Actions Taken at the March Cumberland County Commission Meeting

Cumberland County Commission Update
From County Mayor Allen Foster

Cumberland Co. Courthouse

Photo by Jim Young

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

RESOLUTION 03-2021-1 – TO GRANT MIDDLE TENNESSEE UTILITY DISTRICT A PERMANENT EASEMENT – LANDFILL ROAD (BLALOCK).  MTNG is bringing additional natural gas capacity to Cumberland County by constructing a distribution pipeline.  This resolution authorized an easement on county property along the road at the landfill.  The resolution was passed unanimously.

RESOLUTION 03-2021-2 – 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 18-0.

Offerer(s)	Property	Price	Ad Fee
John Bruington	90F B 37.00 | 35 Hunterwood Ct.	$292.30	$45
Gary and Phyllis Gulledge	104A H 33.00 | 109 Natchez Circle	$268.20	$45

RESOLUTION 03-2021-3 – BUDGET AMENDMENT, DRUG CONTROL FUND, SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT, DRUG ENFORCEMENT $10,000.00 (SHERRILL).  This resolution authorized the moving of funds so the Sheriff can procure a drug dog, related equipment, and required handler training.  The resolution was approved unanimously.

RESOLUTION 03-2021-4 – BUDGET AMENDMENT, GENERAL FUND, COVID-19 GRANT EXPENDITURES, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES $10,500.00 (NORRIS).  This grant approved CARES Act funding for installing UV lights in our ambulance fleet.  The lights will kill COVID-19 and other pathogens in approximately 90 seconds.  The resolution was approved 18-0.

RESOLUTION 03-2021-5 – BUDGET AMENDMENT, GENERAL FUND, COUNTY ATTORNEY $235,000.00 (KYLE DAVIS).  This resolution authorized additional funds for the attorney line item and was approved unanimously.

RESOLUTION 03-2021-6 – BUDGET AMENDMENT, DEBT SERVICE FUND $1,600,734.00 (KYLE DAVIS).  This resolution approved paying off the debt note recently issued for the Archives project.  This was a short-term note issued by a bank to be paid off from Debt Service Fund Balance and is a financial move to keep the county in audit compliance.  The resolution was approved 18-0.

RESOLUTION 03-2021-7 – TO APPROVE UPDATING THE CURRENT CUMBERLAND COUNTY PERSONNEL POLICY (FOSTER).  A few minor personnel policy changes were made including incorporating the Tennessee Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, and a workplace search policy.  There were a few other grammatical changes and clarifications made as well.  The entire policy will be available online this week.  The resolution was approved unanimously.

RESOLUTION 03-2021-8 – TO APPROVE THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY COMMUNITY SERVICE WORKERS HANDBOOK (FOSTER).  A handbook was approved for Community Service workers in a unanimous vote.  These workers are not employees, so the handbook was approved separately and contains many of the same provisions as the employee handbook.  This will also be available online this week.

FINANCIAL REPORT
EMS collections for the month were $353,230 which is $19,897 above the monthly budgeted amount of $333,333.  Last month we reported that collections were $314,227 which was $19,106 under the monthly budgeted number.  Additional funds were received last month that revised income up to $369,964 which is $36,631 above the monthly budget.  Year to date we are $480,897 ahead of projections. 

Sales tax collections for the General Purpose School Fund came in at $1,278,153 which is $193,816 above projections.  Year to date we have collected $7,105,638 and are $747,954 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.  We will know more soon, and adjustments may be made to allocate the adjustments appropriately.

Property tax collections year to date are 91.9% of budget compared to 93.8% at this point last year.

Cumulative Hotel/Motel taxes are $445,714 which is 66.71% 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 $484,533, or 59.3% of budget, at this point.

Cumulative Prisoner Boarding collections are $236,396, or 39.19%, of the $602,396 annual budget.  Last year we were at $368,277, 49.6%, of an annual budget of $743,000.