On a five to two vote, a budget for fiscal year 2018-2019 for Cannon County has been approved for consideration by the State Comptroller’s office and the Cannon County Commission.
Budget committee members had questions for 911 Director Roy Sullivan. Most of the questions dealt with the daily operations in order to give some committee members a better understanding of the day to day workings and how it affects the budget.
William F. Curtis, Director of Schools and Bruce Daniel, School Board Chairman were there to explain their 0.75 tax rate request. Concern from committee members focused with decreasing enrollment and the number of schools in operation. The budget (as presented) was $17,163,000 or 56% of all dollars coming into the county go to the school budget. Commissioner Steakley said he doesn’t feel more money is going to fix the problems. Bruce Daniel stated they are in the education business, not the money saving business.
County Executive Mike Gannon suggested removing the county’s contribution out for Upper Cumberland Human Resources Agency and Upper Cumberland Development District ($10,095). The committee removed it from the budget. Other line item cuts to the budget were as follows:
46820 Income Tax: Increased to $5,000 from 0.
52300 Property Assessor: Line 169 cut $5,000 from $14,000 to $9,000.
52500 County Clerk: Line 161 cut $5,000 from $51,700 to $46,700.
54110 Sheriff’s Dept: Line 205 cut $5,000 from $190,000 to $185,000.
54610 Medical Examiner: Line 312 cut $5,000 from $9,000 to $4,000.
76100 Capital Outlay: Line 799 for $117,000 to purchase a new ambulance was decreased to 0.
Total expenditure cuts to the General Fund: $147,095.
Total revenue increase: $5,000
The Committee agreed to put $10,000 was that cut previously for vehicle maintenance (338) back in the Ambulance Service budget, making this line a total of $20,000.
A motion was made to approve the above changes by James Adkins and seconded by Jim Bush. Voting yes: Jim Bush, James Adkins, Richie Hunter, Ronnie Mahaffey and Mark Barker.
Voting no: Karen Ashford and Glenn Steakley
Motion passed.
A motion was made by Jim Bush and seconded by James Adkins for the following tax rate:
County General: $1.31
Solid Waste: .16
Ambulance Svc: .2239
Debt Svc: .005
School: .685
Total $2.3839
Voting yes for tax rate: Mark Barker, Jim Bush, James Adkins, Richie Hunter and Ronnie Mahaffey.
Voting no: Karen Ashford and Glenn Steakley
Motion passed
The Committee requested the budgets to the Comptroller’s office. Pending the response from the Comptroller’s office, the next stop will be to the County Commission or back to the budget committee for further revisions.