Campbell County Commissioners take up several resolutions, grant applications, budget amendments

TOP PHOTO: County Commissioners Rusty Orick (left) and Zach Marlow.

By Charlotte Underwood 

JACKSBORO, TN (WLAF)- At its regular monthly meeting on Monday, the Campbell County Commission approved several resolutions, grant applications and other business.

The first resolution approved requests the Tennessee General Assembly to “adopt legislation requiring the division of property assessments within the office of the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury to complete the reappraisal process in a more timely manner to ensure efficient and timely adoption of the county annual operating budget.”

A resolution requesting the extension of the ground ambulance service provider assessment act was approved as well. According to commissioners, the act is set to expire in June of 2025 “if not extended by the Tennessee General Assembly and the act is “vital to local ambulance services.”

Another resolution approved requests the state of Tennessee increase State Prisoner Board reimbursement to counties for housing state inmates from $41 a day to at least $48 daily per inmate.

According to the resolution, “due to high inflation, the cost to house state inmates has increases significantly in recent years.” According to the county, “prisoner board reimbursement is vital to the ability of Campbell County to properly house state inmates without placing a significant burden on Campbell County taxpayers.”

Copies of the resolution will be sent to Governor Bill Lee, Senator Ken Yager, State Representative Dennis Powers and the Office of Tennessee Department of Corrections Commissioner Frank Strauda.             

Also approved by commissioners, was the county’s 2025 legislative agenda which focuses on topics such as hotel/motel tax, an increase in funding for housing state inmates, more funding for Veteran’s Affairs, a shorter property tax reappraisal and more,                  

In other business, several General Session Court grant applications were approved, including approval for General Sessions Judge Bill Jones to apply for a grant of $60,000 per year of funding from the state of Tennessee to assist in Recovery Court, as well as a Safe Baby Court grant for up to $100,000.

No matching funding is required from the county. 

Budget amendments 10-1 through 10-8 passed on Monday night.  Amendments 10-1 through 10-5 regarded changes to the general-purpose school fund and related to school operations. 

Budget amendment regarded the county’s general fund for Sheriff’s Department grants and operational needs. Budget amendment 10-7 was to the general fund and regarded election services, while amendment 10-8 was for the Sanitation Department to fund the driver training program.

Budget amendment 10-9 did not pass due to the lack of enough votes. Eight commissioners were present for the meeting; Commissioner Zachary Marlow abstained, leading the motion to fail.  This amendment was for a Special Revenue Fund realignment of some of the ARPA funds from the water line extension project and moving it into the sheriff’s department to be used for cameras. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-10/22/2024-6AM)

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