine and fee shortfalls, the county has had to make interfund loans, which must be paid back to their respective funds by Sept. 30.

Other shortfalls have included:

4$250,000 in port revenues due to the loss of business from International Paper and other industries.

4$42,000 in gaming revenues.

4$9,000 in ad valorem taxes that would be used for road maintenance.

4$3,000 in interest income.

Supervisors voted to borrow the money from Trustmark National Bank at 2.4 percent interest. Locally-based banks did not submit offers by the Friday deadline.

In other business, supervisors voted to restructure three long-term debts: $3.9 million for the juvenile detention center, $3 million for the port and $600,000 for other public facilities.

The debt consolidation will be done through the Mississippi Development Bank.

County officials have said cutting costs by refinancing

is especially important given that, with the closing of International Paper, the county &045; not including schools &045; stands to lose $600,000 to $700,000 a year in tax revenues.