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Wlaf1450
By Charlotte Underwood
JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- The Campbell County Budget and Finance Committee met Monday afternoon, approving four budget amendments, while six Board of Education amendments stalled out due to a tie vote. The concern of some commissioners was that the BOE had not yet met and approved these budget amendments by its own board due to a meeting schedule change to accommodate fall break. The BOE meeting is scheduled for October 20, at 5:30 pm, rather than its regular second Tuesday of the month.
Among the BOE budget amendments that failed to pass was one regarding the transitional position for School Director Jennifer Fields who recently announced her retirement plans.
According to County Finance Director Eric Pearson, the budget amendment is for the director to serve in her current position until the end of the calendar year and then move to the transitional position January 1, 2026, that ends on September 30, 2026.
“Employment will end on Oct. 1, 2026, and there will be a lump sum pay out on the current contract that will be funded through April 12, 2027.
According to County Finance Director Eric Pearson, the amendment for this fiscal year, 2026, is $95,000 being added to the budget, $65,000 on salaries and the rest of the funding for retirement insurance and other associated expenses.
“You can see in the funding portion, it’s essentially $230,000 taken out of Fund 141 unsigned fund balance, $95,000 of that will be used this fiscal year to pay for that transitional position for January through September 30 and the remainder of that, the $135,000 will go into a committed equity account that will pay for that addition in the next fiscal year,” Pearson said.
The vote tied at 6-6. Commissioners Tyler King, Derrick Sharp, Michael Douglas, Beverly Hall, Scott Stanfield and Dewayne Baird all voted no. Several commissioners expressed concern that the school board had not met yet and passed these amendments by its board due to the BOE postponing its October meeting until October 20th due to fall break.
According to Commission chairman Johnny Bruce, these amendments will be brought back up to be reconsidered at Monday’s commission meeting at 6 pm, after the school board meets at 5:30.
Other amendments for the BOE that stalled included two appeals to add two additional teachers to receive the $2,000 bonus from the state, an amendment to the general-purpose school fund with a small increase in revenue from receiving the Innovative Schools model grant. This amendment was for a small increase in revenue of $1,272, while other amendments were because the school system received $2,772 in insurance recovery revenue.
The Budget and Finance committee approved four amendments for the county, which will now go to the full commission for a vote on Monday. These included an amendment due to the county receiving grant funds for the DUI Overtime grant. The County received $45,000. Another amendment passed regarded the addition of revenue from the 2026 mental health transport grant with $50, 231.71 being added to the county’s funds.
Amendment 10-8 regarded the Highway Public Works Insurance Recovery for damage done to a guardrail on Cedar Creek Road, while Budget amendment 10-9 related to the need to purchase four rooftop HVAC units that need replaced at an estimated cost of $160,000, which will come from the capital projects reserve fund and was recommended by building and grounds committee.
Budget amendment 10-10 is for the County Jail to do some grease trap maintenance. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-10/15/20265-6AM)