JACKSBORO TN (WLAF) – The Campbell County Budget and Finance committee held a brief meeting via Zoom online Monday evening. Topping the agenda were the approval of several budgetary amendments, along with the announcement that employees would soon be receiving raises retroactively. 

During Monday’s budget and finance meeting, County Commissioner Johnny Bruce brought up the fact that employee raises had “hinged upon the county’s revenue” this year due to the uncertainty of the pandemic. “We had said if the county revenues were good, then we could proceed with the raises, and I received an email from Finance Director Jeff Marlow that over all the county’s budget is stable,” Bruce said.

The county finance department will distribute employee raises in the upcoming pay period, according to Bruce. Raises are .50 cents on the hour. “That’s something good for our county employees; a nice Christmas for them,” Bruce said. 

Budget amendments included several to the general purpose school fund and the cafeteria fund for the purchase of food service equipment such as ovens for both both of the high schools, as well as stove units and a brazing pan for one of the elementary schools.

A budget amendment to the hotel/motel tax fund was also made due to the county collecting around $120,000 in additional funds this past tax season. According to Mayor E.L. Morton, this was because area marinas were at full capacity for the summer. 

In other budget amendments, $4,000 was moved from a grant fund in the airport to provide money to refurnish the airport lobby. The cost of commercial solid waste removal went up by $50,000, resulting in a budget amendment, while the cost of recycling went down.

All amendments equaled out to be balanced. Budget amendments passed by the committee will then go on for final approval by the county commission next Monday evening via Zoom at 6 pm. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 12/15/2020-6AM)