County Commission - Regular Meeting

Oh man. No problem. It's really good. The house of my Ruth.

You drunk.

I'd like to call this meeting to order. Jefferson County Board of Commissioners regular monthly meeting. Mr. Frank, please call the RO. 18 members present, three absent.

We have 18 present, three absent. Would everyone please stand for the prayer led by Mr. Joe Coleman and remain standing for the pledge led by Mr. Sammy Ser. Our heavenly father, we come to you this evening to do the people's business. We pray our father that all things would be done according to thy will. God, that everything would be done decently in order according to thy word. Lord, we pray for many, Lord, that are not here tonight. But we pray, God, for our nation. Pray for our county. We thank you for the county that we live in tonight. Seems like it's all around us tonight. It's closing in. But God, we just pray that your protective shield would be upon us. God, we know that the only one that we could trust tonight is you and your son alone. God, we thank you for all that are here. God bless us in this little meeting tonight, Lord, that we might do the very things that you very needful for our county and that all things would be done to your glory. In Jesus holy name we pray and amen.

Amen. Salute 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. like to welcome everyone out this evening and uh we will try to move right along with everything. Do we have any of the groups here? Do we have any of the groups here tonight? Not seeing any. We'll move right along. We have a public hearing. Public hearing resolution 2025-65, a resolution amending the zoning resolution of Jefferson County, Tennessee to reflect and clarify the jurisdiction, powers, and authority of the Jefferson County Board of Zoning Appeals and the powers and duties of the zoning official. This hearing is hereby active. Does is there anyone here that wishes to speak to this resolution? Not hearing any. This will conclude this hearing. Next we have approval and corrections to the agenda. I believe uh Miss Huta, do you have business from the personnel?

Speak into the microphone, please. By unanimous vote, the personnel committee is recommending Rebecca Z. Eastston be hired to fill the veteran service officer assistant position. Is there a motion on the floor to suspend the rule to add this to it? We have a motion on the floor by Sammy Solomon and a second by Austin Brooks. Mr. Reed. Oh, I was taking it. Oh, I'm sorry.

Thank you. We have suspended the rule and this will be added at the uh we [clears throat] will move it down to department director reports and that'll be the uh right right above veteran services Marissa King. Jimmy we we got a couple of more items that we missed on the budget committee. Sure. Can we do that now? We can do it right here in just a second. Okay. We'll get we'll get this one took care of first. [clears throat]

Mr. Chairman, do you want to do these separately? Suspend the rules. Separate. That's fine. Because it's separate business. That's fine.

The motion was Sammy Solomon to suspend the rule and the second was Mr. Brooks. Okay, we'll proceed to vote on the suspension of the rule. 18 yes, zero no. That will be added to the agenda. That will be a B I guess one. It'll be just above Marissa King. Do we have other business? You want pop? Jesse's got a couple of things we need to add.

[clears throat] There's two budget amendments that came in after the packet was advertised for budget committee. The first item is general fund 101 amendment number 18. And the second budget amendment is landfield fund 207 amendment number six. Can we take both these at once? Yeah, we can't. Do we? No, we can't. When you vote on them? No. to suspend the rule. We can, but not to vote. Not to vote on it. Yeah. Do we have anything showing what they are? I will pass things out and you are more than welcome to ask the department about them. Okay. 10118 and 2076.

Yeah.

Okay. Okay, we got a motion on the floor to suspend. Second. We'll proceed to vote. [clears throat] 18 yes, zero nos. The rule has been suspended. It will be added to your time. Is that where you want to put it? That's fine. Yeah, under the budget. It'll be under budget. That's fine. Will we just put it at the end? So, let's make sure we get that. Can right now. Make it quick. We have a motion on the floor by Sammy Solomon again

and Austin Brooks. Second. Well, no, I didn't second anything. It's already been done. Yeah, it's already done. That's old. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. I do have something to add to the agenda though. Do I need You need to bring it up, right?

Okay. Uh, [clears throat] Mr. Chairman, the animal control oversight board has a vacancy uh that has existed for a couple of months. Uh, Barbara Cell has graciously volunteered to fill that vacancy. I would ask I realize we're skipping nominating committee. That was uh uh an error. Uh but uh I would ask if the commission's willing to go ahead and approve that nomination tonight. Okay. And this was brought are you a member of that committee? Animal control oversight board. Yes. Animal control oversight. All right.

And wherever you want to put that on the agenda. Okay. Is that your motion to suspend? To suspend the rules. Yes, sir.

And second by Sammy Solomon to suspend the rule. We don't suspend the rule. Everybody please finish up voting. We have 17 yes, one no, zero abstension. rule has been suspended. So that will be added to do you want to do it under nominating committee time?

That's fine. That work for you, Frank. Does that conclude the corrections to the agenda? Jesse, do we have everything? Yeah, I hope so. Tim, I hope so. Okay, you have consent agenda.

Oh, yeah. We got to approve the agenda as sure. Come on, Joe. 18. Yes. Zero. No. The agenda has been approved. Now we have approval of the minutes. January 20th, 20 26. Got a motion on floor to approve. Second. See vote. 18. Yes. Zero. No. Minutes are approved. Next we have appearance of citizens. We have a pretty good list tonight. Oh god. So as I call your name, please come to the podium. You will get three minutes. And I will be calling out Dynong and Cash. Would you please come to the podium? And to be on deck, I would like to see Michael Alli standing behind so we can move right along.

[clears throat]

Thank you for letting me speak to you tonight. I want to talk to you. Thank you. I want to talk to you uh about the recent um water crisis that we had. I know that it's a city problem rather than a county problem, but I live in Jefferson County and I don't live in the city uh in the city boundaries. So, I came here first. I would like to s first say thank you to the people at the Jefferson County Water Department because they did do a lot of things right. Every time we called, and we called every day because they kept telling us to call if we had no water. Every time we called, we spoke to some really nice people. They were very calming. They're very caring. They were very nice to us, and that helped a lot. The staff there, especially a lady named Amy, was was terrific. They also kept us informed via the news and via Facebook, posting what was happening. every day it was a different thing that was causing the perfect storm as I call it of of um loss of water. But it helped to know that at least they're working on it and finding new things and finding why it was wrong. That was important. Um they they were also encouraging us to call them making us know that we were valued customers. Let us know what the problem is. If you're still having a problem, those were the good things. Now, I'm left with some questions that really need some answers. Um, I live on the top of Paul Drive. You can see the Gentry Water Tower in my backyard. It backs up to land that I own. It's right there on land that I own. And they kept saying it had the worst leak.

It was the last to fill up, but we never saw a soul out there the whole time. That's an old water tower. And we realized that um when I had a neighbor who used to call and tell them they've got to go prime the pump. So I told the people at the water department, I said, "Listen, they would always say we had to prime the pump." And they acted like I was, you know, like I didn't know what I was talking about, which I granted I didn't know a lot of what I was talking about, but I knew that that's what we did to get our water to come back. They didn't know where the pump was. They told me, "We've never heard of that. we don't know where your pump is. So, I got online and I asked the old-timers to give me a call and tell me, "Hey, where is the pump for our area?" And they told me, they said, "It's right in the hollow down on Bethl Church Road, right down the bottom of the hill. It's old pump." So, they didn't know a lot of things that the old-timers knew, but they weren't respecting what the old-timers said. We've had the water department out to our house three times in the past two years because we haven't had water pressure and we each time I've told the guy about the pump and he looks at me like um you know

I want to say I'm sorry but you're out of time. Okay. Can you close down there? Yeah, I will. I just would like to say that water and electric are primary for all of us. They need to be a priority for your voting. the things that they need, the parts that they need, they need to be a priority. We can't push it down the road. We can't wait until it's a better price. We've got to get it when they need to be gotten. And we got to listen to the people that know what they're talking about and just do that. Thank you for your time. Thank you, ma'am. Next, we have Michael Ally on deck. Jim Fox.

Hey, good evening. My name is Michael Ally. I live at 783 Coyle Road. I want to talk about uh a property that is 445 Coil Road down towards the end of the street and it's uh it's a residential property. It's 7 acres and they're using it primarily as a business. Nobody lives there. They show up when they've got a job to do, then they leave. Um I think he told Stephanie his son lives there. Nobody does. They've got two large boom trucks. There's a dump truck. I've seen skid steers, uh, track hose, they got trailers, they got garbage out in the back. And, um, it um, they I don't think they've ever tried to have it reszoned, but it's open and shut case. It's illegal. That's a zoning infraction and I don't know if stuff's been done or not, but seems like it should be easy to just we got enough stuff going on on Coil Road without something else sneaking in. And they've been there for about a year and they've got room for expansion. They've got a big pile of gravel. They're spreading. They've redone the house, but it's uh it's residential. It's not a business. That's it. Thanks. Thank you, sir. Next, we have Jim Fox. On deck, we have Annette Lloyd. Good evening, Jim Fox, Abalene Trail, Dandridge. Uh, I want to try to be brief and just a couple quick things. One, uh, work sessions. Uh there's been a lot of discussion about work sessions and from what I'm hearing is is kind of going to uh uh eight meetings a year. Uh four of

them being work sessions, four of them being voting sessions and then four months we wouldn't the commission wouldn't meet at all. This is very similar to what we did before with quarterly meetings, I mean quarterly voting sessions. Uh the business of the county needs more attention than just four days a year. Uh I'm in favor of the work sessions but in addition to the regular voting meetings that we have already um like like I said again it is we need to meet and vote on the business of the county more than just four days a year. Uh the second thing is the veteran services offices and the proposal for the assistant. Um there's been a lot of hoopla over over the over this the last three meetings uh commission meetings and I think Marissa has put together a proposal to try to clarify roles and responsibilities and uh uh supervision and etc. Uh, I think we need to pay real close attention to what that is and and try to implement it as much as that we can as quickly as possible to create clarification for that office. Uh, this that office as as she has stated before uh generates $48 million a year for the citizens of this county. That is equivalent to a 48 a company coming in here with a $48 million payroll. that that is incredible what she's able to do by herself and now getting some help. Uh, I also believe that ideally, I know it's not in the regs right now, but ideally, I think this should her office should really fall under the purview of the mayor's office versus the uh commission because this commission only meets one day a month where the mayor's office is open every day and so the flow of information and etc. back and forth would be a lot

more streamlined. And I if I'm not mistaken, this veteran service office officer office would be the only one that fall under the purview of this commission. So I think we should clean it up to where it's all under the mayor's under the mayor's purview. And that's all I have. Thank you. Appreciate your time. Next we have Annette Lloyd. On deck we have Linda Mcmith. [clears throat]

My name is Annette Ly. I live at 1258 Beaver Creek Road, Strawberry Plains, Tennessee. Thank you for hearing me this evening. I would like to talk to you about a fundamental issue and that is voting. I have been voting in this county since I was old enough to vote. So I believe that this gives me some standing to speak on this issue because that's a long time, very long time. Um, I was quite concerned when I learned that our election commission uh on in early December of last year had voted to close down the two satellite early voting stations. This was done with no notice to the public, with [laughter] no notice to elected officials of any kind, with no intent or no plan to inform citizens of this change. The change being that these two satellite stations were going to be shut down except for one five hour hour period on one Saturday. Uh the election commission office located in the middle of the county in Dandridge, however, was going to be open for 14 days. If you couldn't make it during that 5-hour period on that one Saturday, then you were supposed to come to Dandridge to early vote. If you haven't been paying attention, more votes are cast in Jefferson County in early voting than in regular elections. Elections are won by early voting in this county. The fact that there was no notice, nothing uh led me to go to the uh voting

um commission meeting. Um I spoke to them and asked some questions. The reason given was that there was a lack of security. All of a sudden, they were looking at a law that was done back in the early 1990s and they were saying that we had been out of compliance all that time. That was the reason given at first and then there were other reasons given. And then when we made suggestions to uh u um correct the deficiencies on security uh we were given other um excuses and reasons. People everybody this is a fundamental right in this country to have access to the vote. This is a disenfranchisement of the citizens of this county. I don't know what the problem is. I don't know what the issue is. I don't think I was told the truth. But I'm going to tell you, [clears throat] and I'll tell everybody in this audience, when you lose the right to vote, you've lost a lot. The old people like me, the handicapped people, the people who work long hours who work shifts, the people who don't have the money to put in the car to drive 30 more or more minutes to go to the to the centralized pole are going to lose. They're going to lose. It is a a blatant disenfranchisement of the people of this county. And I've come before you tonight to speak to you about this because voting is one of the things that I hold most dear and all of the rest of you should hold most dear. Thank you.

Thank you, ma'am. Next, we have Linda Mcmith on deck. Kathleen Billers.

Thank you, Linda Mcmith, [clears throat] 3766 Island View Road, Sevirville, Tennessee. But yes, I am in Jefferson County as most of you all already know. Um, I'm before you tonight because I am concerned number one about the meetings. I came before you prior to the schedule change previously because when you look back and you look at the meetings and the produc production that came out of those meetings was very little. we kept having to work on something, table things, and when you go quarter to quarter, you can't get business done. So, we need to look at trying to keep what we put in place. Add workshops if you want to add workshops, especially for those who are unable to necessarily understand some of the things in packets because we don't have department people here for workshops to necessarily answer all those questions a lot of times either. So, I am for keeping the regular meetings as they are currently scheduled and I'm for adding in workshops, but please don't cut back to four voting meetings a year. That would be entirely too few. Secondly, um the early voting is a concern. There are a lot of people that do come out for early voting, especially your retirees, those old people that have been paying their taxes forever that would never want to raise their taxes, but they do come out and they vote and they usually vote in that early option state. So, by limiting those hours and only making it at the the commission election commission office, that does constrain a lot of people from getting there. And we really need to look at that. If changes can't be made for this election, we need to have a deep dive into this before another election occurs, especially for our later general election later this

year. Thirdly, I support the service officer, the SBO, and what she's been doing, the things she's put in place, and how things have been working for our vets, and all the compliments she gets. We need to encourage this. We need to improve what we're doing and support our people that are in different departments and heads of departments. Thank you. Thank you. Next, we have Kathleen Villers on deck. James Lance.

Kathleen Villers, 220 Arrowhead Drive, Dandridge. Thank you for letting me talk to you tonight. Also, I'm talking to you about the number of commission meetings. I had heard also there may be a change reducing the number of regular voting meetings, perhaps replacing some with work sessions. I'm not in favor of that. I'm in favor of keeping the number of regular meetings. The reason why well I did some research research and a term I'd like to bring up to you or actually phrase is transparency in government for county commissions. Very specific. So the definition of that would be transparent. Transparency in county government for county commissions means ensuring open honest and accessible operations. Having an adequate number of meetings, allowing residents to view, understand and participate in decision making and the budget process. Very important. Some key examples. One, again, public access to an adequate number of meetings. Two, budget transparency. Three, public records availability. Four, utilizing digital tools and platforms allowing ideally the community to have 24 by7 access. And five, clear communication channels. I did a little bit more research and that included, let me take a look at what's typical for county commissions. [clears throat] The research came back with this. The law obviously requires the minimum four voting meetings per year. Ah, it's a stink bug. I'm so sorry. Okay. Composure. [laughter]

[snorts] Two. The the most common the most common is see the bug was even shocked. Um most common is 12 meetings per year voting meetings and it noted um that some commissions even choose to have uh meetings twice a month. Two voting meetings twice a month and in addition to that working sessions beyond. So again in summary please um I would support keeping the number of meetings. I think it's great that you did move to monthly meetings. I think it's needed for all the things going on in the county and would encourage you to keep it at that. And if adding work sessions makes sense, please do so. Also, thank you. I'm not sure how that got on me.

Thank you. Next, we have James Lamps and Danny Willock on deck. Are you sure? Yeah. Put it in your pocket. Save it. [laughter] James.

Good evening, Jeff County Commissioners. My name is James Lance. I'm a 27year veteran of the US Armed Forces residing at 2246 Peninsula Drive, Jefferson City, Tennessee. I'm here on behalf of the citizens of Dalgo Dakres. I'm addressing commission tonight on two issues. Number one, for the eighth time, I'm requesting this commission embark on developing a strategic plan for Jefferson County. During the past few weeks, I've discussed this shortfall with several of my fellow Jefferson County citizens. This is a short recap of their discussions of our discussions. Number one, Jefferson County's population is growing. During the past six years, the population has grown by a remarkable 13%. Two, this type of growth, if unchecked by substantive, timeritical action, will eventually break our county's infrastructure. The population increase is placing an additional burden on A, our electrical power grid, B, the county water supply and water treatment plants, and from a public safety perspective, C, ensuring something as simple as an adequate number of fire hydrants in our county. D, our roads. Many of our county maintained roads are already in bad shape, allegedly due to inadequate county highway funding. In fact, this department doesn't even have enough money to patch county roads, let alone bring them into compliance with the United States Department Transportation Road Standards. Specifically, as mentioned during several my discussions with regard to painting white lines on the road's edges, as mentioned by several citizens I've spoken with during the past few weeks, this presents a safety hazard, especially when driving at night or in inclement weather. This is a call to action. It's imperative we begin development of our county strategic plan. Once again, given my background in strategic planning, I stand ready to

assist commission in developing this plan at no cost to the county. My second issue concerns why this county has not hired an assistant veteran service officer already. The expenditure of funds for this position was approved on the 17th of November, 2025. Almost three months later, we still do not have an assistant VSO. VSO is critical to providing assistance to the county's over 4,100 veterans. What's it going to take to get this position filled, folks? Thank you. Thank you, sir. And last but not least, we got Danny Willock. Sir, you have the floor.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm Danny Willock. I'd like to introduce myself. I'm the mayor of New Market. Uh, and I came to talk to you also about voting. Um, following up to Miss Anne Loy's request, I'll be uh a little easier about this. So, uh, appreciate everyone having me here. Um, the concern about the voting is that that this was this decision was made December 9th and first made in the public advertisement on the February 11th. Uh, it came out in the February 12th edition of the standard banner. And that's when I actually first learned about it. If we had known from the city standpoint for the city hall uh with any security issues or security measures that we had to improve then we definitely would have done that. Uh I do have some good news as of today. Uh on my way here, I did talk to Nathan Bug, the administrator of elections, and uh we are meeting Friday to discuss some security improvements for the city and our city hall. And uh hoping that that does make a difference in the u February 27th election or fe I'm sorry, February 27th meeting of the election commission. Uh, I'd like to see that that's added to their agenda and possibly vote that we get our 14 days back that we originally had for our city limits. Uh, for this, this is not just recognizing uh, New Market itself. It's also Strawberry Plains, Jefferson City. And I'm bringing this to the county commission because I know you guys don't control the election commission. It's more for notification that you all because everyone in here should be concerned. All of you are elected commiss elected officials as well as I am. So, uh, when we restrict voting, uh, to certain areas and we don't we have equal and we don't have equal voting accessibility, it becomes a problem across our county, it creates an issue to where if we have more voting accessibility in the city of Dandridge than if you're running for a county seat and you're in Dandridge, you're going to have a lot more uh, advantage to someone that's going to be running for a county

seat to say that lives in Strawberry Plains. So, it's a big difference and it's a big problem and I like for you to think about that because we reduced down from 14 days to just five hours. I am speaking on behalf of the the handicapped folks and the folks that are elderly that can't make it over there and some of the lazy kids like mine that probably just won't go over there. So, just to be blatantly honest, uh it does everything that we can to try to keep people at the polls and try to get people encouraged to go to the polls. It's election commissioner's job as well as all of us to encourage voting and I like for all us to stand for voting. Uh I'm wishing the best outcome for this. Uh I have filed election I have filed complaints with the state election commission as well as department of justice on this because it does create unequal accessibility for voting. I expect to hear back from that but I'm hoping that we can work this out within our county and with our election commission and with our new administrator of elections. Looking forward to the meeting Friday. I'll let everybody know how it goes, but uh we'll keep rolling forward. Again, like I said, the city of New Market will do whatever it takes to make sure that we have secure areas for voting. I will do whatever it takes to make sure that our voters have accessibility. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. Can I ask him a question? Sure. Come back to the podium, sir. We have a question. I got three minutes to answer. and and all of the time that there's been early voting at New Market, are you aware that there was ever an security issue? Turn the microphone up. If you're asking, I think I heard you right. You said if I was ever aware that there were security issues. That's what you asked. Yeah.

I'm not aware of any security issues. I will say that Mr. Charles Gibson, the previous elections administrator, has come to me before with security improvements. Uh the city of New Market has paid for uh a $4,000 24-hour surveillance system that we surveillance everything within our city hall. We have two cameras there. We're adding a third there uh for that area. We've changed door locks. We've changed locks to oneway locks that go from the city hall back to the building area. uh we change it to where uh whenever we do elections that um the election commission is the only one that's inside the city hall. City businesses moved from the city hall back to the rear of the police station to where they ring a bell and and they access and then those are ones that uh are coming in like paying uh speeding tickets, fines, uh things of that nature. Uh don't speed through New Market, by the way. But anyway, um [laughter]

is that what you're asking? Does that answer your question? Citing security as an issue is really sort of a false issue, right?

I'm not the expert on security. I do work at Y12 National Security Complex, so I can tell you that I have a lot of security expertise. Again, the city of New Market will do whatever it takes to make sure that we have a secure voting site. We will do whatever procedure it takes to make sure that our citizens can get can vote early. Thank you. Yep. Um, so same issue in White Pine, right? We lose our early voting there. White Pine's in a little bit different position from what I understand. We have um a community center now which can be secured and locked and because it sits mostly vacant and I'm not I did see you on TV Saturday morning, right?

Yes. Yeah. So Friday and I saw those security things you mentioned. U I was a lot fatter on TV. Yeah, I thought you were pretty slim, man. So, uh, would a rental office be an option? Is Absolutely. Um, we have a lot of rental offices down in at Y12. I have access to those. I'm the side operations manager. So, what I was looking at is that is an option. I will tell you that our city hall is more secure than the rental offices. I have no idea about White Pine, but if that's something that Glenn Warren's interested in, please tell him to give me a call. I can definitely help him out with that.

Okay. But if we did have a a rental, so if they if election commission could say that, would that be something you would share a cost with New Market or is that something as a county we could take care of? When I asked about the security, this is come to the podium, Mr. Mayor.

So, I I I inquired about the security and uh when they were talking about the EMS station at White Pine and they said that the machines have to be locked overnight with one key and no one else can have access to that. It's combination lock up there. There's a training officer there. It's three or four days a week. They said, "We can't use it." But it wasn't so much you were voting, it was unsecure. It was the security of their voting machine, which seems like a simple solution, but it has to be locked in one place and only they have access to it. And I don't know whether they told you that, but that's Yeah, that's kind of the same thing they told me. See, the machines are locked up each night. Uh we've changed our locks. I understand the commitment that or I understand the uh the uh the reasoning that they can't guarantee that if I give them the key to the city hall that that's the only key. Completely understood. We added padlocks to this thing too. So we actually have uh padlock doors to when we leave the city hall. The equipment which is already locked up is still locked up inside the city hall under 24 hours video surveillance. and the uh uh election commission has the ability to bring their own lock that they have 100% control over hanging on that door and lock it up. So that door is actually double locked. I'm going to give them my key as well, but again um we can we can even go as far as have lockmith change the locks if that's what it takes as far as getting back into the the areas uh where the uh the city police department and everything is. We're going to uh also change that door to a a keypad lock door similar actually talked to Mr. Warren yesterday and I thought that was a good idea. We're probably going to do the same thing and that's going to be our secondary lock too and again we can always add a padlock to that as well. We're not going to create a fire hazard because we're only locking up equipment. We're not locking up people in there. So just to be clear on that that's not

going to be an issue. So I think there are solutions. I'm sorry. There are solutions there. there can be solutions. Correct. And again, that's what I'm meeting with Mr. Nathan Bug about Friday. And I'm told that it's not too late to make changes to this next month, this next election. So, we have eight weeks out. Uh again, they meet on the 27th. Uh I'll be at that meeting as well with them. That's at 10:00 on the 27th is my understanding. But that's our concern right now. And we're hoping that we can work through this, resolve this. And again, I appreciate you all's concern because every single one of you should be concerned unless you live in Danidge. Mr. Jones,

can you I'm sorry. Before you found out about the decision, you said you read in the paper, had you been contacted by the election commission about their issues and concerns? I had no contact other than a phone call from Mr. bug about two months prior to that that's just asking about their city hall and and what all we do and how everything's [snorts] uh set up in a city hall. I had no notification that if we didn't make changes or if we needed security improvements that we weren't going to be able to have an early voting election. No request for changes. Correct. No request for changes. If I'd had a request for changes, we'd already been done. We wouldn't be talking about this. We'd had this as a good early Christmas present for the city of New Market and all the surrounding Strawberry Plains and Jefferson City.

Thank you. But again, to wait and to notify this until the last minute to me that's unacceptable.

Thank you all. We're all in and all. We'll move right along. Approval of notaries and barns. We have motion on the floor. Properly seconded. Proceed to vote. passed 180. Moving right along, we have reports elected officials. Mr. Mayor, Mr. Chairman, did you want I'm sorry, not ling. I'll be real quick. I'm sorry, Mr. Mayor. That's fine.

We need to back up just one one moment here. I missed my writing right here on nominating. Mr. Chairman, I move to have to nominate Barbara Cell to fill the vacancy on the animal control oversight board. Does anyone have a problem with this vote? Not hearing any. We'll proceed. [clears throat] 17 yes, one no passes. Mr. Mayor, you got

Just want to keep you to be aware of legislative changes that's going on. You should have received a email from uh Charlie that's uh over the Tennessee County Association. One thing that that seems to be generating a lot of concern is a property tax cap. So, uh, you might want to look into that, see what's going they, uh, the Tennessee County says it will hurt some counties on their bond, but, um, and, uh, all the state people are really talking it up. Uh, but it is a property tax cap. So, uh, seems like sometimes commissions AC, not this commission, but they postpone raising taxes until a point, it gets to the point instead of a two cent every year, then you get hit with a 10 or a 12. If you got a cap, you would not be able to do such things. And I I don't I'm just I'm just telling you to be alert, read the material, make your own mind up on that. I don't know how it would impact our county. The finance director says yes. So that's one thing. The adequate facilities tax in committee is moving. Mr. Seals down there with that. That's the only only thing I know. But right now it's a really good time be watching legislature. If you have an opinion, call your legislature. Let people know where you stand on it. Thank you. And we don't have a water department in the county. the cities do. Thank you.

Yeah, we're not in the water business.

Next, moving right along, we are to chairman's comments. Been kicking around some ideas. I put work [laughter] sessions on the agenda. Was going to present to y'all tonight that there's some different ideas that could be done. We could do work sessions for quarterly meetings. That would be an added meeting. Or we could have a work session one month and a voting meeting the next and you'd have the same amount of meetings. What I'm asking for is what the uh commission feels like or would anybody oppose to having a work session before every quarterly meeting.

Mr. Brooks, just to clarify, Mr. Chairman, you're proposing we keep our 12-month voting meeting schedule with an addition of four quarterly work sessions, right? I'm fine with that because we're going to uh because we got to vote on it come April. Yeah. So, you know, we could we can change this in the next meeting because it's actually not on the agenda. I was looking for support to see what everybody thought about it. Yeah. I think that the monthly voting meetings are very important to departments when grants and things come into play. So, I think it is very important that we have a voting meeting monthly. happy to add as many work sessions as we need to to get the job done.

Because if we have a work session, it would be like the old meetings to where it will be happening on the second Monday and we normally meet on the third anyway. So we would be looking like if we actually did it next month it would be I think in uh be the 13th of March I believe mayor that's not a quarterly meeting. That's not a quarterly meeting but what I'm saying the next month but you know it' just be quarterly meetings. So it'd be four meetings is what it would be. If you add a quarterly meeting in April, your uh meeting is the 20th. That would be the 13th of April. 13th,

Mr. So, I'm I'm struggling to see what the current gap is with the current process and what we're missing because in these monthly meetings, if there is a deeper subject that needs to be discussed, we can postpone until the following month and accomplish the same thing as a work session. So, I don't I think we've made a lot of progress as we've heard from folks speak tonight. We're not stumbling anywhere. I think I did hear a little bit of push back when we we had a subject early this year of spending some money for land. Those kind of big ticket items that get thrown on the table at the last minute. Um we can avoid that. We can just say postpone to the next meeting till we can get more details. In that particular instance, we tabled it, but a postpone would work as well. So I don't see any need to change what we're doing at this point in time. It's very efficient, very effective.

Mr. Mayor, so there there's no issue with it. The thing is, if you read your rules and regulations, we're adding a lot of stuff on the agenda that cannot be added by your rules. Seven business days prior to that goes out. The agenda has to be complete and done. That's correct. So, why don't we just follow that rule? We can't, but it's up to the chair. But so, No, what we should be doing if it doesn't make the seven day nothing anything that gets added, we have to suspend the rules and add it. We haven't been following that procedure.

It's it's up to the chair, but it it's kind of like uh like Marcus added an a resolution to this meeting and the chair added it. So, you know, either we going to follow the rule, not follow the rule, it could always be added, but that that's the reason discussion on work session quarterly came up. Can this be done or not? Doesn't matter to us to me, but however you want to do it, we need to have one standard way and do it that way all the time.

Yeah. Since we're really trying to focus on our rules, we should keep that and just suspend the rules if someone misses the 7-day deadline. Keep it simple. But again, I think what we're doing is very efficient. It's been very effective as well. Yield. Thank Katie. I was looking at how do I chairs? Okay.

When I first came on commission, we met eight months out of the year. We had a work session and a week later we had a voting session. And I think we operated best when we did that because I agree we brought up issues in the work session, discussed them, and then items would get added into our voting meeting from the work session and everybody was more informed. There was better communication and I just thought we operated better. We typically didn't have much in December. We could always call a special meeting if we needed to for budget items. Um, but I think we operated the best when we did that. So, eight months out of the year, we had a work session and then we had a voting. I don't partic I don't like the idea of not having work sessions. I don't think we function very well and I don't think we're operating as best as we could. We're not as transparent in my opinion as we used to be. Maybe to us up here, but the citizens, I don't think they're getting the information as timely as they used to. Um I I just don't like not having a work session. And I think if you just had a work session quarterly, you're still defeating part of the purpose. So that's my opinion.

Anyone else commentary? Mr. else. I would agree with Katie. If we're going to have voting sessions, we need to have work session before that. Whether you do it 8 months, 12 months, or what everybody agrees on. That way, the information's out there for the public to see and we're in here, we can discuss it. If we have an issue that comes up in the work session, then we can get that information before the next week. I also think when we come for voting session, we need to vote and have our minds made up then, unless there's some extenduating circumstances. Anyone else? Mr.

I would like to say that I like the monthly meeting, but I'd also like to see a work session. But one thing that I noticed the seven years I've been on commission or plus seven. When we have a work session, normally we in a hurry to get through the agenda and that's basically all we do. So if we go to work sessions, I would encourage every one of us as commissioners that we sincerely look at what the people are showing interest in, what our citizens are, and that we would actually debate things that are questionable. So we would be transparent and we would would be able to explain why we vote a certain way. Uh we fail to do that a lot. So I'm I'm for 12 months and 12 work sessions. I know that might be a problem for some, but I mean, we're meeting tonight without three people here.

Thank you.

Well, this will be coming up in April when we set our calendar year. So, that's why I brought it up tonight so everybody can kick around ideas, but as chairman, I've I started in 2014 as a chairman. We did eight meetings and we did a work session. And when you do a work session one week and have a vote meeting the next, everybody that's in that crowd gets a chance to speak with their commissioner between that time, you get clarity better when you do more of it. And that's why I suggested it and you know that that's why I feel like it needs to be a discussion before we actually set our next date schedule. So let's move right along. other elected officials. Uh Frank, do you have anything for us?

Got policies by Kevin. All right. The circuit court Kevin Po has policies in the packet. Is everybody aware of that? Not you might need to look at it. We're down clerk's office. Mr. Frank Harrington. New policy for the reduction of the penny. New new policy for the reduction of the pennies. So need to take heed. Trustee Jennifer Hall. I don't know of anything going on with her. Next we have county attorney Doug Dannon. Doug, do you have anything for us? Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.

Next we have finance department Jessica Elders. You have anything? Any questions? question or comment. Not hearing any. We'll move right along. Uh Tom Carter, I don't believe he's in the house tonight, but uh next we have Hang on a minute. Hey. Okay. So, under environmental, there was a fee increase proposal. Will that be brought to us for to vote on at some point?

I'm not aware of that. That would be There'll have to be a vote to increase that fee. This is this is information for you before the next meeting. It will come as a voting item and for next month. Yeah. Okay. For next month. Did everybody get that? We'll be looking at an increase in fees. Next on the agenda, we have personnel committee. Miss Haida, I believe you got somebody for us.

Yes. Okay. By unanimous vote, the personnel committee is recommending Rebecca Z. Eastston be hired to fill the veteran service officer assistant position. All right. To give you a background, we had 30 applicants for that position. The group was over overwhelmingly unanimous. Um, Miss King,

do you have anything you'd like to add before we proceed to vote? She will. [clears throat] Sorry, I'm sorry. Um, she has multiple security clearances. So, her public trust, um, she has she had even a a higher up security clearance than I did. um really good applicant. Um personnel committee did amazing on the interviews with her. Um very very good candidate. That's Yeah. Yeah.

Does anybody have a question or comment before we proceed to vote? We'll proceed to vote. 18 yes, zero nos. You have your new year sisters. Thank you guys very very much. Thank you. Mr. Chairman, when does what's the start date for her, please? Um, is it March 1st? Does it begin the month? Yeah, March 1st. Okay. Thank you. I believe there has to be a security clearance and proper paperwork installed. Yeah,

Miss King, you have the floor on your proposed policy.

So, when I came into the office, the office did not have a veteran service officer policy. Um, so I've had to bother everybody. Everybody's department's kind of figuring out how everything ran. Um, Miss Elder, I have bothered her so many times over the past couple of years. Um, so I really wanted to put things um in an itemized order so that what happened with the last VSO, let's god forbid something happens to me. We have policy in place that the next VSO can pick it up, read it, and go, "Okay, here's what I'm supposed to do." They'll know how to do a requisition. They'll know how to do a hiring process if that's part of it. Um, they'll know how to get accredited by Tennessee Department of Veteran Services. Um, they'll know if they need to bring something to the commission, they'll know it's in this policy for them to do that. Um, also deescalating techniques. Um, because VSOs can revoke POA. It's very rare, but we are allowed to do that. That is in this policy. Um, it's really just an internal breakdown of the rules and procedures that your VSO should often follow. Um, also like chain of command. Um, because there's been some discretion with like who the VA goes or who the VSO reports to and those sorts of things. This outlines that process very clearly. Um that way I if there is you know um someone asking a question like how is this done they can refer to the policy and they know exactly the steps in place and it's 61 pages long. So it's it's pretty long.

This will be quite a lengthy email. Yes. So you might need to buy paper. I think I need sponsors for it. Yes. If anybody wants to sign on as a sponsor because once it passes legal it can be presented.

Got a motion on the floor. Mr. Austin Brooks, what is your motion?

I have a question. I know as I reviewed that policy, it's a great policy because it tells whoever may come in and replace her, which I hope is quite a few years away, but it would give them the ability to go right where they need to go and see who they need to talk to. And it's something that probably we all should have within a position as a department head. It's a long policy, but as I go through it is needed, but there's also a request for a resolution in there. And my question to you, Mr. Chairman, do we can't we just approve this policy by this and not need a resolution to bring back next month?

Well, the uh the issue with doing it that way, Mr. read would be that everybody all the commissioners have not had a chance to read this policy and if they got questions to everything that they want to do I mean it's up to the commission you can do what you want to do that's fine that's fine but we've had it for what eight or nine days I believe in our packets I wasn't aware that there's 61 pages in the packet but I mean you can probably go to it on the internet there's a lot of them I've got it right here it's in the packet Carrie sent out. It's the pleasure of the commission.

M I guess I have read it and I think that this is not something we should vote on tonight. I think it should be referred to the personnel committee for a complete review and come back with a recommendation. But I don't believe that most people in here have probably not read it. Therefore, I do not think it should be voted on tonight. Does anyone else have a question or a comment? Katie. Whoa. Katie's got the floor. Hold up.

First of all, I want to thank you and I want to admit I haven't read it, but I do think it should go to personnel committee because it is so detailed and there's no rush in sending it through. Um, if it's got to go to legal anyway, my recommendation would send it to personnel committee first and then if if people think if if mayor maybe you can answer this. So, how did we determine for this position that it reported to the chair of the commission anyway? like is it is it

I'm not sure how it happened but it goes back to when uh I think Kendrick and Jarn were chairs and I do believe Kendrick was that's how far back this goes. My personal opinion would be if it's best for the position to report to the mayor, we should go ahead and address that issue before we put the policy in place. And I don't know who the appropriate person is to address that, but I just think we should take a step back, review it better, and then determine

in the current state, it would be the p the uh job description that you have. You would you would delineate it in the job description, chain of command, responsibility, and things like that. You could do a combination between these two or both, or scrap one, do the other. It's totally up to you. So really, we probably should revise our job description and this policy if posly states. Well, job description deals specifically with her and her job and chain of command and things that what she's got is a policy and procedure for her department office. It's policy and procedure for the vet officer. Well, my understanding was in this policy you're referencing who you report to as well, correct?

Yeah, it's the commission. So, so in the commission it's got um the assistant VSO reports to the director of veteran services and then the director of veteran services reports to the county commission which essentially is the chair chair. Yeah. So, if we want to change to the mayor, which I don't know which way I don't know which way is the best way. I mean, but if we're going to change it, my opinion is we should change position description and her document before we ever pass it through. So, Mr. John, speak up. Microphone.

I would think so. decision.

Anyone else? We have a motion on the floor. It's been seconded to approve this.

Can I? Okay. Got a motion to amend.

Oh, okay. I can't. So, I want to amend it that it goes to the personnel committee first and then back to us. Okay, we'll try it the easy way. The motion that's on the floor and the second has been a there's a motion to amend. Do you want to join this motion or would you rather have a vote? I'm just given an option to condense this. So, we've had it for eight or nine days. I just think if you've not read it by now, you're probably not going to read it. It's a 61page document, so I don't see why we can't just go ahead and vote on it and be done. We'll vote on the amendment.

Ronnie, you want us to speak? First of all, [clears throat] why does it take 61 pages for a job description that it this isn't a job description? This outlines the Veteran Service Office from start to finish. Um,

it's policy and procedure. It has I don't I'm not I'm kind of confused on why the the job description um was brought up because the policy has nothing to do with the job description. Um this is literally like an EMS like I have to follow a certain set of protocols before I can give epinephrine. And this is essentially kind of the same thing with like documentation how to process and process veterans. If you need to bring something to the commission, it lays it out step by step to bring things to y'all. Um, like how to get on the agenda, where it needs to go. Um, budgeting, how to do a requisition or well, IO, but to change it to a requisition. Just just little things like that. Um, that way it's not so confusing when somebody onboards. They have a a Bible, so to speak, they can refer to. like if they need to get a hotel room for their accreditation training, this outlines that process step by step.

Anyone else? Mr. Green, you done smoke.

I I I would like to share this with you [clears throat] and please don't take any disrespect when you talk to a veteran. When you talk to a person who's sure been in the military for four years, eight years, 20 years, 26 years, they know that every place you go to in the military, you have to come up with policy statements for everything that you do within your office. And you have to know that military occupational specialty that you're part of. not wanting to bring my job up, but when I was in if I didn't have a policy on everything and I lost a marine because we would go out and clear ranges and I lost one in 1991 clearing ordinance out of a range in California. I had a policy for working the ranges for work uh for using explosives to blow up the round for how you could move the round or not move the round. That's exactly what she has done. That's because of her background. She has learned and I believe that every veteran in here would immediately agree with me if we could ask them that this is the way we did business for the years of our life. We had to have a I call it a turnover folder. I had a turnover folder and I had a policy for everything that we did as a unit. And this is what she's done. It's long. Mine were long, but she's the expert in this field. I'm not because I applied for that job years ago and then I realized by hiring her that I really wasn't qualified for it even though I had 26 years in the Marine Corps. So, I think we should vote on it tonight. I think we've talked about this enough. Let let her and her new assistant run the office. And trust

me, we'll hear from the public if things are not working right. But you got to remember, she's dealing with 4,000 plus veterans. We will vote on the motion to amend. Ronnie, do you have a question before we vote? One more thing. Does this not have to go through legal before it should? So, how can you vote on this? Okay. The lawyer says it don't. There's a lawyer. Ronnie has her office. Okay. Ronnie, you want to talk to the attorney? Yep. I have not. reviewed the policy.

You haven't reviewed the policy. Okay, we're going to vote on the motion to amend. Hey, point of order. Chairman. Chairman, people are speaking two times. I understand that. That's why I said we're going to vote on the motion to amend.

If you are for amending the motion to send the personnel, vote yes. If not, vote no. WD. We have E8. Yes. 10 no does not pass. We're back to the original motion. The motion is to approve. If you vote yes, you're voting to approve as written. If you vote no, no means no.

Yeah. And I do believe you made the motion. The original motion. Marcus made the motion. I made the second. Made the motion. You made the second. Okay. I had it back. It was your motion to approve it. Yep. See, we're back to the original motion.

Are you requesting to speak? We're on the board. I didn't think so. Greg Bird. Okay. Here's my problem. When did we supposedly get this packet? cuz I've not gotten a 61page thing to look at. I've got it right here. It's in the packet. It's in your packet. In the packet we received. Yeah. Separate PDF. Probably that big. I Nope. It's It's in the packet. I received it uh on February 13th and so did everyone sitting in this room.

Four days ago. Yeah, that was the actually. So that's four days ago.

That was an updated packet. She originally sent it February 6th. That's when she send you. Yeah. So we've actually had it since February 6th. I don't think I had it since then. Mr. Bales, you speak. My question is this is for your office only, correct? Yes, sir. It's allowing you to run your office the way you deem it to be run. Yes. Within reason with policy, written procedure that you're wanting to follow. Yes. That doesn't affect us except for the fact that maybe who you report to. Am I understanding that correctly? It doesn't even change who I report to. Okay.

Yep. It it just literally just outlines everything I'm doing right now. I think that she ought to be able to run her office the way she sees fit as long as it we went through the hiring process. We got an assistant and maybe I'm misunderstanding something, but it's her office and she's responsible for it. And as much as I I just think we ought to allow her to do that. As long if we needed to go to legal to be double checked, that's fine. But if it's her office, she's the one that's accountable for that. And we ought to allow her to run her office. You're not running it legal because you're fixing to vote on it right now.

Yes means you just passed it. No means it goes to legal. Anyone else? Before we vote, let's go ahead. Okay, then Aaron.

Okay. I think this is a prime example of why we need a work session first because then everybody could know it was in their packet and they would know to read it to vote on it, be informed to vote on it the next week. So, but I'm torn on this because it's not changing her job. She's still going to continue to do the same job. She's following her own policy. So, I don't understand why we have to push it through without letting legal look at it first if that's our policy. So, if we're going if we are going to approve a new policy, and that's essentially what we're doing, and if our policy requires it to go to legal first before a policy is approved, why are we approving the policy with no legal looking at it when it's not changing her job any

she has the floor then Marin Loy then you can speak if you wish to. So, is legal going to look at it or not? Is my first question. Can somebody please answer that for me? Is our pol does our policy on policies require legal to approve a new policy? Are you done, Katie? No, I'm I would like our legal to answer that for us or someone who represents us. May I remind So, can Doug Drenan please answer the question for the commission? If we put in a new policy,

are we required to send it to legal? I don't think we have a policy on polic. We don't. All right then. Not that I'm not that I'm not that I'm aware. How Mr. Dannon, you got the floor.

Not that I'm aware. I'm not aware of a resolution that's passed. Of course, there could have been resolutions. There have been resolutions passed where I look at every contract, right? Uh there have been resol I will tell you that department heads, not department heads, but elected officials pursuant to state law that have to have personnel policies, if they change them different from the county policies, they do blow them by my office historically, you know what I mean? But I don't know that that is required, but they certainly do that. Uh, I'm not aware of any resolution that the commission's passed that would require me to look at every policy of every department. No, I'm not aware of that. Am I saying there's not one? No, I'm not. But I I'm not aware of that. But I look at plenty of policies, but I don't know that it's a requirement.

Okay. Okay. So, why are we not just letting her submit it to us as information and us not even vote on it? So, she operates just like she's doing. It's for information. So, just just just hang on here a minute. Aaron, you're next. So, we got to close this up. So, I mean, if it's just information, we don't control any of it anyway, then sure, I'll vote for it because it doesn't it's just her documenting her process in case someone else has to come in with someone has a question on how she does it or if she needs to train somebody else. Mr. Lloyd,

hold up. Jim Snarus ahead of you, Marcus. Uh, I think Doug provided the clarity I was looking for. Marissa obviously put a lot of work into putting this together and I took the time to read through it. I'm no lawyer, but if Doug says it doesn't need to go through legal, then I think we're fine. So, thank you. Mr. Snogus is next. I think she she can speak it on your time. Go ahead.

Okay. May I remind the commission that I have a master's degree with almost six years of healthc care law focusing on VA healthcare networks and I'm sitting in a doctorate program right now for that. So along along those lines, what we have is the department prior to this procedure policy put in place. We're trying to run a department on knowhow. Meaning we don't have a backup procedure or process. If she gets kidnapped by aliens or whatever it is, the process still has to run. She's simply documenting her standard operating procedures for the office, not anything related to human resource management or anything of that nature. All right. And I I'm certain except maybe Marcus or if there's other veterans in our group here that we can add very little to that. I do think it would be a good idea for legal to look over that and move forward with it. Legal has some suggestions. We can come back to that. At the same time, since that question was brought up by Miss Huffacaker, I think we do need to consider some type of standard operating procedure for the county when procedures are implemented to make sure we're meeting all aspects of the law. Okay. But this is not the time for that. That's a much bigger issue, but let her run with it, please.

That's true. Joe Coleman and Marcus Reeves. He's done punched the button here. I think what we've done is missed the mark here. We're trying to mix up the laws of the military with the laws of this council right here, the civilian court. Uh she's going by the protocol that she's got that she's got to do according to the military.

Yeah. And it's a little bit different from what Jeff Coffee does for the sheriff's department or what you all does in this county right here. And she's going by what she has got to [clears throat] do, her policy along with abiding by the other laws that she has to go by. But now she's got her stuff in a row. And we're all getting confused here about it. But we need to let her do her job and get on with it. Thank you, Mr. D.

I I would just like to say I I respect all the inputs on this, but if you want Mr. Drenin to review this, be prepared for a big bill that we're going to discuss later tonight on invoices coming from the lawyer. Uh Larissa is a very smart person. I read through the policy. It covers everything that I could imagine. And I don't think any other department if they have policies have to come to us and really show us their policy. The only policy we've ever approved is the employee handbook for the county. And this is a prime example of how come we need a human resources department for the county. I've said that for seven years now. So I'll say it for the eighth time. That's the reason why we need a human resources for this county or at least a consultant. Thank you. Let's vote

trans. Yeah. Say that it's our responsibility to check our emails. It's been in the on the agenda. Let's vote on the thing and quit overthinking everything.

We will proceed to vote. [snorts] 15. Yes. Three. Thank you. All passes. Move right along. Next we have budget committee. I'll let Jess take over. Better than I am these numbers. I'll let you do it one evening.

No. Six more beats. Okay, budget committee um they recommended all of the budget amendments and we can address those as we proceed. And then there are two that we have added to the agenda that um you all suspended the rules for. So don't let me forget those. But the first one is 101 general fund amendment number 17. It's utilizing fund balance of $220,779.97 and reserves total of $15,000. There's item number three is utilizing fund balance. Item number six is utilizing fund balance. And item number eight is utilizing fund balance.

Question or comment? Not hearing any proceed to vote. passes 180. Ma'am, next item. School budget amendment general fund 141 number 13 items 1 through six. No use of fund balance or reserves. Question or comment? Not hearing any. Proceed to vote. 18. Yes. Zero. No. Ma'am. Next item. Federal funds amendment number six. One item.

Question or comment. Proceed to vote. 180. Ma'am. Thank you. Next item is school capital fund 177 amendment number four. This is decreasing a reserve balance of $119,329. Question and comment. See the vote. 18. Yes. Zero. No. Pass.

Thank you. Do you want me to go ahead and present the items that the budget amendments? Okay. So, the one that was added was general fund 101 amendment number n number 18 utilizing $44,284 of reserves and it's utilizing restricted reserves for the sexual offender registry moving them to a budget the budgeted line for a purchase of a vehicle for the detective over the registration. Madam clarification, these have or have not been presented to budget. They were not presented to budget committee. We suspended the rule.

And I believe the sheriff is here if you have any questions.

My question is why are we buying vehicles at this time of year when normally the sheriff uh introduces his budget with the with the vehicles in it? Do you want me to [clears throat] uh this particular vehicle is used out of the sex offender fund registry. Uh when sex come in, we detective that registers these people. It's an annual budget of 15,000. I think 15 goes to the state, 10 goes to us. Well, by uh statute, that money can't go every that money gets added on to. Like at the end of the year, if we got $6 or $7,000 left over, that rolls over into the next budget year. We just really hadn't bought anything. And that money is specifically to be used for equipment vehicle for that uh person uh uh officer that's doing those investigations going out doing home visits. So this money has very specific uh items that can be used for such as equipment. Really don't have any need for any other equipment uh that he has that we supply. So we just let it roll over. And the vehicle he has a 2014 I think it's got 150,000 mi on it since we had the money there and we've been rolling it over and it's really specific where it needs to be used. Uh that's why we brought this forward at this time.

So basically it doesn't cost us anything.

No, this is money that's been rolled over from the when when they come in the sex offenders have to pay money in. half of it, a portion of it goes to the state, a portion goes to the county for us doing it. Um, there's hundred and something sex offenders annually have to report this money and they have to pay once or twice a year a certain amount. I think it's $150. I'm not sure for us to to maintain it. The state gets the biggest portion. We get uh $10,000, I think it is. So, but our sex offender registry has went up. So, there's been more money going into it and the state sends that money to us and then they put it back and we ask for it to go into reserves. So, it's actually money that the sex offenders have paid into fines is what's paying for this vehicle. But the vehicle, I think it's a 2014 or 15 one. It's got likeund 58,000 miles on it. And uh uh well, we we had send somebody to boost it off this morning, but it's it's got some age on it, but um but when it comes around time, too, we don't have to worry about replacing this vehicle for with county funds. It's it's through the sex offender registry.

Mr. Andy Bales, do you have a question? I was just going to ask him if he'd use it in the anywhere else in the sheriff's department. No, it's it it's it's this detective specific because he's required to go out and do home checks as well. The one that he's currently using is what I was talking about. Oh, the one that he's currently using. Still be able to use it in use microphone. Um does it still be able to Yeah. Um but I mean it's got some maintenance issues. It's probably going to be one that we're going to um put u clicked off when you said that. Yeah. Anyway.

Yeah. I mean, it's a white Tahoe. I mean, there'll be some of the agencies will be able to to use it. I know we use silver and black, but um if no other county, I guess, entity or office needed it. But I mean, there's I mean, we're going to do some work with it, I'm sure. Any more questions, comments for sheriff? Not hearing anything. Thanks, sir. We'll proceed to vote. passes 180.

Okay. The next budget amendment is landfill fund 207 amendment number six. Item number one, we're shifting $31,000 from diesel fuel to evaluation and testing. Mr. Chairman, I do not have a copy of that one. Neither does Ransom. But there's copies.

There's a fire copy running around. We need it before everybody leaves.

Does everybody else have coffee? suggestions question or comment. Proceed to vote. 18. Yes. Zero. No. Passes.

Glued. No, we're still rolling. Unless you want pop to cover it. [laughter] No.

Okay. So, the next item, um, maintenance garage bid results. This was before the facilities committee earlier in the evening. Then it went before budget committee and it was recommended by both. Um the recommendation will be to move the reserves. You have the memo from Jeff Denton as well. Sorry if you have any questions on that. I'll be happy to answer if I can on behalf of him. But we moved to the total of the reserves $558,468 to a budgeted line and the additional funds were $100,000 from capital fund 171 unassigned fund balance. Um 65,000 of that is needed to award the bid and 35,000 is for um to cover the county obligations within the bid. I believe they're, don't quote me, doing fencing. Um, paving. No,

I don't think that's right. Gravel excavation and fencing. Julie's cringing right now. Me trying to remember the prep work. And the gravel. So, that's the total of the 100,000. So, we would need a vote on that as well as um accepting the schoolboard funding commitment up to 220,000 as long as we are including a third bay. And this would include a third bay. All right, we take all that one round. That'd be great. We proceed to vote. You did in budget. [clears throat]

Hang on just a second here. We got to get back on the road.

And just a side note that the facilities committee did um recommend us to go ahead if the funding was in place to award this bid. passed 180.

Thank you. Um, the next item is resolution 2026-09, Jefferson County refunding bond resolution. Um, budget committee did not make a recommendation, I believe, is what I recall. They just voted to move it on to county commission as my understanding. So, I'll be happy to answer any questions. And Scott Gibson with Cumberland Securities is also here this evening. If you have any questions for him, question or comment. Not hearing any. We'll proceed to vote. Katie,

I just wanted to ask Scott Gibson if he could stand up and tell us about our financial situation and his recommendation on this.

Thank you. Um, you do have a resolution uh on the agenda tonight and we will be refinancing the 2010 bonds. That's the bonds that uh we delayed principal payment on for a long time. We've made couple payments the last few years on that and this commission historically, not only this commission but a couple previous ones have always complained that we need to pay that debt off and we are now making the move to do that. We will be shortening this debt up. Your packet shows us shortening it up three years. Although uh and average rate of about 3%. Uh rates have moved down a little bit since we submitted the packet. I'm hopeful that we closer to 2.75. And because rates are a little bit lower, I think we can squeeze in another year and shorten it up another year. And so ultimately I hope to end up with about 10 years of debt and then uh that piece of debt will be paid off and that will be the last payment on the high school that or all the renovations that were made to the high school. So hopefully in 10 years all that will be paid off. We should save about $4 million uh approximately gross dollars doing that uh by paying that debt early. Your debt service budget can afford to do it. Also, um if we can lock in the 2.75, um there was some discussion about maybe using some cash to pay the debt off early. Just to give you some perspective, the current earnings on your fund balance is north of 3 and a.5%. So, you'll actually earn more money on your fund balance versus what you're paying out on the debt service. So, all things being equal, it should be a winner based on where we are today. And finally, uh, part of the discussion I had mentioned, um, I've been up here for a long time helping the county, your municipal advisor, and this county commission and previous county commissions, uh, should be

congratulated. I think Jefferson County is probably in the best shape financially than it's ever been in since I've been up here. And so, all of you should be congratulated. You have a very strong rating. you have um tackled your capital items, at least the school. You have a a fairly renovated new high school. Uh you tackled the Jefferson Elementary finally, and we got a plan for that, and it's moving forward. And uh your justice center is out there. You might need to do some work for it, but you have a core facility that's in good shape. and between high schools and jails, those are the two largest uh expenses that counties can have and those are in our rearview mirror. And yes, we still will be paying on them for a little bit longer, but we should be have all that paid off in 10 years. And so put sets this county up to be in an excellent financial position. And just to give you some color, uh if we were having to build a new high school today, I'm actually financing two of those right now in the state of Tennessee. one down in Lowden County and it's going to run about 858 $87 million when it's all said and done. And then I'm working in on one in West Tennessee. They have given me up to $100 million that we can use to finance it, but that's not going to ultimately cover it. I don't think we're probably going to end up at 125 to 135 million. Now, this is a brand new campus, so all new football field and tracks and all that to get this done. But just to give you some perspective of if you were having to start today where you could potentially end up some pretty large numbers that uh you would not have to address. So after we make the debt payment this year that are in this year's budget, we should be slightly under and we get this debt refinance. If you approve it, we should be slightly under $30 million of outstanding debt in Jefferson County. So uh and then like I said, hopefully in 10 years all that

will be paid off. Now, that does exclude the nursing home. And so, that piece of debt goes out to 2050 for the nursing home. That's about another 13.5 million that's outstanding uh that we will continue to make payments on. But, as y'all are probably aware, the nursing home covers its debt from the revenue it generates. So, we're not being asked to subsidize that. You do put your taxing power behind it to get the lowest interest rates, but it is uh self sustaining as of now. So, that's just a general overview. And uh if y'all have any questions, I'll be happy to answer them. Miss Brooks, you got to speak.

Yeah, I don't have a question for you. Um I talked to Jesse earlier and she said we had 14 million in our debt service fund. I think a consideration would be to allocate some of that money to pay down this debt. Um I guess I do have a question for Mr. Gibson. Uh if we lock into this, the earliest we could pay off would be 2037. Correct. No, we will make it callable probably in 20 32 or 33, something like that. So we'll give it six, seven years or so. We could then you could pay it off in full after that if you wanted to. Okay. Is that in the resolution?

Uh there is language in there. Yes. That uh

could you point me to that please? Yeah, it's uh mentioned in there a few times. So, um if you go to page page three under section four, uh letter B, it says 34 and 33. Like I said, I I think we may shorten that up to 32 or 33 when it's all it's 33 is mentioned now, but we'll either use 33, we may shorten it to 32. The resolution allows us to move or adjust some of those dates and stuff that are in there. So, we will be selling the if we if you approve it tonight, we'll be sending it to Moody's uh this week to get the rating process started. That takes about 3 weeks. Uh about a week after that, we'll sell the bonds. That'll put us about a month from now. And then we'll close 20 days or so after that. So, that puts us about midappril, hopefully getting this deal closed and the rates locked in. Um, so that's kind of the timeline if you approve it. And like I said, we'll keep moving forward if if if you approve and try to lock in that savings. And what if we table it until next month?

Then we will come back and uh I mean the savings are there today. Hopefully the market stays where it is and we don't get pushed into May or June. If you I mean if you delay it, we're looking at you know end of May or early June probably before we get closed. So, I'd like to get it done before the end of the fiscal year. So, if we push to March, we could still get it done in this fiscal year.

We would be we would be at the probably Yeah. around end of May, early June at the early or reasonably. We got to speak now. Katie Hilfiger. So, if I understood right, we make more money by having this debt because of the interest we're making off of our cash on hand.

Right now, you're probably earning around 3.7 3.75% if you're invested in local LGIP or something like that. That's what they've been paying. You're currently paying out on this debt net about 3.68. So, right now we're kind of it's kind of flat, but uh we should be able to refinance this. Like I said, your packet shows 3%, but I am hopeful that we'll be closer to 2.75. So, we should be able to lower the interest rate about 1% and like I said, your fund balance is earning north of 370 or 375 now, right around that range. So, yes, you'll be earning 1% more on every million dollars that you in the current market. Now, that may change next year or the following year. It may that that spread may narrower at some point. it may get wider again. So, this will be fixed rate debt and that rate will be locked in for the remaining 10 years and uh like I said, we'll probably make it where you can pre pay off the last three or four years at some point when we get closer to the future if you want to. You got other debts you can pay off, but that debt's actually um sub 2% on the rate. So, I'm not sure any gonna make any sense to pay it off anytime soon. So you got some of the lowest once we get this refinance, you're going to have some of the lowest debt cost here in the in the area. So

So we make more money. It helps our bond rating. I don't see why we would use our cash to pay.

I don't recommend using We're already putting a million 175 in there and this year's budget and applying to this debt, which uh we've done the last couple years. We'll use that money. You're going to fund the interest component. So all we're refinancing is future principal payments. Um I I think with your having the you have about $14 million in your general debt service fund. Uh I mean that's a good balance. I think uh historically though it's significantly less than what Jefferson County has carried in that fund. Obviously y'all allocate a good chunk of your money to pay for the Jefferson Elementary School and that's why that fund is down. That's now in the capital projects fund or something to spend for that. Um, I think I would since this debt's going to be fairly short, paid off in 10 years, we can lock in a really low rate. We do that. And then any excess cash, you all start setting that aside. You have some ongoing capital projects, small maintenance issues. You keep paying cash for those. And I think there's some discussions about the justice center and some buildings out there. And I would recommend that you continue to build your cash and that you do some of the preliminary architect and engineering design work and pay for all that out of cash out of the capital projects fund and even potentially start the project with cash. And then maybe you have to call me, maybe you won't depend on what the final bids come in. Um I know y'all don't like to call me up here because y'all hate to borrow money. But that being said, um I think y'all would better be better served in the long run to try to maybe pay pay cash for that as long as we maintain good fund balances going forward. And so that would be my recommendation that you that we you know keep building cash up and then apply it to maybe some of these capital projects y'all have and then maybe you call me, maybe you don't. So it's good when I show up this time you say four million bucks. Sometime next time I show up and you want to borrow money then everyone gets down when I

show up. So that's unfortunately. Okay. Thank you, Mr. Stress. So if we pay down, let's just throw a number out there, uh 2 million to pay this down and then refinance, where do we stand at on payoff? Um if you we're well, we're already going to put about a million u four or so in the transaction. That's already allocated, right? take an additional 2 million on top of that which would be 36.

We're our principal payments are going to be about a million a million two a year. So, um 2 million bucks. I could shorten the debt up probably one year and then have a smaller payment on the rest of it. I may even get it shorter than that. We'll just see when the final bids come in if you wanted to go that route. So, a much smaller payment. It wouldn't the payment wouldn't be smaller on an annual basis, but it would be instead of 10 years, we may get it down to nine. Pay it off a year early or basically and then the eighth year may be less than a million too. It could be 500,000 or 600,000 or something like that as far as a payment.

So I guess for me when I see something that that was put together, I would also like to see that other option in writing as well. So we can put them side by side, but Yeah. Yeah. Well, thought you may ask that question. There's what it looks like. I brought it to the meeting tonight. I have copies here. That's hopefully where we hopefully end up. We'll see where we Well, but there's not enough time to analyze it now. Every commissioner needs a copy.

Well, the the the point um Jess Jesse and I talked about this. Jessica and I talked about this the packet of information submitted to the state. We had to do that u about 3 weeks ago and so we submitted something the state locom finance got the reported on it. Uh the report we sent basically is kind of you know this is what we know we can achieve. We think we can get right at 4 million bucks. Like I said, the markets moved just this week down some more. It can move back up. Rates can move back up. Uh the plan that I gave you basically is where I hope we end up. But like I said, we're a month away from selling. So there can be a lot of things that happen in the next month. And so I don't want to put out there something that right on the edge of where we are and disappoint you. But I I am confident that what's in your report we can achieve. So that's kind of the the logic about where we're where we stand.

I guess my main point is just have options in writing when we're look looking at something like this. Well, I I think the memo we sent around did summarize that we we hope to shorten the debt one extra year and and do that. So that was in the memo that Miss Elder sent out as part of the packet. Not a sidebyside comparison, but I yield. Tim Seals call for the question. That's it. Question has been called. We will proceed to vote.

Hold up just a second. Mr. Bird, we're looking for a vote. This vote is to approve the refund resolution. We have 17 yes, one no. It passes. Uh Jesse, that's it for us. Right. Good. Mr. Seal, you good? Yeah, we're good. Okay. We want a short restroom break and push on through. Greg done went to the restroom. We're ready.

Amen. I wish some of you shut up and let's go. Okay. County Commission items. You got attorney invoices. You got the information only. Motions impacting property tax information. Next we have lobbyist David Seal. I believe Katie's got a spoke for him. Okay, this ready.

David Sill asked me to read this on his behalf because he's in Nashville. Okay, this is his lobby report for real estate transfer tax legislation SB1080HB 649. State representatives and senators that I have con contacted continue to send requests to Governor Lee. Members of the budget committees in both chambers and chairs of the finance committees in support of the real estate transfer tax legislation. Based on those efforts, the issue is on the governor's radar and that of legislators and finance committee members whose responsibility is to finalize the state budget. Senator London Lamar's press secretary and I have spent cons considerable time working to make the legislation a bipartisan bill. We plan to use media releases to support SB 1080HB 649. According to staff members, Lamar is expected to sign a letter of support addressed to the Senate Finance Committee members and its chair and to the governor. She serves as the Democratic caucus chair of the Tennessee Senate. I plan to meet with Senator Lamar and other members of the Democratic Caucus this week. Representative Kip Kappley, who serves on the House Finance Committee, and Representative Chris Hurt have signed on as House co-sponsors since your last county commission meeting. I've had meetings with both Kapley and Hurt. All total, the legislation now has 29 House co-sponsors. more are expected to sign on and co-sponsor before the budget is considered and before the supplemental budget is proposed in March. The House prime sponsor, Representative Pat Pat Marsh, who serves as the House Speaker ProTim, and I had a meeting last Tuesday, February 3rd, to discuss his meeting with Governor Lee and to review the budget process. I have also met multiple

times with other lobbyists that are working on this issue of returning a portion of the real estate transfer tax to county governments. The Tennessee County Services Association and the Tennessee County Officials Association are also working on the legislation. The County Officials Association is where the legislation originated last year. Their chairman and I met last week. Legislators are telling me that our state budget will not be in final form until early April. We are making progress in securing wider support for the bill and those efforts will continue.

Thank you, Miss Katie. We'll move on to old business. We have resolution 2026-05 resolution increasing the tipping and fee for commercial solid waste to this will be your second vote. John, we have 17 yes, zero no. Mr. John, are you a yes or no? Yes.

Yes.

That would be eight total 18 yes. Resolution passes 18 to zero. Next we have resolution 2025-65. A resolution amending the zoning resolution of Jefferson County, Tennessee to reflect and clarify the jurisdiction, powers, authority of the Jefferson County Board of Zoning Appeals and the powers and duties of zoning official. Question or comment on hearing any proceed to vote. We have 18 yes, zero no. It passes. B is resolution 2026-09 and we've done took care of that. Correct.

Yes. All right. I'll mark it off. C. We have resolution 2026-10, a resolution requesting that the general assembly of the state of Tennessee enact legislation to place certain requirements on municipal annexation. Is there a question or comment? Can somebody explain this resolution to your post? Uh, I believe Mr. Reid had that put on there. Would you speak to it, sir?

I I sent a uh the House bill that this represents to each commissioner. Uh, you should have got it yesterday to go over that. What the House bill House bill is rather short. I've received phone call from David, our lobbyist, about a week or so ago. I started looking at the house bill. I started thinking about how we're growing as a county and and I believe that we were pointed out we're growing like 2% a year. I I would just like to share you a little bit of tidbit information to give you an example. Uh Jefferson County is my home county. I never had one when I left home after I was 18. So Jefferson County is my home county. I'm from Jefferson County. The county I originally came from is three square miles larger than Jefferson County. We've listened to the input from the citizens telling us how they would like to see Jefferson County be. And we know that we need industry, but at the same time, we want to be very careful of growth. My home county is three square miles in this county. They have between 120 and 130,000 people in that county. So just imagine what Jefferson County would be like. They have industry, a lot of industry, but it's everywhere because they did not do zoning well. They still have some of the same roads that I drove on as a teenager in high school and that was a lifetime ago. So, I'm just concerned about my home county, Jefferson County, you know, unchecked municipal in action can drive and in action

annexation. Okay. Yeah, that's it. There you go.

Can drive up the cost of county services in terms of providing road repairs, fire protection, the building of schools, and many other costs [clears throat] associated with high density development. And we're facing that. So is Hamilton County. If you read the paper, county governments and the taxpayers they represent deserve to know the financial impact that when we annex an area will have on them. HB House Bill 24/19 would require municipalities to provide this data. In other words, municipalities would have to do an impact study and put it out public of how it would affect our infrastructure. That's what I'm after. I'm not after making the cities do something for county commission. I'm after making sure that we protect our community from unnecessary growth. I think if I read the paper right in Hamlin County, there's 150 acres or 250 acres. They're going to put 455 houses on. Really think about that. We got to think about Justin County and and we're doing something on our zoning regulations. I give the zoning board great credit for that. But please take a look at this. I'm I'm not disrespecting the cities. I'm saying let's hold each other accountable so we can sustain slow growth within our county and do it the right way. I would ask you respectfully to please vote for this resolution.

Anyone else question or comment? If I read this uh resolution, right, [clears throat] at the end of it, okay, at the end of it, you know, it it exempts us cuz we got a growth area in the three cities. So within the growth, only thing cities can annex, and John knows this too, is in that growth area. Yeah. So I don't see how this even would pertain to the US. They going I mean they can't do nothing outside.

We can either approve it or deny it, but we would have to we would want to see an impact study for that area. And I think about what's the name of the subdivision you live in, Greg? I live in a Woodbr. Yeah. Didn't they annex a road coming in and not the houses? Yeah. And yeah, the city did that. But yeah, that was in the growth area though. Yeah. But but that's all we're asking, you know. That's all I'm asking for you to think about. Well, when the growth area when the growth boundaries were uh calculated and set, they had to do a impact study for the growth boundaries originally to set the growth the growth boundary there. Jimmy, you know that they did. I had to go to Nashville because of that.

That's already been set. That's already been done. That's already been figured. you know, the city the city's fire our Jefferson City provided the fire protection, police protection, water, sewer, uh, streets and and the lighting and everything. The only impact it would have to the county would be the school system in the jail. Uh, that the county that would have to look at the impact from the cities, not not any of that other stuff that that don't have any impact whatsoever on the on the county. I disagree with that because we got some per we got some public service agencies that affects tremendously the growth of the county. Thank goodness that when we built a new 911 center that we looked at a 20-year plan for that building. It's better to plan ahead than it is to react. Yeah. I mean, you vote what you think your heart tells you to do on this, but I'd ask you to really think about it. It's not that we're holding anybody to the fire. It's we're trying to protect the citizens who regularly tell us that some of the things we're doing wrong with the way we're building things that and for our road department. Whatever we put in here is going to affect the roads. You put another 455 houses in, you think it's not going to affect the roads?

Just please think about it when you vote. Thank you. We'll proceed to vote. 13 yes, five no passes. Uh I have no announcements. Does anybody else have an announcement? Mr. Mayor, Mr. Clevers?

Yes, Mr. Chairman. Um over the weekend our Rush Strong uh middle school girls basketball team went and out of 196 class A middle schools in the state they came in third. So they did a really good job um getting with the school board members from our district and Commissioner Douglas we'd like to do an honorary resolution next month for them with your permission but they did a great job. We should congratulate them next month. [clears throat] Mr. Do you have something to add?

Yeah. I just like to add one thing. I talked to David uh today or last night and the resolution we did to ask for in increasing the tax break for elderly and veterans is uh being supported by the controller. And let's hope and pray that that will pass because if it doesn't some elderly are going to probably going to really need some help and maybe some veterans also. Thank you. One little bit of tidbit for the information before we adjourn is uh year to date the county attorney invoices we have spent $46,952.

One other comment on that. Sure. Okay. Yeah. Go ahead. I did not run the numbers on the last part of that that we got in this packet, but I ran the numbers for county commission. I did not include Katie's because uh we know she took time with a lawyer doing the short-term rental and I thank her for that. But what we spent as commissioners is right around either nine or 10% of the total cost. So, I really think as commissioners we're doing a pretty good job of not running to the attorney for everything.