Cumberland County Commission Meeting
The November 2024 meeting of the Cumberland County Commission was held tonight with all in attendance.
Under the recognition portion of the agenda, I mentioned that ninth district commissioner, Colleen Mall, was named as the regional Outstanding Commissioner of the Year by the Tennessee County Commissioners Association. Colleen works hard and is very involved in working to address the issue Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES). She worked to form the Trauma Informed Community Alliance (TICA) to combat drug addiction and other generational issues in our community. She is a retired U.S. Army Colonel and former reservist. Her background as chief emergency preparedness liaison officer in charge of the joint military services team that managed Department of Defense disaster response resources for Federal Emergency Management Agency region three has proven an invaluable asset to this group and to Cumberland County. Well done and well-deserved Commissioner Mall!
Third district commissioner Rebecca Stone has announced her resignation from the County Commission, effective December 16, 2024 upon the swearing in of a replacement. This will be a huge loss to the third district and the county as a whole, but personal reasons have caused her to make this decision.
I requested a process motion to set the dates and times for interested qualified citizens to offer their names by Monday, December 9, 2024 at 12:00 PM (noon), with a cover letter suggested, but not required. Those unable to notify the County Mayor’s Office may also be considered at the December 16, 2024 meeting of the full County Commission.
That motion was made by Commissioner Sherrill and seconded by Commissioner Mall. At that time a discussion began concerning if Commissioner Stone should be allowed to resign after she votes for her replacement or before, which was the topic of Resolution 11-2024-1. I personally believe it makes perfect sense for any commissioner to serve as long as they can to represent their district. That gives the voters in the third district the most representation for as long as possible. In the end the motion passed 12-6, with commissioners Lowe, Potter, York, Hyder, Threet, and Seiber voting against.
RESOLUTION 11-2024-1 – TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF COMMISSIONER AND SETTING DATE FOR THE APPOINTMENT OF COMMISSIONER’S REPLACEMENT (FOSTER). This resolution, which discussed the timing of Commissioner Stone’s resignation as discussed above, passed 18-0, and solidified the details of appointing her replacement.
As a reminder, the Cumberland County Commission urges all interested qualified citizens from the third district of Cumberland County to offer their names as candidate for the vacancy to Cumberland County Mayor Allen Foster by Monday, December 9, 2024 at 12:00 PM (noon). A cover letter is suggested, but not required, to be submitted at that time. Those unable to notify the County Mayor’s Office may also be considered at the December 16, 2024 meeting of the full County Commission.
All potential candidates seeking to fill the third district Cumberland County Commission vacancy will be given an opportunity to address the commission at the regular meeting to be held on Monday, December 16, 2024 at 6:00 PM in the Cumberland Room located in the Art Circle Public Library at 3 East Street, Crossville, TN. At that time, the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners will appoint someone from the names submitted to serve as successor until the next election to be held in August 2026.
RESOLUTION 11-2024-2 – REQUESTING THE 114TH SESSION OF THE TENNESSEE GENERAL ASSEMBLY ALLOCATE ONE-HALF OF THE REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAX TO THE COUNTY WHERE THE TAX WAS COLLECTED, ON A RECURRING BASIS (LOWE). The Association of County Mayors, the Tennessee County Commissioners Association, and the Tennessee County Services Association have all voted to request that the State of Tennessee share the revenue generated from the real estate transfer tax with the originating county. This tax of $0.37 per $100 of value has been collected for years by employees in Cumberland County Register of Deeds Office. All of the tax collected by county funded employees is then remitted to the state. This resolution requests that half of this tax be returned to the county collecting it. The resolution was approved unanimously.
RESOLUTION 11-2024-3 – FOR CUMBERLAND COUNTY TO PERFORM BUILDING PERMITTING AND INSPECTIONS FOR PLEASANT HILL (HOLBROOK). The Town Council of Pleasant Hill has requested that Cumberland County begin performing building inspections for them. This resolution, adopted 18-0, agreed to do so.
RESOLUTION 11-2024-4 – ADOPTING REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS OF RESIDENTIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES (YORK). The Health and Safety Standards Board (HSSB) along with the Environmental Committee of the Cumberland County Commission, have determined that regulations governing the health and safety standards of residential and non-residential properties would best be handled by county employees. Currently these duties are handled by the HSSB. This resolution solidifies the standards and rules to be followed when county employees take on this responsibility. The resolution was passed in a 15-3 vote with commissioners Lowe, Potter, and Seiber voting against. This issue will now go before the Budget Committee for funding. If funding for an employee is approved, the duties would be turned over to our Codes Department on July 1, 2025.
The following routine budget amendments were approved by the Commission for various county departments:
- RESOLUTION 11-2024-5 – GENERAL PURPOSE SCHOOL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, ISM STATE GRANT REVISION (THREET).
- RESOLUTION 11-2024-6 – GENERAL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, AMBULANCE (HOLBROOK).
- RESOLUTION 11-2024-7 – DRUG CONTROL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT (MALL).
- RESOLUTION 11-2024-8 – GENERAL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT (GIBSON).
Financial Update
The Cumberland County Codes Department issued 40 building permits, 31 general mechanical permits, and 38 general plumbing permits in October 2024. A total of $43,768 in fees were collected.
The EMS department collected $301,781 this month for a year-to-date total of $1,541,247 which is $41,251 above projections. To make the annual budget of $4.5 million, monthly collections need to average $375,000.
October sales tax collections (for cash register receipts two months prior) for the BOE for this fiscal year came in at $1,421,924 which was $99,729 above projections. Year to date, collections are $111,154 above projections. Property tax collections were unavailable compared to 23.34 percent in the prior year. Hotel/Motel tax collections are $385,321, which is 30.79 percent of the annual $1,251,275. With two months of revenue paid, prisoner boarding collections are $87,494 of a $386,952 annual budget.
I hope everyone has a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!
Thank you for being part of the solution and 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 X (formerly Twitter).
Thank you.
Allen Foster
Cumberland County Mayor
http://allenfoster.com
allenfoster.com 