CC Notes – May 18th 2015
The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners met for the regularly scheduled May 2015 monthly meeting with all members in attendance.
Resolutions
Several typical, routine, end of year budget amendments were the first focus of the evening. This type of budget cleanup is a normal process this time of year. Although the Budget Committee unanimously passed each of these routine adjustments after questioning the BOE Chief Financial Officer, passage would prove more difficult in the full Commission meeting. The first resolution was for the Board of Education in the amount of $15,100 to reduce substitute teacher spending and increase homebound teaching expenditures, more accurately reflecting school system need. The vote was unanimous. Next, a school resolution for $19,550 to transfer funds from an over budgeted line item to cover taxes and insurance expenses was approved in a 11-7 vote, with Commissioners Scarbrough, Hyder, Isham, Wilson, Farley, Rimmer and Geisler voting against. BOE Unemployment compensation expenses were lower than expected, so a resolution was passed to move $21,450 to various items that were under budgeted such as clerical personnel, office supplies, and dues and memberships. This vote was 11-6-1 with Commissioners Scarbrough, Hyder, Isham, Claflin, Rimmer and Geisler voting against and Commissioner Wilson passing. Another BOE cleanup resolution in the amount of $23,592 was passed moving funds from a secretary to a clerical position. Both positions had inadvertently been paid from the same line item and this resolution was intended to clean up the accounting. A similar issue in the amount of $51,700 was also cleaned up. Both of these budget amendments resulted in a 10-8 vote with Commissioners Scarbrough, Hyder, Isham, Wilson, Farley, Claflin, Rimmer and Geisler voting against. These items have been accurately resolved and allocated in the fiscal year 2015 – 2016 budget.
Following the BOE budget amendments, the Register of Deeds requested $1,000 from a designated reserved fund for improving and maintaining technology in the office. This money will be used to purchase additional office equipment and was unanimously approved. The Highway Fund received miscellaneous refunds in the amount of $5,573. This money, along with a decrease of $6,200 in the cold mix line item resulted in an increase of $11,773 to several line items including equipment and machinery parts, and communication. This resolution was also unanimously approved. The Health Department received State Tobacco Settlement money in the amount of $47,473. A resolution was unanimously passed to increase revenues as well as to increase expenditures in the instructional supplies and materials line of the Health Department budget.
Herbert L. Blevins, Danny F. Cantwell, and Steve P. Recio were unanimously appointed as Judicial Commissioners for Cumberland County. Their terms are for four years and will expire May 18, 2019. Kenny Rosser and Nick Hedgecoth were unanimously appointed as members of the Cumberland County Health and Safety Standards Board with terms that expire on May 15, 2019. Daniel Lynn Husk was unanimously approved to serve as a member to the Cumberland County Board of Equalization for a term that expires on April 30, 2016.
A resolution to accept an offer of $500 from John and Judith Duff for property owned by Cumberland County due to delinquent taxes was approved unanimously as well. The passage of this resolution will result in the property being placed back on the tax rolls of Cumberland County. A usage agreement with Grindstaff Property Management was unanimously approved. Grindstaff Property Management has agreed to build a fence that will help prevent entry and exit between Charleston Plantation Apartments and the Obed River Park. This should help increase the safety and security of both properties. A gate will also be placed to allow access as needed during normal operating hours. A resolution amending the contract between the State of Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Cumberland County was unanimously approved. This resolution served to extend the date of the contract by one year to end on June 30, 2016.
Financial Report
Property tax collections are strong at 99.6% collected year to date. The Hotel/Motel tax collections are at $534,915 against a budget of $734,738, or 72.8% of budget. At this time last year we were at 71.2% of budget. Ambulance collections have finally recuperated to expected levels after our third party billing company donated time to catch our billing department up on late work. The annual budget is $3,000,000 with year to date collections at $2,428,300, or 80.9% of budget. We are expecting another good month of collections as all of the late bills should still be coming in to the county. Prisoner boarding is at $676,397 year to date against a budget of $1,224, 885. Local option sales tax for the Board of Education was down $33,992 against the budget at $543,991 for the month. We are still positive $77,004 year to date. The May projections look promising with an unofficial number that is around $692,000 against a projected $665,893. If this projection holds true, the county would be around a net positive of $100,000 for the year.
Thank you for allowing me to serve the 4th District and Cumberland County. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me at any time.
Sincerely
Allen Foster
Board of Commissioners
4th District Representative
http://allenfoster.net
allenfoster.com 