County Mayor’s Notes – April 19th, 2021

Posted byallenfosterPosted inMayor's Notes

Cumberland County Commission Update

The April meeting of the Cumberland County Commission was held tonight with all Commissioners in attendance except Darrell Threet.  The following resolutions were on the agenda (resolution sponsor in parenthesis):

RESOLUTION 04-2021-1 – TO APPOINT A MEMBER TO THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS BOARD (FOSTER).  Sheryl Webb and Nancy Hyder were reappointed in a 16-0-1 vote (Hyder passed) to the HSSB with terms expiring May 15, 2025.

RESOLUTION 04-2021-2 – AGREEMENT BETWEEN CUMBERLAND COUNTY AND THE FAIRFIELD GLADE COMMUNITY CLUB CONCERNING DELINQUENT TAX LOTS (FOSTER).  Cumberland County currently owns approximately 1,000 lots in the Fairfield Glade area due to unpaid delinquent property taxes by their former owners.  Some years ago, a court ruled that counties owning these types of lots could owe POA dues under certain circumstances (depending on deeds, etc.).  Since then, Cumberland County and Fairfield Glade have had a handshake agreement that the county would continue to accept lots that didn’t sell during the first stages of the delinquent lot process, and that Fairfield Glade would not attempt to charge the county POA assessments.  This was a good, commonsense agreement between the two entities because if the county didn’t accept the lots, they would remain in a state of limbo.  If the county accepts the lots, they can be sold (see the next resolution) and property taxes as well as POA assessments can be collected from the new owner.  This contract puts the handshake agreement in writing.  It is one of those win/win situations that we all like to see.  I want to thank the County Commission for passing this agreement unanimously, and I want to thank the Fairfield Glade Board for doing the same and working with me on this for the past two years.  We are all making a concerted effort to foster a good relationship between the entities.  Thank you.

RESOLUTION 04-2021-3 – TO ACCEPT OFFER(S) TO PURCHASE DELINQUENT TAX PROPERTY OWNED BY CUMBERLAND COUNTY (HYDER).  The following delinquent tax properties were approved for purchase and will now go back on the tax rolls.  The commission approved the resolution 17-0.

Bluegrass Holdings offered $100.00 for each parcel, $125.00 attorney fees per parcel, and $87.00 advertising fee for the following properties:

  • 65L C 039.00 | 43 Pineridge Ct | FFG
  • 65L C 050.00 | 110 Pineridge Loop | FFG
  • 65M A 015.00 | 14 Pineridge Ct | FFG
  • 65O B 019.00 | 209 Sheffield Dr | FFG
  • 65O B 020.00 | 207 Sheffield Dr | FFG
  • 77B D 006.00 | 141 Sheffield Dr | FFG
  • 77B E 021.00 | 140 Sheffield Dr | FFG
  • 77B E 025.00 | 148 Sheffield Dr | FFG
  • 77B E 027.00 | 152 Sheffield Dr | FFG
  • 77H G 012.00 | 148 Overlook Cove | FFG
  • 77L E 013.00 | 650 Lakeview Dr | FFG
  • 90C H 002.00 | 51 Cheshire Terr | FFG
  • 90E A 016.00 | 55 Meadowood Cir | FFG
  • 91I G 051.00 | 121 Hedgewood Pt | FFG
  • 91P A 019.00 | 130 Hedgewood Pt | FFG
  • 91P A 025.00 | 110 Hedgewood Ln | FFG
  • 138O A 046.00 | 1053 Redwing Dr | Tansi
  • 138P D 013.00 | 1115 Chief Day Break Dr | Tansi

Future State Trust offered the following:

  • 77P Q 30.00-110 Norcross Road – FFG – $100.00 bid + $170.00 attorney fee + $45 ad fee
  • 77N D 16.00-114 Greenbrier Loop -FFG-$100.00 bid + $177.20 attorney fee + $45 ad fee
  • 77N E 20.00-127 Greenbrier Loop-FFG-$100.00 bid + $174.00 attorney fee + $45 ad fee

Bluegrass Holdings offered the following:

  • 77J F 005.00 – 110 Wickham Lane – FFG-$121.00 bid + 183.90 attorney fee
  • 77P E 21.00 – 134 Shelley Lane – FFG-$121.00 bid + 172.90 attorney fee

RESOLUTION 04-2021-4 – TO RE-APPOINT A MEMBER TO THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY “E-911” EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS (FOSTER).  In a unanimous vote, the Commission approved re-appointing Tom Isham to the E-911 Board with a term expiring April 30, 2025.

RESOLUTION 04-2021-5 – TO APPOINT MEMBERS TO THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION BOARD OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY – CROSSVILLE (FOSTER).  Crossville Mayor James Mayberry and I agreed to submit Karen Cole, Joe Salvato, and Kevin Hembree for approval as jointly selected members of the IDB with terms expiring April 30, 2027.  The resolution was approved 17-0.

RESOLUTION 04-2021-6 – BUDGET AMENDMENT, GENERAL FUND, LOCAL HEALTH CENTER $2,755.07 (NORRIS).  This resolution carried over previously unused but allocated tobacco funds in the Health Department Budget and was approved unanimously.

RESOLUTION 04-2021-7 – BUDGET AMENDMENT, HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT, BRIDGE PROGRAM $75,000.00 (NORRIS).  The TDOT State Bridge Aid Program has approved a high priority bridge replacement over Old Highway 28.  These funds will be used for preliminary costs including engineering, surveys, and right-of-way acquisition.  The resolution was approved 17-0.

RESOLUTION 04-2021-8 – BUDGET AMENDMENT, HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT $300,000.00 (GIBSON).  Income to the Road Department has been better than budgeted so Road Superintendent Scott Blaylock requested the revenue in his budget be increased as well as the Hot Mix line.  The resolution was approved unanimously.

RESOLUTION 04-2021-9 – BUDGET AMENDMENT, CENTRAL CAFETERIA FUND, BOE SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM $250.00 (GIBSON).  This resolution was to accept a private donation and was approved 17-0.

RESOLUTION 04-2021-10 – BUDGET AMENDMENT, CENTRAL CAFETERIA FUND, SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM $2,500.00 (MALL).  Funding from the Dairy Alliance/NFL Fuel Up to Play 60 Program has been received by the school system.  The resolution to accept the funds was approved 17-0.

RESOLUTION 04-2021-11 – BUDGET AMENDMENT, CENTRAL CAFETERIA FUND, SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM $12,124.32 (NORRIS).  The school system received additional USDA funds designated to minimize charges incurred for storage and distribution of USDA foods from state contracted warehouses.  The resolution to accept the funds was approved 17-0.

RESOLUTION 04-2021-12 – BUDGET AMENDMENT, CENTRAL CAFETERIA FUND, SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM, $55,000.00 (GIBSON).  The school system received USDA funds designated for Equipment Assistant Grants.  This money will be used to replace the conveyor style dishwasher at Homestead Elementary.  The resolution to accept the funds was approved 17-0.

RESOLUTION 04-2021-13 – BUDGET AMENDMENT, GENERAL PURPOSE SCHOOL FUND, SCHOOL EMPLOYEE BONUS $346,000.00 (NORRIS).  The Tennessee General Assembly approved a one-time non-recurring increase in pay for BEP funded certified personnel and nursing staff.  The BOE expanded the program to all school employees.  This resolution accepted and allocated funds to pay the bonuses.  The resolution was approved 16-0-1 with Commissioner Cooper abstaining as he is a BOE employee.

FINANCIAL REPORT

EMS collections for the month were $494,365 which is $161,032 above the monthly budgeted amount of $333,333.  Year to date we are $698,490 ahead of projections with three months remaining.

Sales tax collections for the General Purpose School Fund came in at $897,298 which is $147,500 above projections.  Year to date we have collected $8,002,936 and are $895,455 above budget.  I have mentioned before that the County Commission decided to have a third party conduct a revenue audit.  The increase in sales tax revenues is due in part to that audit.  Adjustments will be made to allocate the adjustments appropriately.

Property tax collections year to date are 98.4% of budget compared to 98.2% at this point last year.

Cumulative Hotel/Motel taxes are $492,102 which is 73.65% of the budget.  The budgeted amount was revised down this year to $668,166 from $817,283.  Last year, with the larger budgeted amount, we had collected $526,780, or 64.5% of budget, at this point.

Cumulative Prisoner Boarding collections are $305,409, or 50.7%, of the $602,396 annual budget.  Last year we were at $368,277, 49.6%, of an annual budget of $743,000.

Cumberland County Schools COVID-19 data as of Friday, April 16, 2021

  • 14 positive active student cases
  • 2 positive active staff cases
  • 90 total students quarantined due to being determined to have had close contact with another individual who tested positive.
  • 2 total staff members quarantined due to being determined to have had close contact with another individual who tested positive.

Cumberland County Population Vaccinated

  • Number of vaccines reported (including first and second doses): 34,598
  • County Population with at least one dose of any manufacturer: 20,234
  • County Population Fully Vaccinated: 15,450

State Vaccination Dashboard:
https://data.tn.gov/t/Public/views/TennIISCOVID-19VaccineReporting/SUMMARY?:showAppBanner=false&:display_count=n&:showVizHome=n&:origin=viz_share_link&:toolbar=no&:embed=yes

COVID-19 Update (difference from previous day)
The following are the numbers from the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) for Cumberland County as of the date of this newsletter. The change from the prior day, not my prior newsletter, is in parenthesis.

128 active cases (-6)
6,313 inactive/recovered (+10)
127 deaths officially reported (+0)
6,568 positive cases (+4)
156 cumulative hospitalizations (-1) *
11.62% positivity rate – 7-day average
96.12% Inactive/Recovered
11.89% cumulative positivity rate (positive cases / positive cases + negative tests)
10.85% of residents have tested positive  0.21% of residents have active cases

* Hospitalization data reflect the cumulative (total) number of cases of Cumberland County residents that were ever hospitalized AT ANY HOSPITAL from COVID-19. It does not reflect the number of people currently hospitalized.

Vaccination Phase Update
The 89 Health Departments operated by the State of Tennessee, including the Cumberland County Health Department, announced that all Tennesseans age 16 and up are now eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. 

Vaccination appointments are widely available across the state, with many rural Tennessee county health departments seeing only a fraction of their daily COVID-19 vaccination appointments filled. Tennesseans eligible for COVID-19 vaccination can visit https://vaccinate.tn.gov/ to book their vaccination appointment at their county health department.

Information on other vaccination locations in the community is available at https://vaccinefinder.org/search/. These sites include retail pharmacies, independent pharmacies, hospitals, federally qualified health care centers, and faith-based health clinics.

Vaccination and Testing Locations
COVID-19 vaccination and testing are both conducted at the Community Complex grounds on Livingston Road.  Although both are on the same grounds, the locations are different.  Vaccinations are held closest to the Taco Bell entrance on the Highway 127 side of the grounds and are located close to the 3-way stop at Industrial Boulevard and Livingston Road.  Testing is located closest to the Farmers Market entrance on the West Avenue (Highway 70N) side of the grounds.

Please watch the signs as they are located to help you get in the correct line.

COVID-19 Information and Vaccine Key Links

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.net

Published by allenfoster

Cumberland County Mayor

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