Cumberland County Commission Meeting
The June 2023 meeting of the Cumberland County Commission was held tonight with all Commissioners in attendance.
The CCHS track and field program is getting stronger with individual champions in each of the last couple of years. Last year it was the hurdles. This year it’s the boys pole vault with Jacob Atkinson winning first place with a height of 13’6”. When the news came out, Commissioner Hyder reached out and asked that we celebrate the win with Jacob, and his parents Jason and Bekki. Congratulations!
Under new business, the Trustee and Assessor of Property 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, the Circuit Court Clerk’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 Jessica Burgess and the other county officials that I have noted here in the past, that have 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 06-2023-1 – ACCEPT OFFERS(S) TO PURCHASE DELINQUENT TAX PROPERTY OWNED BY CUMBERLAND COUNTY (HOLBROOK). The following delinquent tax properties were approved in a unanimous vote in favor of accepting the offers to purchase, and will now go back on the tax rolls.
RESOLUTION 06-2023-2 – CREATE A TASK FORCE FOR THE OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS FOR CUMBERLAND COUNTY, TENNESSEE (FOSTER). The county is receiving settlement funds from various companies for the Opioid lawsuit to address drug addiction and to help with treatment plans. The suggested way to disperse the funds is via a committee that can create a comprehensive, community-wide approach concerning the remediation of the opioid problem in our county. The committee will consist of me, the Crossville Mayor, the Sheriff or his designee, the Crossville Chief of Police or his designee, County Commissioner Joe Sherrill, the District Attorney General or his designee, Judge Amanda Worley or her designee, Director of Schools William Stepp, CMC CAO Randy Davis or his designee, and Cumberland County Health Department Director Angela Slaven. The Committee was approved 18-0.
RESOLUTION 06-2023-3 – APPOINT MEMBERS TO THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY LIBRARY BOARD (FOSTER). This resolution was withdrawn until the next meeting.
RESOLUTION 06-2023-4 – QUITCLAIM THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE CURRENT BOARD OF EDUCATION CENTRAL OFFICE PROPERTY TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION (MALL). This resolution, approved unanimously, was to quitclaim the county interest on the property on the west side of the Phoenix school to the Board of Education. Phoenix Principal Mitch Lowe has plans for a basketball court. The quitclaim is conveyed upon acceptance from the BOE.
RESOLUTION 06-2023-5 – ADOPT A NEW LEASE AGREEMENT CONTRACT BETWEEN CUMBERLAND COUNTY AND THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY FAIR ASSOCIATION (WILSON). The lease agreement between Cumberland County and the Fair Board has expired. This resolution, approved 18-0, extends the lease with the same terms.
RESOLUTION 06-2023-6 – RECONFIRM COUNTY COMMISSIONER’S METHOD OF COMPENSATION (COOPER). A prior Commission determined that their compensation would be based off of the County Mayor’s pay: Annual Commissioner Pay = (Mayor’s Pay * .9) / 18. This was approved in a Budget Committee meeting but there was no record of this being approved by the full Commission. This resolution, approved unanimously, reconfirms the actions of that Committee.
The following routine, year end budget resolutions, were also approved by the full Commission.
- RESOLUTION 06-2023-7 – HIGHWAY FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT (STONE).
- RESOLUTION 06-2023-8 – GENERAL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT (STONE).
- RESOLUTION 06-2023-9 – COURTHOUSE MAINTENANCE FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT (SHERRILL).
- RESOLUTION 06-2023-10 – SANITATION FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT (PATTERSON).
- RESOLUTION 06-2023-11 – AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT (ARPA) FUND TRANSFER TO SPECIAL REVENUE FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT (SHERRILL).
- RESOLUTION 06-2023-12 – GENERAL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENTS, VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS (SHERRILL).
- RESOLUTION 06-2023-13 – BOE GENERAL PROGRAM SCHOOL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT (PATTERSON).
- RESOLUTION 06-2023-14 – BOE CENTRAL CAFETERIA FUND, LINE-ITEM BUDGET AMENDMENT (PATTERSON).
- RESOLUTION 06-2023-15 – BOE CENTRAL CAFETERIA FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, NO KID HUNGRY (MAXWELL).
- RESOLUTION 06-2023-16 – BOE GENERAL PROGRAM SCHOOL FUND, SUMMER SCHOOL BUDGET AMENDMENT (PATTERSON).
- RESOLUTION 06-2023-17 – BOE CENTRAL CAFETERIA FUND, SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM BUDGET AMENDMENT (PATTERSON).
- RESOLUTION 06-2023-18 – BOE CENTRAL CAFETERIA FUND, SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM BUDGET AMENDMENT (PATTERSON).
- RESOLUTION 06-2023-19 – BOE GENERAL PROGRAM SCHOOL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT (PATTERSON).
- RESOLUTION 06-2023-20 – BOE GENERAL PROGRAM SCHOOL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT (SHERRILL).
- RESOLUTION 06-2023-21 – DEBT SERVICE FUND (HYDER).
Financial Update
Sales tax collections came in at $1,309,063 against a budgeted number of $1,350,177 for a negative variance of $41,114 for the month. Year-to-date, we are $131,982 above budget projections with one month to go.
EMS collections for the month were $458,872 against a monthly budgeted amount of $366,667 for a positive monthly variance of $92,205. Year-to-date collections are $3,997,176 which is $36,161 below budget, but the gap continues to close.
Property tax collections are at 100.2% of budget compared to 100.5% last year.
Hotel/Motel Tax collections are at $1,069,669 compared to $993,684 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 91.95% of budget this year compared to 122.8% last year (compared to a lower budgeted number).
Prisoner Boarding collections are at $322,834 against a reduced budget of $423,925 which is 76.15% 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
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