County Commission - Regular Meeting

Need everybody to check roll call buttons on their device. It appears we have 14 present. That is a quorum. I need our sheriff's deputy to please call this meeting to order. proclaim permission open for business.

Thank you for that. Okay, the first thing we're going to invite Terrence Hillsman, please to the uh lectern. Would somebody check the microphone? Be sure it's turned on or there should be a slide switch. Yeah, it's working. Terrence doesn't need any help. Thank you. Got it. We got it.

All right, let us bow our heads. Our father in our father God in heaven, we come before you this evening with bowed heads and humble hearts. We come just thanking you for this day. We thank you for waking us up this morning and just allowing us to see and be part of another new beautiful day that we've never seen before. We come just thanking you for this opportunity to assemble together to serve and to work together for each and every individual of this county, each family, and each business. We just pray that you will just continue to bless each individual of this county. We pray that you will be with the leadership here and that you will help them to serve with love and compassion uh as they set out to to do the best possible job for each and every individual and family and business of this county. Uh we come at this time just um asking a special blessing upon all the less fortunate, all the sick, all those that are going through hard and trying times. We just pray that if it be your will that you will provide whatever needs that you see that they stand in need of. For we know that you have all power and that you can do all things. And we just pray that everything that's going to be said and done will be pleasing in your sight. These and all the blessing we ask in your son Jesus's name. Amen.

Amen. Thank you, brother Hman, for that message. Thank you. I'm going to ask our chairman, Pro Tim, uh, Mr. Stubblefield to lead us in the pledge to the US flag. First flag. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Okay. Our next uh first item would be to approve the agenda with consent items. Mayor, I'm looking request to speak. Who wants to speak? That's something I can't see. Who wants to speak up here on my screen? So, Commissioner Mars, last night in uh our meeting, we uh there was a request to take 5B and 5C out from underneath the consent so it could be discussed in the open meeting.

Need a motion to amend is what we need. motion. I make a motion to amend. I don't see it on the agenda yet. Yes.

Okay. We have a motion uh by Commissioner Watkins and a second by Commissioner Chambers to approve the agenda, but we need a motion to amend. It won't work. It won't work. It won't work. Okay, we got it now. Okay. All right. The motion to amend by Commissioner Morris, seconded by Commissioner Duncan. Please state your amendment.

Yes, sir. It's to take 5B and 5C out from underneath the consent so it can be discussed tonight in the meeting. and to add 10D as an apology letter. Okay. duly noted. We have that down and those can be discussed when we come to them. So, we'll take a vote on Do you think we should vote as amended or vote on the amendments?

Okay, we're just going to vote on the amendments. Okay. Does everybody understand the amendments? We need a vote to amend. We need a vote screen up.

The amendment was

Duncan. One of these days we may go back to the old timey way of just raising our hands to vote.

I think that's what you're going to have to do. They have the amendments up now and they can't go back.

We're ready to vote on the amendment if they can get that. Okay. That's what we're That's what we need.

Yep. Okay, the vote has been tallied. The amendment has been approved with 12 yes and one no. Now we're ready to vote on the agenda as amended. The agenda has been approved with 12 yes and one no. Moving down to

let's see we would need public comments at this point on agenda items only. Does anybody wish to speak? Floor is open for public comments on the agenda as amended. Are you guys still trying to get the screen right?

I thought we'd already voted. Do we not or we not? Yeah. Without public comment, the first item on our agenda is going to be 5B. The the one we took out. It's if you guys can get that ready for vote. That would be the financial summaries and statements of cash flows as of March the 1st, 2026 and March the 31st, 2026. So, uh, are you guys are going to be able to get that one item on as a to vote? I'm going to ask Mary to go on ahead and review that for us, please. Ma'am,

speak in your microphone, please. Okay. So, we're voting again on the approving the agenda as amended. Okay. Once again, the agenda has been approved. 12 yes, one no as amended. Now, in Mariana's defense, she saw an agenda consent item, and now it's one that she needs to report on, and she's not prepared for that.

Just want to know if there was a specific question about one of the funds. That's Can you please pull your microphone down? Thank you. Every month when I close, I run these reports and give them to you. This just shows how our our budget compares what we've budgeted compared to what has come in or what we've spent in each of the funds. And then I also give a cash flow which actually shows the actual cash in those funds. Does anybody have any questions for Mariana?

Well, Roseanne was one who asked for it last night and she has had a family emergency. Are we here here's a good overall question. Are we doing very pretty good with our budget right now on our on our balances and expenditures? Well, there's nothing in there that is unexpected over what we've already discussed in budget and finance a minute to budget for at this point. Um I mean nothing highly outstanding on an expenditures. Um just the jail is the usual and utilities are up.

Yes, ma'am. Mhm. But our revenues staying the revenues are stable. Good. They're not too high. They're not too low. They're just stable. Yes, ma'am. Because you're conservative,

right? Anybody else got any questions for Mariana? If not, we need to vote on accepting 5B. Yeah. Motion to approve. Motion to approve. There a second. Second.

Okay, we're going to voice vote. Is that okay, Mr. Parliamentarian? We need to move on. That is okay. All right. By voice vote, all those in favor of accepting the 5B as presented, answer by I. I. Opposed. Motion carries. 5B as presented has been accepted. 5C. We're going to do the same thing. Report on the debt obligation. Have you got a Thank you.

This is the report we're required to file anytime anytime we have any kind of inter in inter fun loans or borrowings. This one was a little different because what we actually did is we moved 3.5 million from our capital project, excuse me, general debt service fund over to capital projects to use on the justice center roof and the tele library instead of um incurring debt. um we had enough money in there to pay for these product these projects and anytime you do what they the state calls it a capital outlay interf loan you they're required for us to send this report to the comprollers's office and you know all it says we're not repaying anything back there was zero interest but it's required by statute to be filed and it missed the March agenda so That's why it's on a April's agenda.

Has anybody got any questions for Mariana, our budget director? If not, I'll entertain a motion to approve 5C as reported. I'll make a motion we approve. Second. Motion by Commissioner Morris, seconded by Commissioner Watkins. Any more discussion? All those in favor by I. I.

Those opposed? Thank you. All right. Now, we need to review the approval of the minutes. Now, the way this all got laid out, we might have got a little bit discombobulated, but uh line item seven, we need a motion to approve. Can you get to the approval of the minutes on your computer? Approval of minutes. This is a motion to approve by Commissioner Watkins, seconded by Commissioner Reid. Any changes, amendments, corrections to the men the minutes from our last meeting? There being none, let's vote, please. The minutes have been approved with 13. Yes. Thank you for that. Next, resolutions of memorials, sympathy, proclamations, and commendations. We have one which is April. It's safe digging month proclamation. Since we have a relatively short agenda, I will read this out. Whereas each year the underground utility infrastructure of Coffee County is jeopardized through unintended damage by those who fail to contact 811 to have underground lines located prior to digging, resulting in undesired

consequences such as service interruption, damage to the environment, and personal injury or even death. And whereas Tennessee 811 and its over 600 members, utilities promote the call before you dig number 811 in an effort to reduce these damages. And whereas designated by the FCC and implemented in 2007, 811 provides potential excavators and homeowners a simple number to reach their one call safe dig center to request underground facility line locations at intended dig sites. And whereas through education of safe diving practices, excavators and homeowners can save time and money and help keep our nation safe and connected by making a simple contact to 811 in advance of any digging project. waiting the required amount of time, respecting the marked lines by maintaining a visual definition throughout the course of the excavation, and digging with care around the marks. And whereas safe digging is a shared responsibility to know what's below, contact 811 before you dig. Now, therefore, I, Dennis A. Hunt Coffee County Mayor do hereby proclaim the month of April 2026 as safe digging month in Coffee County and encourage all citizens to join me in this worthy observance. So that is a big deal. A lot of people you've seen some YouTube videos of natural gas lines exploding causing uh death and injury and property damage. So, it's a it's a worthy cause. Keep it on your mind. 811. Uh motion to approve this proclamation

by Commissioner Watkins, seconded by Commissioner Hollinssworth. Is there anybody any discussion or comments? There being none, let's vote, please. This proclamation has been approved with 13 yes votes. Thank you for that. Okay. Old business there being none. New business 10A resolution 2026-04 Coffee County reappraisal plan with resolution and me memorandum of understanding. Need a motion to approve that. That is in your packet. Motion by Commissioner Miller, seconded by Commissioner Duncan. Uh, does anybody Let's see. Is uh Alisa here? Would you mind coming up and explaining that briefly? Alisa Fletcher, our property assessor. Basically, this is just the reappraisal plan. State of Tennessee requires um every fourth year we're completing a reappraisal this month and this is just where by law it has to be signed to say that we'll do this again in 2030. So we've been on a four-year schedule um since 1994. So the county has been reappraised every four years since 1994. So it's just

Anybody have any questions for our property assessor? And um I handed out a couple of extra handouts about you all will be I've already requested what they call the certified tax rate. Obviously values go up every four years. The certified tax rate gets lowered every fourth year to try to offset that. So I've already I already have a request in with the state to get that figure. So we'll have that hopefully in the next couple of weeks. Any questions for our property assessor? There being none, we're ready to vote. Thank you all. If anybody has any questions, you can always call or come by the office. Thank you, ma'am.

Thank you.

This has been approved with 13. Yes. Thank you for that. Now, the revised sick leave policy. It's a motion to approve by Commissioner Miller, seconded by Commissioner Watkins. So, this came from policy and procedures. That would be normally would be Commissioner Hirschman speak to that, would he not? He's not here. Who's vice chair of that committee? Nobody's admitting. What about Commissioner Stubblefield? Are you on that committee, Commissioner Watkins?

Are you on that committee? There we go. Found one. Commissioner Miller, would you please speak to this? Actually, it went through legislative and uh policy and procedures and uh it's very little change from what it has been in the policy all along. Uh it just some of the objections from uh employees were wording and so the wording was slightly changed to soften the thing that sounded like. So it really wasn't changed much.

Any discussion on this policy, the sick leave change? There being none, we're ready to vote on it. Six leave policy has been approved with 12 yes and one no. Thank you. Next is the reszoning old highway. Real quickly, this was a urban growth boundary reszoning issue that goes through urban growth boundary reasonzonings goes through the respective uh cities. This one was Manchester City. Manchester City planning commission reviews it. They gave a positive recommendation, sent it to us. It required a public hearing which took place at our last meeting. But what they did not send to us was the official minutes of that meeting where it got approved, nor the resolution that is required to amend our zoning map to reflect the accurate zoning district it's being changed to. It's a small pies-shaped piece of property that the Manchester City actually had to deanex and it's right beside the sawmill and uh out on the old highway. So, it comes to us with a positive recommendation from Manchester City's planning commission and we do have all proper documentation now to substantiate this request. So the mo the motion to approve the reszoning is made by Commissioner Morris, seconded

by Commissioner Nettles. Or is there any discussion on this reszoning? There being none, let's vote. The reasonzoning request has been approved with 13. Yes, thank you for that. Okay, 10 D. You going to be able to pull that out separate? Add it. Okay. Okay, we have a motion by Commissioner Morris, seconded by Commissioner Perry. Commissioner Mars, you have the floor to

speak to this. It says maker the motion. I would just like to ask the legislative to acknowledge in a letter to the VFW that we as a group when we come together we are very emotional people and sometimes we make mistakes and don't always adhere to property core even Tim Morris but I think we need to acknowledge to them that we made a mistake and we will strive as a group to adhere to proper decorum in front of everybody, not just the students that were here that night. Any more discussion regarding this? Have you got a request to speak button? Y'all don't Well, raising your hand works. So, Commissioner Hollinssworth, you have the floor.

I just I just think uh we have to watch on apologies and stuff. That's all good. But at the same time, there's a lot of stuff that goes on in here. Do we start apologizing all the time? When do we ever stop? For eight years, there's been a lot of back and forth here. You just have to be careful or you could be apologizing all the time. I agree with that. That's why I'm made it as a group, not as a person.

Any more discussion on this? We're talking about the action that went on at the last full commission meeting that that was observed by those visitors that were here for awards and whatnot and whereby Commissioner Brown uh made a statement and he was immediately corrected by our mayor. That is what you're talking about. Yes, Tim. Yes, ma'am.

And you feel that we as a body should issue an apology letter to that group even though it was not our action. It was the action and interaction of only one of our commissioners. And as I said, I feel like our mayor addressed that appropriately at that time. That is my feeling.

I I understand. I just think that as a group, and maybe I need to just withdraw it, but as a group, we just need to be better about how we handle things. And that includes me. Uh, so I would be more than happy to withdraw it.

I and I totally agree with that. We we as elected officials represent the people of this county and we owe it to them to be respectful of each other and treat each other the way we want to be treated. As you said, I agree. emotions sometimes run high and we are only human and so we do make mistakes but again I don't feel like that we as a body owe an apology now if Mr. Brown feels that he does, I would certainly admire him to issue that apology. I would even help him write the letter because I agree that we do need to uh be examples for everyone that's looking on. But I I agree that when um that exchange happened, I do believe that Mayor Hunt handled that appropriately. And to me that was sufficient. And I I'm one that likes to uh forgive and move on. And I would just say that.

Yes, ma'am. I agree on the forgiving. That's why I didn't mention names or anything. Uh I'd be more than happy to resend my motion. Okay. Uh Commissioner Perry, do you agree with the resention of the motion you seconded?

I mean, if that's what Mr. Tim wants to do, I agree with it. Um, I do I believe us as a whole body individually, we represent the entire county and if a statement's made uh especially when it involves kids or whatnot and they're here and I mean we represent as a whole Coffee County and I mean I think it would it'd be a generous thing to do issuing the polic Apology to them for that with the comment that was made. Uh the quorum goes a long way.

Do you wish to withdraw your second of that motion? Sorry. If Mr. Morris Yes. Okay then. Yes. Thank you. Is the motion withdrawn is not rescended because it was never passed. So it's withdrawn. There you go. Yeah. The withdraw. I would withdraw the motion. Yeah, there you go. Okay, next report of standing committees. Commissioner Stubblefield, our chairman pro temporary, you're up. Okay. Budget and finance commissioner Tim Mars.

Next Thursday night at uh 4:00, which is April the 23rd, the trustee will present her budget. The hands-on science center will present a budget and we have two more slots for possible presentations of budgets. Budget and finance meeting will uh start right after that. So at 4:00 budget presentations will occur on April the 23rd. Um hold on. It It's um Linda Baker probation, then the hands-on science center, and then Donna Tony, register of deeds. Oh, sorry. Sorry. That's okay.

I got too many notes written on this piece of paper. Donna Tony, register of deeds, hands-on science center, and then the other lady. Okay. And that is still April the 23rd at 4 o'clock. Okay. Thank you. Capital Outlay Commissioner Terry Hirschman. He's absent tonight. Does anybody want to speak up on his behalf? I will. Um, we had our meeting on April 2nd where we got an update on the, uh, health department and the, um, animal control center. Everything seems to be going pretty good. Our next meeting will be April or May 7th at 4:00. Okay. Thank you. Health, welfare, and recreation.

Yes. Commissioner Jimmy Hollinssworth didn't get to meet last month. We didn't have enough uh committee members to have a quorum, but we'll meet Tuesday the 28th at 6 pm. Okay. Thank you. Law enforcement commissioner Missy Dford and I think she's out. So, anybody want to speak up on the on law enforcement? Um the next meeting will be um next on the 22nd. next Wednesday at 4:30. Okay. Thank you, Commissioner Travis. Legislative Committee, Commissioner Frank Watkins.

Um, no meeting scheduled at this time. It's meets as needed. Okay. Thank you. Policies and procedures, Commissioner Miller. I can I can help you with that. Uh the next logical meeting for policies and procedures would be on May the 18th at 5:00. Okay. Thank you. Back to you.

Is that it? Okay. We're at statements and announcements and our next meeting is May the 12th for everybody to make their entries on their phone calendars. The uh I would like to say that it got mentioned tonight and I our TCAT facility that's out there at the I24 industrial development out on Highway 53. I think Eric we are really close for uh ribbon cutting out there. It looks great. Our animal control facility uh the paving has been done. I noticed they've striped the driveway entrance. Uh that one is real close to being occupied. Our health department, same. We are close, really, really close on our health department. I'm thinking I believe we will be looking at uh probably July for a for opening ribbon cutting in that facility. And in case you didn't read uh listen to uh read the newspaper and listen to radio or listen to me on social media. One big deal at our health department is we are going to have a new service which is a primary care. There will be a full-time MD doctor in that health department. Not too many counties have that. And I'm I just think that that's a great thing for the health of our citizenry that are either underinsured or uninsured. There will be a source of health care and that's a great de a great thing. Anybody else got any statement? Yeah, Commissioner Morris, I saw that.

Yes, sir. There's been just a couple questions about our budget and how it uh is drawn out and how we develop a budget uh from last year. And I did that little video and everything, but I would like if you are on budget and finance, just hold your hand up because there's nine of us that do it. We make the decisions. This is your money and our money. I mean, we're spending our money. When people say, "Oh, y'all spend money." It's our money, too. make the taxes. If you're in the sheriff's department back there in the back, I appreciate y'all coming. Would y'all stand up? These ladies and gentlemen were brought up to standards of Manchester and that way the revolving door of our sheriff's department we hope is closed. They deserve that money. Our raises last year, including them, they got a little bit more to bring them up to be equal to Toma. That way we don't have come through the door, take off again, come through the door was $860,000 in our budget. There was $400,000 in that that went up like the electricity she talked about a while ago, things going up, fuel, theirs is the biggest. To me, it was worth taking a chance on. We may come up short, but we won't know until about August, but their raises came out of that. We also have a whole group here that's from the volunteers. Would y'all stand up? They receive a donation from us to put fire extinguishers in. They go in our houses for free when they're on fire. We're running out. They're running in. We took a chance on them, too. And I think it pays off a whole lot. And I'd like to thank all these people for serving Coffee County very much.

And there's not anything thing fancy in last year's budget but our people. So, thank you.

Thank you for that. Commissioner Morris, is there any other let's see Commissioner Duncan? Uh I would just like to tell anyone say it for anyone that may have not may not have gotten the message that uh our local world hero World War II and Korean War hero Tommy Squinn of Toma uh just died. He died on last week and his funeral will be tomorrow. He was wounded 24 times um in the Korean War and World War II and he was a veteran of both wars. He he was P twice in Korea and escaped both times. And uh he's got just about every kind of medal you can imagine. And he died on last week. He was two months shy of turning 107. So his funeral will be tomorrow 11:00.

Thank you for that. Um, I did last Friday attend a birthday party in the NHC facility for a 100-year-old James Heis. And he he's still pretty spry, got pretty good mind still. And his family and the VFW, the VFW presented him with a flag that had been flown over our nation's capital. I thought that was a pretty big deal. We even had a letter from signed by President Trump, but 100 years old, you know, a centurion. Those are rare. So, it was a great deal. Has anybody else got anything they want to announce?

Yes. Yes, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Watkins. Um, last week there was also another little celebration last week. There was a couple that had celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary in Tele at Brookdale Assisted Living. U they've been together since he was uh 19 and they got married. So they've been together a long time and celebrated the milestone of 75th anniversary. That's a rare one. Yeah. 75. Yeah. Anybody else got anything? If not, I think there's motion to adjourn. Motion to adjourn.

Are we going to put that? Let's Frank Watkins already beat you to the button there, Commissioner Jones. But thank you. Seconded by Commissioner Miller. Let's vote, please.

Commissioner Duncan, please vote so we can clear the screen. I think that passed. It already got closed out. We This body stands adjourned. Thank you everyone.