Final Approval of 18-19 City Budget and Hotel/Motel tax expected at Council's Regular June Meeting

Crossville City Council should give final approval to the 2018-19 fiscal year budget during the meeting Tuesday, June 12 and approve the new hotel/motel tax as well.

Crossville City Council members L-R: J.H. Graham,

Danny Wyatt, Mayor James Mayberry, Pam Harris

and Scot Shanks.

The schedule for council's regular meeting night starts at 5 PM with the audit committee, a public hearing on the 2018-19 city budget at 5:30, beer board at 5:35 and the solicitation board at 5:55 PM. The regular agenda gets underway at 6 PM.

The third and final reading of the budget is expected to pass easily. The budget shows revenue totaling $19,425,353 and expenses of 20,597,073 with a final deficit for the year of $1,171,720. The city holds a fund balance of over $12 million dollars to cover the additional expense over revenue.

The city's property tax will remain unchanged at 59 cents per $100 of assessed value.

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The council is expected to approve the new hotel/motel tax by the required supermajority as those funds have already been incorporated into the budget. The city originally requested a 3 percent tax on hotel rooms in the city over and above the county's 7.5 percent hotel/motel tax. That would have made Crossville one of the highest taxed in the state. The matter had to be approved by the Tennessee General Assembly and they reduced the tax to 2 percent before sending it back to the city council.

In other matters on the council agenda, they will consider a waiver of fees for inspections on the Crab Orchard School construction, consider contracts for the sale of 11 acres in the Interchange Business Park to an industry identified as “Project Colony” and a lengthy list of annual purchase bids.  

Additional Story on June's city council meeting at this link.

FIrst Reading of Crossville Budget and Tax Rate on Thursday Called meeting Agenda

The Crossville city council has a full agenda for the special.called.meeting set for Thursday, May 24 at noon.

Among the items on the agenda are the first of three readings required to approve the city's 2018-19 fiscal year budget and the property tax rate of 59 cents, no change from last year.  The budget stands at $1.1 million in the red with the balance to come from the general fund balance with 10 times the deficit amount. CLICK HERE to download a PDF of the budget.

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A public hearing on the budget will be held on June 12, prior to the Council's June regular meeting.

A public hearing is set on the city's capital improvement plan at the start of the meeting and approval of the plan is also on the agenda. Click here to download PDF of the Capital Improvement Plan.

Council will consider a request from County Mayor Ken Carey that the city waives the fees on building permits and inspections for the Crab Orchard school project.  The estimated fees are just over $20,000. 

The purchase of a Jet A fuel truck for the airport will be considered.  A used truck has been located at a cost of $20,000. A grant will fund half the purchase with the city matching the grant.

A few other housekeeping mattered are also on the agenda. 

Cumberland Co Commission to consider 2017-18 budget and tax increase Monday

With a 6 cent property tax increase proposed to fund school construction, the Cumberland County Commission budget committee has a special called meeting and two public hearings set for Monday July 31 starting at 5 PM.

Because this is a reappraisal year a second public hearing by the full county commission is set for 5:30 PM to give the public a chance to comment on the plan to exceed the certified tax rate from the reappraisal. Real property values in the county have increased by some $40 million from 5 years ago and personal property is up by some $4 million.  The way the reappraisal works is these increases are offset by a reduction in the tax rate to provide the same revenue to the county.

The certified tax rate is set at $1.5053 by the Tennessee Comptrollers office and the county is proposing a tax rate of $1.5653.  The tax rate for last year was $1.5275

The county property tax rate is divided up as follows:
$0.5962 for the general fund,
$0.6159 for the general school fund,
$0.1207 for the solid waste/sanitation fund, and
$0.2325 for the debt service fund

In addition, the county commission has a resolution before it to authorize the issuance of debt not to exceed $12,350,000

The County Commission will convene in special session at 6 PM Monday July 31 to consider those resolutions along with full 2017-18 county budget and the appropriations for non-profit charitable organizations.

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Budget hearing and 2nd reading set for June 13 regular council meeting

Crossville city council meets for the regular June meeting on Tuesday June 13 and will hold a public hearing on the city's upcoming 2017-18 fiscal year budget as well as consider the second reading of the three required to approve it.

The meetings get underway with the audit committee meeting at 5:00 PM with the budget public hearing to follow at 5:30 PM and the regular meeting starting at 6 :00 PM.

Most of the council agenda is routine with even the budget and tax rate ordinance approvals in the consent agenda.  The third and final reading on the 2017-18 budget and tax rate is expected later in June with the new budget year starting July 1, 2016 

 Other consent agenda items include a budget amendment for Garrison Park renovations, changes to the tree removal ordinance and an amendment to the agreement between the city and Crossville Aero on the airport operation.  

The changes to the airport agreement increase the fuel flow fee from 5 cents a gallon to 10 cents per gallon and add the lease on the new hanger to the agreement. An additional 20 annual bid approvals for a year of purchases are also expected to be approved with the consent agenda.

Two bids that are not under the consent agenda is the proposed special city census. The low bidder has recently performed a census for the city of Farragut and is the low bidder with an estimate of just under $21,500. The only other bid received came in at $92,000. The city had budgeted $50,000. Catoosa Utility district is seek to purchase 204 water meters with funds left in their budget. The cost would be $29,360.

At the end of the agenda is an item on the development of the industrial site for which the city has received a state grant. In addition to approval of the grant contract, an agreement has been worked out between the city and the county for the joint funding of the matching funds that is on the agenda for approval. Cumberland County has already approved and County Mayor Ken Carey has signed the document.  

June Regular Crossville City Council Meeting includes discussions of Public Comment, APEX Wind Farm and More

The Crossville city council has their regular June meeting scheduled for Thursday June 9 and agenda items include the council's standing rules once again, public comment and first amendment rights as well as a discussion on the Apex wind farm proposed for Crab Orchard.

In addition, a public hearing is scheduled for 5:30 pm prior to the regular meeting as well as the second readings of the budget and tax rate ordinances leaving one final reading for final approval expected to come later in the month.

The schedule for the evening includes

5:00 pm Audit committee meeting

5:30 pm Public hearing on proposed 2016-17 city budget.

5:50 pm Public hearing on annexation of 103 Meadowview Ln.

6:00 pm Regular Council meeting

The consent agenda includes the readings of the budget and tax rate unless a council member requests that they be pulled out for either discussion or separate vote. A long list of annual bids on supplies purchased for the upcoming year is expected to be a consent list as well and bids on several items including the infrared FLIR camera for the police department's drone are on the agenda.

For the third month in a row, councilman Pete Souza is asking the council to consider rescinding the council standing rules adopted March 10 this year that abolished the monthly work sessions and public comment except at the end of the council's meetings. The previous two times have been unsuccessful.

Another item requested for the agenda by Mr. Souza is titled “Discussion and possible action on failure to comply with the standard rules and Robert's Rules during the May 12, 2016 regular scheduled meeting, and violation of first amendment rights."  When asked about the item, Mr. Souza said it was about “the right for people to speak without being interrupted and the right of an individual to criticize public officials without abusive behavior. To be told that they couldn't say anything derogatory about elected officials is incorrect.” Souza continued by saying, “The council does not have the right to just blurt in and take over the council chambers without being recognized.”

Councilman Danny Wyatt has requested to discuss the impact of the Apex wind farm on Crossville. Wyatt also wants to discuss the proposed Crossville Memorial Airport Aviation Hall of Fame and recognizing former councilman, the late Boyd Wyatt, Sr. for his service and support of the airport.

Other agenda items include a presentation by Hospice, the city manager and city attorney reports, the marketing report and the final reading to approve the budget amendment to pay the severance package to former city manager David Rutherford.

Crossville City Council schedule for May 12, 2016

Crossville city council has a busy schedule for their meeting night Thursday.

5:00 pm Council meets as the audit committee

5:35 pm Public hearing on annexation of Stagecoach Place Cafe property on 127-S

5:45 pm Solicitation board

5:50 pm Public hearing on 2016-2025 capital improvement plan

6:00 pm Council meeting

More information to come.