Budget & Finance Committee - Regular Meeting

multiple times, it shuts it down. That's what's been wrong. I say so. All right, we're green. It is September 25th, 2025. It's 5:00. Uh this is budget and finance and open uh uh open up our meeting. We have taken the role. We have two absent. Uh before we approve the agenda, I'm going to put these under five, which is approve the minutes, but 5B will be the Old Stone Fort Bridge. Uh it's a grant, correct, mayor? It would be an appropriation. Okay. An approp Okay.

Uh 5C is going to be a tourism grant for the historical society and 5D will be South Central Tennessee tourism grant. So with those three additions, I'll take a motion to approve the agenda. Make a motion. A motion by Roger and second by Tim Stelfield. Any additions or deletions by anybody? All those in favor by I.

Okay. Public comments. Does anybody need to speak now or you wait and do we'll just do it when they come up on the agenda? Okay. Like we've been doing at HWR. Okay. Everybody seen the minutes of the last meeting and I'll make a motion after you've seen those and looked at them to approve those minutes. Terry Hman and

M. Want to make a motion for the minutes? I wasn't here. I'll make a motion for a minute. Motion by Stfield. I'll second. Second by Chamber. Any additions or deletions to the minutes? All those in favor for approval by I. I. Any opposed? Okay. All right. With 5B on the amended agenda is the Old Stone Fort Bridge.

I'm going to give you just a brief preface here. The uh the Old Stone Fort I'm going to let I hope Mr. Key you're going to speak to this or you want Matt too? Okay. The uh Old Stone Fort Preservation Group, as you guys know, have uh fought extremely hard in the courts and public opinion. Have been pretty successful so far, but they they have uh they have racked up some pretty significant legal fees because they have acquired an attorney. and our two state representatives from this area have been heavily involved and fully in support of this and have mentioned to me that the the private sector has been funding this group and their quest and they asked the state reps just said don't you think Coffee County might be able to help since the hotel motel tax was passed by resolution the U funds Funds collected from the hotel motel tax are specifically to be spent on local tourism and economic development. Nothing else. They're restricted funds. And I myself can't think of anything better to help support uh than the preservation of that old stone for bridge, which I may remind everybody the full legislative body unanimously passed a resolution to keep the bridge in its place. So having said that, I'd like to ask this is the president is Mr. Matt Wiser. You're going to speak to this. just give us a brief description of what where you guys are

and step please.

First off, I want to thank Mayor Hunt uh for inviting us here tonight. Um he's attending our board members, been very supportive of our group's cause. I want to thank the commissioners for their support um their their time tonight but their unanimous support on the county's resolution 2023-9 regarding the bridge to preserve and keep it. Um we're here tonight at suggestion from Rush Bricken uh who's given us tremendous support and attended our meetings. Uh I wanted to share something from Janice Bowling. She said, "Please convey my sincere regret for being unable to attend the committee meeting tonight due to prior commitment. I fully support this request for multiple reasons. The iconic bridge is a central part of our county and state history and is irreplaceable. The economic impact of tourism to the park is significant. The bridge is a central attraction to the park. The critical environmental aspect of saving the bridge is also central to this need. She states that she wants to try and keep demolition out of the most diverse river in North America. Assisting with funding the financial aspect of the intense effort to save our bridge is an investment in our ecological infrastructure, our cultural heritage, and our future economic benefit with tourism. The bridge is central to the identity of the park. And thank you for accepting my endorsement of the financial request being submitted at tonight's meeting. So our cause is preserve and keep it it as as special as it is to us as broad support um evident from thousands of citizens that have signed petition to keep it. It's a historical landmark and a great draw for our tourism as well as Oldstone Fort Park and our beloved Duck River. Supporting our efforts protects all three of these tourism assets. Um Demetri Caladeimus has attended several of our meetings. um aired many pieces on our cause to save our beloved bridge and spread word over the internet

through various websites she's a part of. Um our group has raised over $40,000 through a craft music festival, public donations, and we have several fundraising events um we're scheduling now. We have the rep replica of the bridge that's been and will be an old-timers day parade um and set up in the booth on the square, which is always heartwarming to seeing the smiles that it brings. Common John Brewery has agreed to let us use their space for an event, possibly a chili cookoff or similar. Um, we're discussing and trying to schedule something with LeBron. Um, but some of the things we've done, we've hired private engineers to inspect the bridge for its status and its maintenance schedule. Um, they think that it can be um renovated for um a fraction of the cost. Uh past that, we've had to pursue an administrative hearing regarding the ARAT permit for construction phases, then build a new bridge. We had to take it to a state level first so we could take it to a chancery court, um which is where we're currently at, where we hope, believe, and pray that our local authorities more inclined to see the devastation of the park, the bridge or the river, and everything in between for this unwanted bridge. Uh, currently we owe about $16,000 between attorney fees, expert witnesses, um, and engineering reports. Um, with 12 to $20,000 expected. Um, I want to add that the RV viewers prefer the new entrance. Um, and I want to encourage everybody in the community, privately or business, um, to come forward and offer what support they can. Um, I have some handouts here for you. Um, and Mr. Gary Kevin has a few words to share as well.

Hi neighbors. My name is Gary Kevin. I live out on a real road. Hi Tim. Used to be a neighbor of mine. And anyway, I was president of the the Old Stone Fort Bridge Preservation Group for the last 18 18 months or so and just this last month handed it over to Matthew. Uh during that time we we've uh found how difficult it is to challenge uh a large bureaucracy uh as as in Tekk and and it it's tough on one hand because uh you want to get along with those folks that do so many great things for our infrastructure uh and yet you know when you look at something objectively you got to say well all those people are human so they've got the opportunity to make make a mistake every once in a while as well. And so all we've said with our challenge about the bridge is that uh we think uh the decisions that came uh were done in haste and uh were not the best interest of our community. Uh one thing beautiful about this is that in the 18 months I've been doing this, it's never been a political thing. There's never been party part uh party uh uh partisanship ever mentioned by anybody. There's people from uh all walks of life in our community that support uh saving this bridge and not doing this damage to the river. And uh another nice thing be uh that falls in line with your job is that the whole issue crosses all ages from people out here at the high school that uh uh that like to have their graduation pictures and their prom pictures taken there all the way to grandmothers and grandfathers who take their grandkids out there uh you know to have a nice scenic beautiful place. And I think most of you know that the Chamber of Commerce, the city, and the county have

all used pictures of the bridge uh for several decades uh to mo to promote our community. I think uh I really hope that you all understand the great loss that it would be if we are unable to prevail in saving this bridge. And so far we've really broken the record I think in that we've uh preserved this bridge uh two years past uh when it was supposed to have been settled. So uh we have been heard. We've been heard everything everywhere from the governor's uh uh office on down. So I think we're going to prevail, but we would certainly love to have your all's assistance uh and understanding of the value that the bridge is to our community. Thank you all. So, Matthew, you owe 16,000 now and projected to need another 20. Okay.

Yes, sir. How much money do we have in that account? Mary, you've got your budget book. We in the tourism money about 270,000. The hotel motel tax is 575,000 collect. We collected last year. Okay. But have we spent it? Not. Okay. Yes, ma'am. It's economic and tourism. Okay. So, last year it generated $575,000 and we've not designated what we're going to do with it

right now. That's economic. What I've always done is industrial board and whatever else. Okay. I put in that 58 one. Yes, ma'am. So, so do we give the industrial board money out of it already? Yes. We Yes. That comes out. Other than that, I'm not Okay. If there was something done, I wasn't aware of it and it wasn't I mean, what you're asking is kind of confusing.

I'm not aware it. Can we make a positive uh recommendation if uh her figures come back next meeting to just to see where we're actually at? We give about 300,000 to the industrial board, right? And probably about 18,000 tourism and then uh you know do some maintenance out of the conference center. So other than that, you probably about have about a 100,000 available

and that regenerates every year. Right. Right. Yes. Okay. Yes. When you said 18,000 to tourism, who got the 18,000? 10,000 to Manchester conference center and we gave some money to back heritage in this budget cycle that we're in. No, this that would have been last year's. Okay. And then we did some improvements. Did we do the Christmas lights on the courthouse with it? Christmas lights as a matter of fact. Okay. The the alternating lights on the courthouse,

right? We did one side or two sides. That was That's the 5,000. That's the 5,000. So that makes Well, if you paid every bit of their needs right now, it only be 36. That's what I'd like to do. Make a motion to pay the 36 because we got the money and we can't spend it for nothing else. Just go ahead and give it to them. I second the motion. Okay. Got a motion by Tim Brown. A second.

May I ask for stipulations that reporting goes along with that allocation? You guys are to report all expenditures and it's this would just be a one time gift, right? And y'all's motion. I mean, it's our motion, but Oh, y'all want one time gift or you want until they come back again, ask for more and then we'll Well, yeah. I mean, come back again. Yeah. So, there's one.

All right. So the motion's $36,000 and they will come back with a a not audited but a spreadsheet on your cost what we're spending the money on and that will all be through the tourism and that will be to protect old Stone Fort's old bridge and keep it in place. Yes, sir. And that way people from out of town are paying for it because that's where that's where that's where it's coming from. People from out of town come visit. Yes. Oh yes sir. and and and and the more this hits the news, more people are coming to see that bridge because the chance of it losing it, it's history uh that aren't around anymore. Uh there's just

and I if the on the $300,000 that it estimated to fix it, would that cover car traffic again, too? I don't think that car traffic ought to be on there. say that certain I'm sorry you want to go ahead. Our engineers met with the state and they and they showed them that the bridge is very capable of doing that. That's not our recommendation. We feel like it's best foot traffic and yet still meet the park's primary need which may be for rangers to be able to cross

but you know they can control that or whatever but that would be best pedestrian bridge. with use by by by the park ranger because obviously, you know, we've got a great big new bridge out on 41 and and we you know, we've surveyed all kinds of people including campers and residents and overwhelmingly users of the park and the whole community here support and not doing damage to the river. And I would say that new entrance is a whole lot safer for campers because if you're not a good driver and trying to pull a great big gooseeneck or fifth wheel in there would be a challenge.

Well, one of the things that I did is I visited with head of the police department, Mr. I visited with George the fire department and I visited with other first responders and including the sheriff. Well, they can't if you want to come up here because everybody will be saying they can't hear you. I'm sorry.

So, anyway, I I have a letter from all those first responder department heads and they've all I asked them a simple question. I wasn't trying to load the question. And I just simply said, if you have to respond uh to to the park campground, uh how do you prefer to do that? Every one of them says overwhelmingly by Country Club Drive. Overwhelmingly. Good. Yeah. Well, Nashville has a pedestrian bridge. Oh, yes. Many communities and it's it's lit. It's used just the street bridge.

Many many communities that have saved their bridges. uh it is a focal point for events throughout the year. Uh and and we hope that once this particular issue is resolved that our organization will work with the park in helping sponsor events, dress up the bridge for holidays and and those kinds of things. So, uh we probably will assist them even financially uh in their goals to get more people to use the park. All right. Anybody else any more questions or anything? All right, we got a we got a motion. 36 motion in a second. $36,000 coming out of tourism. Okay. All those in favor by I. Any opposed?

Okay, that one passes. Next one up is the tourism grant for the historical society. Brings tears to my eyes. Thank you so much. Okay. All right, Miss Sandra.

I'm Sandra Bennett and I'm a volunteer at the historical society and primarily in the historical uh museum that's inside the old courthouse on the square in Manchester. And we're pretty much uh one of the very few actual tourism destinations for Coffee County itself, not including what's in the cities, but it's just us. So, um it was suggested to us that we apply for uh tourism dollars from the county since we're part of the county. And so we wrote a letter to Dennis and copied Mariana on it. And Mariana, thank you for all your help. You were really a huge help in helping us put this together. And um we really have started probably two and a half years ago with the museum. We started getting doing more exhibits and having a lot of people coming in. And we had I think I wrote in here we had in 2024 we had upwards of 366 visitors. Now mind you the museum and the historical society are only open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 till 1 and we still had that many people come through. We had the first black history exhibit that we had on the very first day we had 70 people show up. Uh we had a women's history month. I mean we've we've really worked very hard. We're taking our uh things to schools. We're taking exhibits to schools and doing that. We did one for Hickerson and uh East Coffee and um Hillsboro and that one was about what it was like to grow up in Coffee County and go to school from 1904 to 1945. And that was that was

huge. And it was it was great for the kids and Bonnie Gamble and I just did one at Hickerson again. Um the kids had wanted us to talk to them about um trains which we have a lot of information about thanks to Tal and um and they also wanted to know about celebrations. So we talked about old-timers day and the fair and what those traditions meant to this community and that. So, and the kids were great and they loved it and um so we're hoping to do more and more of that and we're hoping to uh get in front of more of the schools and do a little bit more of this. We're actually talking with the Chamber of Commerce in Manchester. They're getting ready to do some sort of program for afterchool kids that have to stay after school until they're able to be picked up or whatever. And they're going to start doing some things with that. and uh they we're going to be working with them to maybe do some programs with them about that too. So, but our primary concern I'm just telling you what we do, but we when we inherited the the museum, Bonnie and I went in and we've got display cases, but they're about as old as the courthouse. So, which was opened in 1871, just so you know. But um we need we do need some more display cases and they need to be lit and they need to have locks on them. Um those are it's important that we do that so that we don't lose any of the artifacts in that that we're showing. Um the other thing that we're working on too is we're doing a marketing plan. I've I have a committee that I'm working with and we're getting ready to do rack cards which is a two-sided brochure so to speak and um one is will be for the

historical society and one will be for the museum and those will go to the chamber of commercees both in Manchester. A lot of the hotels will be getting those and if we can work it out, I want to call the um state of Tennessee and find out if we can get these brochures into the visitor centers. All of that's going to generate more people coming through and more tourism coming into the into town. And so having this additional money right now would help us get at least one more um display case. They're very expensive, but it would help us get at least one new one. And it would also help us with those uh our plans to to market this a little bit more so that we can get more people in.

Does anybody have any questions for me? Um 10,000. 10,000. 10. I'll make a motion we give her the 10,000 out of the tourism money. Oh, I thought you were going to say more. Well, what's the price of one case? It's very expensive. I I Bonnie would know, but she's out of town and I I don't know that off the top of my head, but I know that there she said this will this will barely cover one. So, that's all I know. That's what she told me. It could be a yearly request. It could be because the taxes are I mean the hotel motel taxes

comes in every year. Yeah. It's not going to go away. I mean, we're not trying to be greedy. We just want to kind of get in front of you and say, you know, we're doing the work that is part of the tourism grant and and we're working very hard to do that. So, you know, I would hope that we would go we would be able to qualify for that. Got a motion by Tim and a second by Tim. Any more discussion or any kind of add-ons? Okay. $10,000 out of the tourism to the uh historical society for the courthouse. All those in favor by I. Any opposed? Okay.

Okay. Thank you everybody. I appreciate your help. Uh, and then five D is going to be the South Central Tennessee tourism grant. I want to give a little background if I may. Last year, um, the the director, Ryan French, is that his position? Director, he's still director. He's still director, correct?

Yes, he He uh I'm going to back up a little bit. During our budget approval process last year and years prior, uh the 501c uh charitable donations, individuals that wanted those showed up at budget approval and requested those. And I think all requests that we had during budget cycle uh time were reviewed and granted if there was request last year. I had to spank my buddy Ryan French a little bit because he did not show up during budget approval process time to request this uh $3500. That is a basically a donation because they're a 501c

and he received the letter. We didn't have many people show it off

and last year I I elected to take that out of the mayor's uh discretionary account. I'm not willing to do that this year. So, it's up to you guys to decide uh if this $3500 is u do payable. But I do before you start I got one question uh with this uh this bill that we got requesting funds. We have uh the tourism. What is the value of an overnight accommodation? Coffee County is at the top of the list with 32 million. Did you hand this chart out to people? This do you even see it?

Please introduce yourself. I'm sorry. Um, my name is Amanda McGawen. Um, and I'm the director of operations at South Central. All right, Amanda, if you would. Coffee County, you got Coffee, Mory, Frank. They're all in numerical order based upon the total revenue generated by the accommodations tax. We're at the top of the list at $32 million. Mory County is right under us at $31 million. The next column over is the estimated county occupancy taxes. We don't have that. I know you don't. Okay. It jammed in the copying machine.

Okay.

I'm sorry. So, the uh estimated occupancy taxes for Coffee County is shown at four $41,000. Mory County who had almost uh within a million of us had 128,000. Franklin County had a 880,000 and their tax rate may be different, but I I don't understand why Coffee County's occupancy tax was $41,000. Do you have any presentation that uh corroborates that or

get me straight on that? That ain't much. Something something he doesn't buy he does not buy it. So he he'll be good. And if he does buy it, he's already had his record shot. So don't get real scared up there. Great. May be off on that type of the math ain't math and that's all I'm saying. I'm trying to figure out, you know, what's going on. Sorry. I know that's different information you guys got.

If I had my laptop in here, I could Google it, I guess. But I'm wondering if the comma got put in the wrong place. And it should be 400. This one's also for 2023. That is correct. But that's what he sent with this. It was That's what we got. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That You asked me and I I I don't know where that comes from because that's So Mariana, what did we collect just off top of your head? In hotel motel. Yeah. 75,000 in one year. Yes. That's just the tax on it. That's not the revenue that they spend in.

Yeah. I just had that question. I was hoping that you had an answer for it because that's what he provided to the mayor's office to sign off on this donation. Yeah, I I I don't I'm not quite sure um why there's that discrepancy. I know um Ryan would have a better answer than I do on that on that question. Um but I do know that those are um outdated numbers because we hadn't the state hadn't released the new ones yet when we sent out those invoices. Um, so the the packet you have in front of you is the current information. Okay. Can I ask a question? Yeah, of course.

Could they send this to us updated? This this chart right here that's not listed in our packet. Yeah. Yeah. And all of that information is Yeah. All that information is on the state of Tennessee, the the state's website as well. Um, that would be something for us to just, you know, the people of Coffee County even need to know that is the people that spend the night here are saving you money by are us taxing them instead of us.

Of course. Yes. We try to emphasize that a lot. Um, well, if you've never heard of us before, um, we are a state support agency. Um, there are nine regionals in Tennessee. Um, and we we cover South Central. So, we cover from Wayne and Perry County over to Coffee and Franklin um and up to Murray. Um and then I just gave you these little packets. It goes in a little more about who we are and what we do. Um but we work with our local governments. We work with our local destination marketing organizations like the the visit teleas, the visit fagatvilles, all of those organizations. Um and we also work a lot with our local businesses just to promote visitors to the area. Um, and on this this first page in the packet here, it gives you a little more of a breakdown um of kind of how the regionals work. Um, but we are funded fundamentally by a $35,000 endowment grant from the state and that's a 50-50 match. Um, so these dues that we ask for from our cities and our counties are just to match that fundamental grant. um for our funding. Um and you can see some more of our funding um on that third page of your packet. Um

we provide industry support. We work with the state very closely. Um we also work with the Tennessee Department um uh Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association as well. Um Um we do have we do work with the local DMOS and local businesses. Um but we are tourism first always. Um even if you spend no money on our services, we provide marketing services, um basic social media stuff and some brochure development. Um and we also have a very extensive website, experienced tennessee.com. Um but regardless of all that, we are tourism first. No matter if a if a business doesn't even that we exist, we want to promote them to everybody. Um, so that's that's all the dues are asking for is just to match that fundamental grant that we need to match for the state and that can also um it qualifies as tourism for those lodging taxes.

How long have you all been in in existence? Since 1973. What's the total? 3500. 3500. Yes. I'll make a motion to give them 3500. Okay. A motion by Tim Brown. I second. Second by Todd.

Okay. I'll have to make a comment. You know, we went through this two years ago and Ryan was told you need to come during the budget time. And I sent him a letter saying you need to me this information. I never got the information and it just seems nothing against you. Why we're amending the budget constantly on stuff that should have already been done during our process and it it just to me becomes, you know, more a burden to try to run back and backtrack and gather all this stuff. So I just don't like having when I ask for be ignored. It's very important and we have uh there are certain requirements that I have to have in order to give a nonprofit 501c3 funds. So I asked for that information and mine is not I don't know why he doesn't give it to me.

Could you I'm I'm not sure what you're talking about. What was the information that he couldn't provide?

Every year about February I sent out letters um to anybody that requested funds or received funds in the past, ask them to send in the packet. And there's four things. They're asking to send to my office well in advance. So when we get through this portion of our budget schedule, we go through all this. We have the information where we can review it because if it's if it's a 501c3, there are certain things I have to double check and make sure that it's legal and everything. Was there a W9 at one time that you didn't have

and I couldn't locate the FBI number for this organization? And it's not on me to go. Oh, I totally I totally understand that. And I I remember specifically talking about this with Ryan and I remember packing an envelope with a W2. I'm not sure if that um what happened. Um but we did not deliberately keep information from you. I promise that. Well, I'm just saying that, you know, my office is small and, you know, I limit staff. Oh, we understand that. Absolutely. And I just kind of to the point of asking for so we can give you money. No. Yeah. I I absolutely understand.

Maybe this year starting in March or something, he can hand deliver it. Hope we live here. Yeah. I mean, it can that way it's all checked off and he can come by and check off and make sure that it is here and it's taken care of. Moving forward. Yeah. Moving forward. Yeah. April and May is the time to be here. I mean, even if you bring it in March, it can be put someplace for storage and we know we've got it. That way that's checked off and that way we don't have to go through what we're doing. Or maybe you can bring it. Yeah. You may be more reliable.

I would like to say a year before last, not not in the budget I was uh party to it got reduced by $500. they approved 3,000 as opposed to the full 3500. Then last year, like I said, uh I was I made the request that it come out of my discretionary account to take care of it late in the cycle without having to go through budget amendment and all that. So here we are. There's successive years that it's been tardy

and I spanked him last year. He got spankier before by then. So, so you'll make sure that's taken care of. Correct. Bottom line is you need to show up. If you want if you want lots or I still have to have paperwork every year. Okay. Because we don't like to waste anybody's time. It's something we know who the organization is. He made the motion for 3500, but we I knew we lowered it,000. Yeah. Okay.

Do you want to put this off to the end of the meeting tonight and call Ryan right now and tell him to show up? It's not working. That probably the paperwork will take her the paperwork if get the paperwork tonight. Yeah. Will you check by Monday of next week and make sure that y'all have fulfilled the paperwork to Mariana, please? Ma'am, can we reiterate what that is? It's the W2. I know a W9. Okay, I have a card. Let me grab my cards.

I'll make a suggestion that we wait until the next budget meeting to make sure Maryanne gets the paperwork that she needs. You want to table it? Yes. Okay. I have a motion to table. I'll second. I'll second at the table. Okay. Any discussion to table the $3,500 until the October meeting. All those in favor by I. I. I. That way you got a month. You got plenty of time there. All right. That's the third one. All right.

Mr. Chairman, one thing I want to do. I want to read resolution 2019-10. This was the resolution that established the occupancy tax there. I won't go through all the therefor. But to go to uh section three stipulates the proceeds received by the county from the tax shall be utilized to support local tourism and economic development. Just so you guys know, what you guys just uh were dealing with is covered by resolution 2019-10. Okay. And the two that we spend it on do cover underneath. Uh sir,

the two that with this the bridge and the courthouse historical society fall under tourism. Sure. Okay. And her and hers if they get their stuff ready will fall under tourism also. And I did review that uh bridge stuff with CASS and they're uh they were perfectly comfortable with us using those funds. Okay. Which are restricted for tourism.

All right. All right. We're done with 5D. Now we're on uh six. And six is rural water from J Sarton Road. And M Pew, if you'll let me talk for a second and may not even have to have you. It's this is a rural road in the north part of Coffee County that has no water. They are using water out of the creek. All the wells have gone dry. One spring has very, very little water in it. And she's been working on it longer than I have, but we have gone through Manchester City, two uh directors of Manchester Water. Jeff Perry was the last one that we work with and Manchester City at the time that Mr. Perry was the director over the water department agreed to put in a 6-in water line and uh run it from the top of 16th model to Kathy Ridge being that you have to be uh you have to have people to vote with you. So, you have to get people to come along with you to spend county money. I on HWR don't have the support for a 6-in water line. I do have the support for a 4-in water line, which brings the cost down from 70,000 to $35,000 for the pipe. And that's where we're at, except that Manchester City now is without a water department director. He has resigned this past week, but I would at least like to show these people that we're willing to step forward and this money would come from rule. It would not come out of the general fund. So, it would be the rule people's paying with it with their own taxes to pay for the enough 4inch water line to run from

Kathy Ridge Road to 16th Model. And hopefully the new director of Manchester Water will pick this up and agree to continue with the project as set forth before Mr. Perry left. I have some pictures. It's J Sarton Road enough pipes from 16th model road

to and it will join Kathy Ridge and it will help the whole water system if they do the whole thing because it will also make another pressure loop within their system to where the pressures can be equalized and that would help them out. That would be a 4 inch. That would be a 4 inch line from this committee.

Me being chairman, I will make the motion that I ask that we take $35,000 out of a rural infrastructure fund. That's it. To pay for the 4-in water pipe if Manchester City will continue to to agree to their uh agreement. that be contingent upon Manchester going back when they get Does this come with a a unanimous positive recommendation from HWR? Yes. Okay, I'll second it.

The the question I have will we have time to are do you know what line size line they're tying into on each end? A 6 inch and a 6 inch. So it needs to be a 6 inch ne prefer it would preferably be a 6 inch but just like in Washington DC right you have to work with the people and some people are not willing to and I understand that you got to give and take and that's what this job is about. You don't get I'm not Santa Claus. Uh you have to work with the people and get what they were willing to promote and that's where we're at. Right. So we have a month time to try

October the 14th will be our our date. Okay. So we have that much time to try to improve with the new director to Yes. Yeah. And all of this may go forth and they tell me no and and that I'll get back up and I'll come again. These people need water. Yes, they do. by putting a 4-in line. Um, are is there a reduction in pressure that would cause an eventuality of having to replace it anyway with the 6-in line? Because then it's a bad investment in the first place. In my lifetime, it won't happen because there are about seven homes on this whole road.

Actually, you'll get a little more pressure with a smaller diame. There will not be fire hydrants and most of the the water in my end of the district are 4 in lines. Once you break off of Kathy Ridge and 16th Model Road, they are 4 inch water lines. Mr. Chairman, it be worth noting how many residences. Five on their right. Five residents will be served by this investment that have no water. That have no water. That's they have creek water. Right. But that's the key point here that

they're they're ruining everything that they have. Any kind of appliances is being ruined. Water heaters are being ruined. Uh there's no way to filter it. I mean there's just I mean the filters fill up and it's just useless. So they are in tremendous need. Yes. And they're within a half a mile of the lake that we get our water from. That's the ironic that is the ironic thing about it. The water we all drink from is a half a mile from them and they still can't get it. Right. Okay. A motion by me, second by Tim Brown. All those in favor by I. I. Okay. All right. The next one is me again. And this is probably be contentious.

Several years ago, the county came up with the rural fire department uh a 200 I think it's been four years now.

Four years. Yeah. Okay. This is my second back on. They were taking $250,000 and dividing it between the rural fire department and the rescue squad. You had to jump through these hoops to do it. You had to put in so many fire detectors in each each of your area to to get this. And Hillsboro Fire Department probably did not do everything they should have with their bookkeeping. And at that time, she was not in charge of the the POS. Somebody else was in charge of the POS. And in between the fire department and the person that was in charge of the PO, some things got left out and something didn't get paid and they didn't somehow didn't get their money. I'm just looking to make it fair that they get their 41666 or 667 back from a year ago or two years ago. I don't know how all it fits in there, but they came up short of a year. Um, that's all I'm asking for. Y'all may tell me no. Y'all may tell them no. It was probably as much fault their fault, and I will blame some on them as the person that was in charge of the POSs. They should have kept up with if we're giving you $41,000, you should be more on top of your bookkeeping. But I said I would try to do this and be fair. So,

okay. Have at it. I have a whole folder. I have a whole process. I have met with

individuals three times. Okay. We amended the budget twice last year for the 203 budget year and the 2024 budget year because yes, part of it was the previous purchasing agent. That was number one. Number two was they were wanting to get part of the money in one year and part of the money in the next year. So they had the whole 80 to buy something. Okay. Well, guess what happened in 2024? the funding that should have been there, nobody put it on the agenda because even though there was a four-year commitment time, county legislative body has to approve funding every year. You can't obligate boards beyond the year

you're in.

Well, they neglected to do that. So, we had to go back and amend the budget like we're doing now and put that $250,000 in. It didn't get it wasn't done until October of that year. So what happened? The vendor was waiting for the other half of his money to pay for this one big huge 80 grand or whatever they bought or going to buy and that person didn't get it. The PO was not uh issued to the correct vendor. So when I go through POS at year end, that's another accounting thing. Um have to make sure these are valid. Nobody knew what happened with these POS. So, I have to what I call liquidate it. That means money goes back to fund balance. So, it took me a couple weeks, I'm talking weeks, that I don't have to go through every single one from 23 and 24 to figure out who got the money, who didn't spend the money on all of them, not just Hillsboro and reconcile all this so that going forward when it got moved to my office, I knew who bought what, who didn't buy who, whatever. Because this money is not the contribution that's paid out of the general fund. is out of a rural capital project fund which means the county has to buy the equipment or vehicle or whatever and we gift it to them. So um got that all done. I met with the individuals. I explained you the money for this year you which was ending this prior year. You have to either have a PO or have it spent by June 30th 2025 because that move that money will not roll. The only way it's going to roll is a prior year PO is if you give me a PO request. Well, that wasn't done. So again, it it rolled to the balance and that's why their money for this past

year, they didn't spend it because what just happened. That's what I said. It's their much their fault. Yeah.

So, you know, here again, everybody has we've talked to them. Everybody understands the person policies and why the two things are done different. We've had no problem. I also assign cost centers on every fire department and rescue squad. So, when I pull a report, I can say this is Hillsboro. That's their PO because what was done previous purchasing agent they dumped it all with one account number. Well, you can imagine that's looking for a needle in haststack because the PO's not spent. Did he get spent? Did it get rolled to the next year? It's very complicated. So, that's what I've done for this year to alleviate that. But that's what's happened. And the um the person now who is uh I guess you call him the chief.

He's new. Yes. Their treasure was sick before he got there and and all that you know that happened. So I just wanted to state all that's why they were not able to spend their money that was appropriate for them this past year. Oh they and they have blame. I mean, you know, the blame has to go to them, too, because they didn't take care of their business, right? I'm just trying to see if we can fix it to where we can be even and them learn. We have to amend the budget. Okay. And that's in rural capital projects fund. And question the 41,667.

So, is this Oh, excuse me. Is this a problem that you think if we approve this money going to be solved the next time, the next year? Not if you let them come back and they didn't and we go through this again like well that's what I'm saying. I mean do you think I mean to my knowledge are there any lessons learned here is what I'm right you have a new chief. Okay. Also I know we have discussed in budget and finance last year that if we were not going to continue to do the 250,000 divided then we need to tell them now so they know not to include that in their budget. So if we're not going to continue doing that because that was only supposed to be for

we did do it right during so it was supposed to stop. No it's not co money to help because of fundraising. Yeah. They couldn't have and we were we were told that hey we we didn't do it because it was right here at budget and they had already kind of counted on that and so we didn't do it. But now if next year if we're not going to click, we need to tell them, hey, don't count on that because we're not going to continue that. This this program that was put in place ends with this budget. It will not Yeah, we'd have to renew it for it to continue. When you talk seven budget, right? I just want to make sure they they know.

That's correct. Right. But if we if this what they say is owed to them, this catch them up. Would that be It's not It's not owed to them to me. They earned it and and and in their negligence and the person before Mariana, it got behind and it never got caught back up. I see. I I did get the vendor closed and send them two payments. They earned it, not owed. Yes. I hate the word owed. Yeah, I got you. I don't feel like figured out anybody, right? We didn't vendor they they received their payment and they're good. It was like 80 80 something thousand. Um they did receive it. So um they had their 41667 for this year.

And if you want them to get the money they didn't spend last year, that would be a total of like 80,000 that they could buy a truck with. Does that make sense? I'll make that motion to pay that 41,000 of 2020 motion. It's 2025. Yeah, it's it's kind of confusing because I'll second. And Tim Stolefield seconds. Any discussion?

May I make a comment? the um the VA the all of our first responders uh they do extraordinary things and I think our commission and this budget and finance committee made extraordinary efforts to uh get our sheriff's department and deputies up to par and and making a commitment to the people in our rural areas that uh offered the fire protection. that we enjoy as rural residents. So, I'm I'm glad that you guys are helping them out the way you are and I appreciate it.

Yeah. And they can always made they can always come see our purchasing agent. That's that his job. Well, I'm going to call him because they they're not they don't have time to go do that. Y and we're happy. That's our job. We want to help them make sure they get what they want and that's all follows the county purchasing policy. Okay. All right, we got a motion and a second. Any discussion? More? All those in favor by I. Okay. 8 county budget and that's in front of us.

Um my budget amendment. I mine's real big. I swear. Okay. I have the first one is a revision. I handed you those out earlier just so you'd have them. uh where it says revised at the top because I had to add a line for recovery court. I I meant to move the one that says at the top part it says how did I put it? Oh 103 under recovery drug recovery court 103 assistant 20,000.

Yes. That needs to be part-time. So, I've moved it down to the second part which increases person part-time personnel by 20 grand. I forgot to do that. And then in the meantime, Miss Jenny Anthony had a request to move uh the money that is in her budget in 199 which was paying for a court officer for circuit court which now the sheriff is handling that. It's not having to be charged to her budget. She wants to move that and use that for part-time help. Is that her? Is that your Okay. No, that's the next one. The 19,000. That's another one. Okay.

Is that what you're saying? The 19,550 move to Yes, ma'am. The 19,000 550 down to on that second page, number four, circuit court part-time personnel 169. I see. a little bit more of an explanation where you know so the sheriff no longer took took that over and so that no longer has to come out of your so you want to move it to that yeah because that court officer back so many years ago was to court judge the circuit court judge no longer requests for that and then the sheriff did

okay he fixed that on his end as far add that those funds which were already in my budget

and my and if you want to know what I plan to do as a part-time position is um I hired a young gentleman I had a lady in my office that went part time fulltime but during that time I had Mindy A um Coffee County High School reached out and asked if I had any positions up and I said, "Actually, I do. I kind of I could I could hire someone on temporary part-time um until my other full-time employee could come back." And I hired a young gentleman from the high school. He's interested in going to law school. And I was so impressed by him. Um I wanted to keep him. Um the other lady, you know, she was my purchasing person and she works in my collection department. So, I uh um I needed her back with me full time, but I didn't want to let him go. And it just happened to work out. Another position had came open, and I hired him full-time, which he's been phenomenal. But the part-time position would allow me to have that door open. That's what I plan to use it for for either um college interns or somebody will wanting to learn more about the judicial system and kind of become involved. They learn so much being there and seeing what comes in and what flows through there. So that's kind of my goal is why I want that. Um, and they also are a huge help to extra workload that we get in areas of the court while they're learning. So, that's my that's the whole reason why.

Okay. Thanks, Jean. You're welcome. Um, the other thing is yes, uh, the letter from Judge Perry. Yes.

That is the last one, number three. That's what that is. Amending the American Administrative of Justice budget. That's the one. That's that $330,000 grant from the federal government. It's a Samson grant, which is a substance abuse mental health services. Um, this is moving. They had money that they because federal budget year is October to September. Ours is July to June. there's two months there was overlap and they can still spend some of the money that actually to us was last year. So that's what we've done. Move the money around and and then that has a recommendation for one of his staff to help with the administration of the family treatment court.

Okay. So that's his letter of support and recommendation that he sent over today. Um so that that is the number three. This one does not cost the county anything fully funded. Okay. It's just showing where the money's going. It's just showing because it's personnel costs. I have to do a formal budget amendment. I can't I can't move it without um your approval and the county legislative body. So, we can vote on all three of them. And do you do you want me to go ahead and add to the first one since it's already revised the tourism

the 58110316 the 36,000 for the close store form bridge and the 10,000 for for October yes we can do that combine them they're all general fund so that one I would need to take the which would be total of 46 because those are both are going to be 10,000 and 36,000 And that'll I'll just insert that as unassigned fund balance. Okay. Okay. So I think that I'm done with that one. And then number three is okay. You'll vote on all. Well, really it's four of them if you're going to do the budget amendment on the tourism. Well, it's number one and number three.

Okay. To my mind, it's two. Okay. Two. All right. Anybody want to make a motion on Mariana's? I'll make a motion. Okay, I'll second. Motion by Laura, second by Tim Stoffield. This is on Coffee County government's budget amendments. Any discussion? All those in favor by I. Okay. Any opposed? All right. School board.

So, I have several amendments. Do you want me to go through them all together as one vote or do I need to do them separate? Together is all together. We vote them. Okay. Unless we if they have a question, I can stop you.

Yes. I'll I'll pause between each one and to see if you guys have questions. Um first one 141 20263. Um this is we received a state grant for safety. Um so after doing some um some disc safety discussions at the office and with supervisors, we decided to purchase a um software called Raptor for our schools. It's going to improve our safety at our schools. Um and then we also need to the grant wasn't enough to cover that. So we'll need to use some of our fund balance to um take care. So this will take care of all of our schools. This is software that we'll install to help with um check-ins and many other things that um we currently don't have at some of our locations. So, this we'll use part of the grant and then we'll also use um 40 around 48,000 from fund balance to take care of the software. Any questions? Um 14120264 we received a grant. It is a um grant to our school psychologists are really hard to staff. So this is a hard to staff grant that we applied for. Um we've posted some positions. So this is um kind of a incentive to maintain and keep our one school psychologist and then hire another. So this is just an extra stop. not this a total amount but this is gives us the stipens to pay for that position because right now we have one and we would like to have three and they're just really hard staff to um position. So, we um applied for this grant and received it. And so, this is to bring the funds into our budget to use um as an incentive to keep our current and incentive to hire an um new um school psychologist questions.

Um 141 20265. This is just a reclassification within my budget. Um the state department didn't like did not like where I had um placed the afterchool program. So this is just moving it from one area of the budget to another. Um we're moving it from the top part to the bottom part of my budget.

They didn't like it. They told me not to use that account number. I've been there.

I said then why is it open? Um 141 20266. So two years ago 23 24 school year we received um what we call Tissa outcome funding bas basically it's funding we received based on our test scores ACT scores um ROC ROC um ASVAB scores and so it's funding um that generate is generated from our kids um each year and we this is the 23 so the state allowed us to restrict the funds the 23 24 funds to um use those in other school years. And so we're we restricted 251,000 to bring forward into this school year. And as a supervisor group and with principles, we met and we came to a decision on how we want to use those funds. So, if you look at the bottom, we're going to use it for instructional to um enhance our instructional programs, for some tutoring, for some um planning for our secondary um some trainings, some new software, um some ACT prep, um and some like to put and we also put a lump of funds in for some more professional development for our staff because we currently have a hard not a hard time doing that, but we currently have a hard time finding the funding. in our budget to do that. So, we um are putting some funding toward um future development of our staff.

They won't let use that might be coming for me. Any questions on that one?

So, it's restricted funds. It's coming out of our assigned restricted fund balance. Um but it's funds that came in from the state based on our scores. So 141 20267. Um so last month I think I came to you with a budget amendment for um state funding that gave all of our eligible teachers or certified personnel um $2,000 um bonus. Um, so that came to you guys last month and um, so after that our board decided that they would like to pass they would like to do that for all of our employees. And um, so that this budget amendment is to give all of our eligible employees from the 2425 school year who are still with us or who have retired from Coffee County Schools um, the $2,000 bonus and that um, paid out in December. So, this um budget amendment is for that. And this is the benefits and the $2,000 for each employee. And um we are taking the $818,000 from our fund balance to to take care of this um budget amendment.

Is that 818 that include the teachers bonus as well? No. No. So that was a separate budget amendment um that came I think it was around 700,000 and that was all state funded. So it was part of the education freedom act. Um so that was a separate revenue from this. So this is other employees that didn't receive. So this is like our custodians, our cafeteria, teachers aids, cafeteria staff, everyone that didn't qualify to get it. Do you have a number of employees for us? Um, so this is so it's 818,000 divided by 2,000. Is that what

we don't have two? No. So this would be So our certified staff is split probably half and half. This is around almost 400 employees. Okay. Yeah. So yeah, you could divide it by thousand. Yeah. Lot of school employees. Yeah, we have close to 800 I think right now if you don't count subs.

Any other questions on that one? 141 20268. Um these are two state grants that we receive each year. So this is um actually the third year of our innovative school models grant which is a CTE grant that we got for three years. So this is to bring the remaining funds from left from that grant into our budget and then a state preschool grant that we receive each year. So this is re just revenue we're bringing in and then how we're assigning that revenue in the bottom. And then 14120269 um I think we came to you maybe last school year um talking about our lights um at our athletic fields. So, this this budget amendment and we've bid that out. We've got all of our numbers back. Our board's approved us to go forward. Um, and we are putting up and if y'all have questions for Mr. Schwarz, he's here and he's worked on this project. Um, but he we are putting up new lights at all of our athletic facilities, football field, couple middle school fields that didn't have lights, all of our baseball, softball fields, soccer fields. So, everything is getting all new lights. Um, not missing anything. Poles and lights. So, um, this 1.4 million, um, will almost cover it. I think came in a little bit higher, but we have enough in our capital fund to take care of, um, the rest. This was a restricted fund that the board um, took care of maybe two years ago. So, we did originally um, we originally restricted 1.5 million and we used about 42,000 of that on drawings so we could bid this out. And so that this is the rest of the funds to to um take care of the lighting at all of our fields. Pretty we're pretty excited about it.

I'll make a motion to approve all the budget amendments. Get a motion by team brown. I'll second it. Second. Any discussion? All those in favor by I. I. Chair has to oppose. Not oppose but abstain. Sorry. Chair abstains.

All right. Next meeting. Thank y'all. Or anything else? Anybody? Thank you. Okay. Next meeting. October the uh can be the 23rd or it can be the Nope. I won't be here for neither one for the 30th. 23rd. 30th. Yeah, I'll be here. That's 30th. It's not Halloween. No, no, no. Halloween's 31st. Go trick or treat. Okay. You going to go trickor treat? Okay. Is October the 30th agreeable with everybody? Okay. All right. October 30th. We'll see y'all at 5 o'clock. All right. I make a motion to adjurnn. Make a motion to got a motion to do

we need to elect officers this year. Oh, we can we can come back real quick. We need to Okay, take nominations for all three. Chair, vice chair, and uh secretary. Somebody can have mine. Oh, I'll call us back to order real quick. Tim Brown that way. We got it. Tina, you said it, Mr. Morris. Yes, ma'am. As spokesperson for the J Sartine Road residents and the property owners, I just want to say thank you. Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am. Thank you. Hope it keeps going.

All right. Since we're back in session again, uh nominee or uh chairman, I second that. Anybody else want to do chairman? Okay. Somebody want to make nomination cease. I do. Okay. Make nomination. Yeah. Nomination. I guess I'm then uh tag. I miss. Uh vice chairman. He's not here. I invite Mr. Stfeld to be vice chair. I second that. There you go. Also cease nominations. You won't. You won't.

Okay. All nomination seats. Anybody else want to end? Okay, Mr. Stofield. I'll nominate Miss Nettles to be the secretary. I second that. Thank y'all. Make a motion to see nominations. Okay. Thank you. See? All right. We do need to Brown want to be the secretary. I think we do need to get out if we are going to discontinue the fire department thing. I think it's something that we need to look at and talk about. It helps them a whole lot, but it is a lot of money. U it's a whole lot cheaper doing it this way than having a rural fire department to support. So, just something to think about. Mariana, I apologize. Bring all this in on top of you.

Shoot me in the back when I walk out the door. It's not that I didn't try to communicate with you. I understand. That's why I said it's it's Yeah. Well, that's what I said. It's not your fault. Yep. Understand. I can't make people do. We're journed. Yeah, made journey.