A fund used to pay Pike County sheriff’s employees is almost a quarter-million dollars short of projections.

Revenue from a half-cent law enforcement sales tax normally is used to cover paychecks for the department’s 50 workers.

But new figures show the balance in that fund is 240 thousand dollars short of expectations through 11 months of this year.

The county had to cover last week’s sheriff’s department payroll of about 36 thousand dollars with money from the general fund. There are two pay periods left this year and one likely to take place before next year’s budget is finalized in January.

Commissioners said Monday they consider the dollars to cover payroll a loan that the law enforcement fund will eventually have to pay back.