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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Property tax reduction proposal fails to pass council.

After an attempt to reduce the Crossville city property tax rate failed to receive enough votes for passage, the city council went on to approve the third and final reading of the city's budget and tax rate.

Councilman J. H. Graham caught some of the council off guard when right at the start of the meeting he made a motion to waive the rules to take up consideration of the tax rate first at the meeting. The rule waiver was approved and Graham said that he would like to see the tax rate dropped from the state certified 59.05 cents down to 55 cents per $100 of assessed value.

Graham gave several reasons for the action, including current strong sales tax collections and people who talked to him during the election saying they wanted property tax reductions from increases and reappraisals. Graham estimated that the change would reduce the property tax collections by $172,000 for the coming fiscal year or $43,000 per tax penny. Graham added that the reduction could be funded from the city's current fund balance expected to be some $13.5 million at the end of the current fiscal year.

“I feel very comfortable that the City of Crossville is in great shape as far as the fund balance in concerned,” added Graham

Council member Pamala Harris seconded the motion and noted that the city had a lot of expenses with projects and capital outlay that even that amount of reduction in revenue could create problems in the long run.

Mayor James Mayberry said he was comfortable at the current time but added, “There are lots of things that we want to do that we haven't even got to. Economist are talking about potential downfalls and cyclical economy slowing down and our biggest income to run our community is off of sales tax but we have no control over that.”

Harris brought up the proposed special census as a way to increase revenue as well. Graham said that the increase in state shared taxes could cover the loss of revenue. Discussion on capital expenditures followed that are planned for the next year and part of the future capital spending plan.

City Council members discuss a possible property tax 

reduction during a June 29 called meeting.

After a some further discussion, the vote was called for and failed in a 2 to 2 tie. Graham and councilman Danny Wyatt voted in favor while Harris and Mayor Mayberry voted against. Council Scot Shanks was out of town and unable to attend the meeting.

Councilwoman Harris proposed a smaller reduction and moved to make the tax rate 57 cents for the coming fiscal year but her motion did not receive a second.

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With that, Mayor Mayberry moved that the city property tax rate be set at the state certified rate of 59.05 cents for the 2017-18 budget year. A second on the motion was given by councilman Graham.

The motion passed with 3 aye votes and Mr. Wyatt opposed.

Later in the meeting the council approved the full 2017-18 fiscal year budget at a $1.9 million deficit that will be covered out of the estimated $13.5 million fund balance. The budget motion by Mayor Mayberry was seconded by Mr. Wyatt and passed with four votes in favor. Council also unanimously approved the resolution for the non-profit donations.

Crossville city council called meeting on June 29 agenda includes budget, tax rate and more.

Crossville city council will meet in a special called meeting June 29 with the third and final approval of the city's new fiscal year budget and tax rate on the agenda. The meeting is set for 5 PM and will be followed by a work session.  The work session agenda will be released next week. 

The new tax rate, certified by the state following the countywide reappraisal is $0.5905 per $100 of assessed value. The new rate is a 4 cent drop from the previous year's tax rate of $0.63.

Crossville City Hall

In addition to approving the final version of the 2017-18 budget with a $1.9 million deficit that will be covered by the city's large rainy day general fund balance, city employees will see a 2.5 percent raise. Council will also approve the list of non-profit donations.

Other ordinances on third reading that are part of the consent agenda will include the third and final reading of the budget amendment for the current year's funding of the Garrison Park redevelopment, the city's amended tree removal ordinance and the year end budget adjustments.

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Council will also consider second reading of the ordinance regarding sewer extensions outside the city limits but in existing developments.

The final item on the agenda covers discussion and action on helping replace an HVAC unit at the Fair Park Senior Center. One of the current units has failed and will cost $12,000 to replace. Council,man Danny Wyatt is proposing that the city split the cost with the county to replace it.

A work session for the July regular council meeting on July11 follows the special called meeting
More on the work session at this link.