County Mayor’s Notes – May 15th, 2023

Cumberland County Commission Meeting
The May 2023 meeting of the Cumberland County Commission was held tonight with all Commissioners in attendance except Commissioner Mark Baldwin.  He had to miss due to the loss of his father. 

Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton and Senator Paul Bailey were in attendance at the meeting.  A few months back, Speaker Sexton stopped by my office to see how things were going.  We talked for a few minutes and then we discussed the structural issues with the courthouse (as noted in previous editions of this newsletter).  I gave him a tour of the facility, including the areas where the temporary structural beams were installed for safety.  I told him any help the state could provide would be helpful as it was looking to be a $5-6 million project, if not more.  Around the same time, I saw Senator Bailey and had a similar discussion with him.  As always, both were more than willing to try to help.

A few weeks ago, Speaker Sexton called to tell me that he had worked with Senator Bailey and the county had been awarded a $2 million grant for courthouse repairs.  To say that we have excellent representation in Nashville would be an understatement.  Tonight, both gentlemen stopped by to officially and publicly announce the grant.  Many thanks to Speaker Sexton and Senator Bailey!

Under new business, the Election Commission made changes to their personnel policies.  They do not follow the county wide personnel policies so the county attorney reviewed and has signed off on the updates as being legal.  The policies will be placed in the minutes of the meeting.  No vote was required for this action.

Also under new business, General Sessions Judge Amanda Worley’s Office will be joining in using the Personnel Policy/Employee Handbook of Cumberland County, effective today.  I believe it is best for everyone, from the taxpayer to the employee, if all offices adopt these standard policies that give consistency and parity.  I want to say thank you to Judge Worley, and the other county officials that I have noted here, that have recently adopted these policies.  Hopefully the trend will continue.

Resolutions
The following resolutions were considered by the Cumberland County Commission.  The sponsor of the resolution is in parenthesis.

RESOLUTION 05-2023-1 – TO ACCEPT OFFER(S) TO PURCHASE DELINQUENT TAX PROPERTY OWNED BY CUMBERLAND COUNTY (HOLBROOK). The following delinquent tax properties were approved in a 17-0 vote in favor of the accepting the offers to purchase, and will now go back on the tax rolls.

RESOLUTION 05-2023-2 – TO APPOINT A MEMBER TO THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS BOARD (FOSTER).  This resolution reappointed Tom Isham and Craig Clark, and appointed Richard Bringenberg, to four-year terms on the HSSB.  The resolution was unanimously approved.

RESOLUTION 05-2023-3 – TO APPOINT MEMBERS TO THE AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION COMMITTEE (FOSTER).  Keith Cole, Sandy Helton, Vickie Houston, and Joe Lowe were officially appointed to the Agricultural Extension Committee in a 17-0 vote.

RESOLUTION 05-2023-4 – TO REMOVE THE END SECTION OF EAST KEY ROAD FROM THE OFFICIAL COUNTY ROAD LIST (ISHAM).  This resolution, at the request of the property owner that owns the property on both sides of the road, removed approximately 2,590 feet from the end of East Key Road.  The resolution was approved unanimously.

RESOLUTION 05-2023-5 – CONFIRMING TRANSFER OF OLD HIGHWAY PATROL BUILDING ON HIGHWAY 70 (FOSTER).  The deed for the old highway patrol office on Highway 70 East (before you get to the bowling alley if you are going out of town) stated that the property was given for use of a Highway Patrol Station.  It can not be conveyed to a party other than grantors or heirs if not used as such.  This resolution authorized a quitclaim deed to the two heirs/next in line of succession and was approved 17-0.

RESOLUTION 05-2023-6 – TO APPROVE UPDATING THE CURRENT CUMBERLAND COUNTY PERSONNEL POLICY (FOSTER).  This resolution added Juneteenth as a county holiday as the county mimics the state of Tennessee in holidays, it loosened the restriction on working from home so any county wide elected official can grant that ability (instead of just the County Mayor), and it authorized employees to begin participation in the retirement system upon hire (there used to be a six month wait).  The resolution was approved unanimously.  The new policy will be on the county website in a few days.

RESOLUTION 05-2023-7 – TO APPROVE ADDENDUM TO LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE MILITARY MEMORIAL MUSEUM OF UPPER CUMBERLAND, INC. AND CUMBERLAND COUNTY (FOSTER).  This resolution was needed as the Military Museum is housed in a county building and has received grant money for renovations.  It is designed to protect both parties and was approved 17-0.

RESOLUTION 05-2023-8 – TO APPROVE UPDATING THE CURRENT CUMBERLAND COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES (THREET).  This is an updated version of the county Parks and Recreation Polices and Procedures that will be posted on the county website soon.  The resolution was approved unanimously.

RESOLUTION 05-2023-9 – TO APPROVE PARTICIPATION IN COOPERATIVE PURCHASING PROGRAM & ASSOCIATIONS (FOSTER).  The county has participated in qualified purchasing programs and associations for years.  This resolution formally adopts that participation out of an abundance of caution and was approved 17-0.

The following routine budget resolutions were unanimously approved by the full Commission:

  • RESOLUTION 05-2023-10 – FOR AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) ALLOCATION (SEIBER).
  • RESOLUTION 05-2023-11 – HIGHWAY FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, HIGHWAY AND BRIDGE MAINTENANCE (COOPER).
  • RESOLUTION 05-2023-12 – GENERAL PROGRAM SCHOOL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, REALLOCATE FUNDING (SHERRILL).
  • RESOLUTION 05-2023-13 – GENERAL PROGRAM SCHOOL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, CUMBERLAND COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM BUILDING PROJECT (SEIBER).
  • RESOLUTION 05-2023-14 – GENERAL PURPOSE SCHOOL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, ARPA, NORTH KIDS CLUB GRANT (MAXWELL).
  • RESOLUTION 05-2023-15 – GENERAL PROGRAM SCHOOL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, REALLOCATE FUNDING (PATTERSON).
  • RESOLUTION 05-2023-16 – GENERAL PROGRAM SCHOOL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, ESSER 3 INDIRECT COSTS (PATTERSON).
  • RESOLUTION 05-2023-17 – GENERAL PROGRAM SCHOOL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, NEW STATE GRANT: INNOVATIVE SCHOOL MODELS (PATTERSON).

RESOLUTION 05-2023-18 – RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE MAYOR FOSTER TO DEVELOP A PLAN AND TIMELINE TO MOVE THE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT OFFICE (WILSON).  This resolution, approved 17-0, authorized me to create a plan and timeline to move the highway department office and facilities at Northside Drive.  The new Road Superintendent wants to arrange the site a bit differently, and I will oversee the project planning.

RESOLUTION 05-2023-19 – RESOLUTION APPROVING CHANGES TO THE SIGNS CURRENTLY SERVICING THE FORMER PROGRESSIVE SAVINGS BANK AT 1760 SOUTH MAIN STREET AND THE HWY-70 ENTRANCE OF THE COMMUNITY COMPLEX (WILSON).  This resolution authorized the moving of the digital sign at the former bank building to the Highway 70 entrance of the Community Complex.  It also authorized redoing the signs with the proper names of the departments that will be going there.  The resolution was approved unanimously.

Financial Update

Sales tax collections came in at $1,131,461 against a budgeted number of $1,137,818 for a negative variance of $6,357 for the month.  Year-to-date, we are $213,959 above budget projections.
Sales tax collections came in at $1,131,461 against a budgeted number of $1,137,818 for a negative variance of $6,357 for the month.  Year-to-date, we are $213,959 above budget projections.

EMS collections for the month were $390,331 against a monthly budgeted amount of $366,667 for a positive monthly variance of $23,664.  Year-to-date collections are $3,221,012 which is $78,991 below budget, but the gap is closing.

Property tax collections are at 99.9% of budget compared to 100.1% last year. 

Hotel/Motel Tax collections are at $956,371 compared to $885,712 at the same point last year.  The annual budgeted amount is $1,163,326 which was the actual amount collected last year.  That means we are at 82.2% of budget this year compared to 109.5% last year (compared to a lower budgeted number).

Prisoner Boarding collections are at $278,431 against a reduced budget of $423,925 which is 65.7% of the annual budget.

Thank you for being part of the solution and thank you for the opportunity to serve as your County Mayor.  If you are interested in hearing my thoughts and views on news, events, and activities in Cumberland County, please subscribe to my newsletter, and follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Thank you.

Allen Foster
Cumberland County Mayor
http://allenfoster.com