JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – The Campbell County Commission on Monday finalized its vote on the tax rate and county budget for 2019-20, adopting the state’s certified tax rate of $2.0659 following a reappraisal that showed the new rate will generate the same revenue as the previous year.In a series of budget & finance meetings in June, commissioners had at first voted to leave the rate at $2.25 for each $100 of property value, resulting in a tax increase. After hearing complaints from the public, the commission later reversed itself and lowered the rate.

Scott Kitts made the motion at the Monday regular meeting to set the rate, with all fifteen commissioners voting in favor. The commission then voted unanimously to approve a motion by Johnny Bruce to approve the county budget at $87,485,833.

Of that amount, the bulk goes to education with $47,456,173 appropriated for the general purpose school fund, another $5,073,916 for the school federal projects fund and $4,218,233 for the general cafeteria fund.

Other appropriations include $16,981,840 for the county general fund, $2,369,408 for sanitation/solid waste, $3,282,946 for the ambulance fund and $5,659,808 in the highway/public works fund.

The general capital projects fund totals $1,079,916 after $1.4 million was taken out to offset the loss from correcting the earlier 2.25 tax rate. Another $708,234 was appropriated for other capital projects, mainly in the public safety category. The budget also contained $4,624,211 to service the county debt, most of that for education projects.

The commissioners paused for a minute of silence at the meeting’s outset in memory of longtime commissioner Roy Mack Pierce before dealing with mostly routine business after voting on the budget resolutions.

Commissioners voted unanimously to appoint Cade Sexton to the Industrial Development Board to replace Glenn Massengill and voted unanimously to approve a grant application for the Campbell County Airport that will add over nine acres to the property for future expansion.

The purchase of the land will only cost the county around $5,500 as 95 % of the cost will be covered by state grants if it is approved. “We don’t have vacancies,” airport manager Bert Loupe said, explaining why the airport needs the extra space for future hanger construction.

Ralph Davis brought up three items passed last week by the building & grounds committee, including a motion to have the former Board of Education building on Main Street assessed as a possible storage depot for county records. The old building has some structural issues, but if it can be renovated for use as storage, it will save the county around $10,000 a year that is currently paid out in rent to store old records that cannot by law be destroyed.

Davis also made a motion to erect billboards on I-75 at the northern and southern boundaries of the county and another on Highway 63 at the Claiborne County line. The billboards would promote tourism by publicizing the many activities available in the county.

A third motion by Davis established all but one of the parking spaces along the northern side of the courthouse for handicapped parking and veterans. Eighteen spaces currently line that side of the courthouse and Davis suggested reserving twelve for handicapped parking, another six reserved for veterans and one for maintenance vehicles.

All three motions from the building & grounds committee were approved unanimously, but commissioners finally did find one bone of contention when Dewayne Baird brought up a suggestion that the county take possession of the old railroad caboose that formerly housed West End Auto Sales on LaFollette’s Central Avenue.

Baird explained that CSX Railroad owns the land where the caboose is located and wants it removed. The City of LaFollette showed no interest as estimates for the cost to move it ranged from $2,500 to $10,000. Baird suggested that the old rail car could be moved to the county’s White Bridge park for use as a concession stand.

Carl Douglas stated that he would vote “no,” as he considered it to be a waste of money. Apparently most other commissioners agreed, as a motion by Baird to take possession of the old rail car failed 9-6.  (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 07/16/2019-11:30AM)

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