By Charlotte Underwood 

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF) – The County Budget and Finance committee met Monday evening, discussing, and approving multiple budget amendments. These will be sent on for approval by the full commission during its monthly meeting next week. 

TOP PHOTO: From left to right are Commissioners Scott Kitts, Derrick Sharp, David Adkins and Beverly Hall.

An amendment to realign $500,000 from the waterline extension fund to go to security upgrades at the jail and courthouse was approved by committee. This realignment generated the most discussion.

The $500,000 of The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) funds was originally appropriated for the purchase of ambulances. In January, the county approved a budget amendment to realign those funds as supplemental funding for waterline projects when it was determined the ambulance purchases could be accomplished without using the ARPA funds. 

According to the budget amendment prepared by the finance department, “as of April 5, 2024, the $500,000 of residual ARPA funds originally planned for the purchase of ambulances will be needed for the security system upgrades in the Jail and Courthouse instead of being available for supplemental waterline funding as initially contemplated in January of 2024.” The amendment goes on to state that the realignment of the residual $500,000 in ARPA Funds for the security upgrade does not reduce the amount of ARPA Funds originally allocated for waterline projects.”

Budget and Finance committee members and commissioners Zach Marlow and Scott Stanfield voted no to the budget amendments as a whole due to this amendment being part of the budget amendment package.

“I’m not against the security system; I am against using this funding for the additional part of the project because I am a man of my word,” Marlow said.

The county had already set aside $750,000 for the security upgrades, but recently learned the cost would be higher.

“When the $750,000 was set aside, I don’t know where that number came from,” said Sheriff Wayne Barton.

According to Commission Chair Johnny Bruce, the $750,000 original estimate was to take care of camera and lock upgrades at the jail and the courthouse, too.  These upgrades will be funded through ARPA funds. 

The new project is estimated at $1.1 million for the security upgrades.

A budget amendment was also approved regarding a raise for the General Sessions Judge. The Administrative Office of Courts advised the 2023-2024 raise should be based on a 5-percent amount rather than a 4.1 percent previously identified at the beginning of the fiscal year. This resulted in the need for the amendment.

The increase on the judge’s salary is based on the Consumer Price Index. 

Other budget amendments included one for the highway department, which finally received the final payment from the disaster relief funds from the March/April 2021 disaster and these funds will be used to purchase a dump truck, along with realignments from projected personnel savings and other capital projects appropriations. 

During the Budget and Finance Committee meeting, commissioners also discussed concerns about setting this year’s budget in time.

 Due to the information on the certified tax rate not expected to be finalized till mid-June, budget hearings will be pushed into June, and budget approval could be pushed into July.

Commissioner Zach Marlow said he had concern about pushing the budget back so late and said according to CTAS he believed it was not supposed to be pushed beyond June 30th unless it was due to “extraordinary circumstances.”

Chairman Johnny Bruce said he would check into it and said he and his fellow commissioners “pride ourselves on getting it in on time,” Bruce said.

Before the close of the budget and finance committee meeting, Commissioner Beverly Hall brought up the need for funding for the Senor Center.

“We’re going to have to find some money for the seniors. They might not even have the budget for this month’s bills. They need money to survive,” Hall said. 

“We need to try to find some monies to take care of them,” Bruce agreed. The county is going to look at some grants that might be able to help and County Mayor Jack Lynch said he would go up this week and speak with them and find out what their needs were. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 05/14/2024-6AM)

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