Commission - Regular Meeting

class sizes will likely rise to the state maximum, which is not good for students. This would then become a need not met. And finally, a need not being currently met, in my opinion, is having sufficient funds to make every school safe. When I ran for school board, my number one priority was to obtain additional safety measures to strengthen protection for students, teachers, and staff. Currently, we're doing that at our two high schools. by constructing a more secure entrance at each location. We will need additional funds beyond what has been provided to make that happen at all K8 schools. We also need funds to obtain impact resistant fill on vulnerable windows and entry points at each of our schools. So, in my opinion, Washington County schools have several needs that are not being met. on the budget before you tonight with no additional funding for our school system does not provide the support to meet those needs. The Washington County general budget proposal reflects the need to have four months reserve funds. However, it seems to be appropriate to some that the Washington County Board of Education reserves should not exceed two months of expenditures. I urge you to use some of the funds that you've allocated to those four months of expenditures in your reserves to help us meet the needs of our students. Thank you. Thank you. All right. Our next speaker is Kevin Warden. Kevin, if you'll come forward to the podium, please. 79 Lake View. Wayne Gra I think the big one's on Ken. Thank you.

I came here tonight because I see that both there are two sides to there's a side of the pace and there's a side of the spender. All of our pocketbooks are stretched. Doesn't matter where you sit, where you are, who you are, where you work, or what you do. Everything is a lot better than it was just a few years ago. I sit and I research the many things that have taken place in Washington County. And if you sit down and ask an AI, an artificial intelligence, which I personally believe is still a quarter if not less than. What are the biggest problems comes to the financials of Washington count? Look at the last five years and tell me what the problem is. It took it 45 minutes provided me this answer but it gave me a very clear one. There are errors, mistakes that have been made. There are purchases that have been made. There are expenditures such as firing range, new things for the school. uh new drones, new technologies, new items. We may need or want a lot of things. I know I do. I'm trying to grow my own business, grow my family, raise my children. So, there's a lot of things I need and a lot of things that I want, but I have to budget every single penny

of it. I came here tonight with a clear objective that I proposed the board and will continue proposing. I believe that Washington County should create their own volunteer committee of government efficiency. There's no expenditure to that other than the time, tears, and effort put in by the community itself. I don't see any reason not to. If we can save money and put it towards things that we actually need, not want or desire, but need first, cut back and be able to reappropriate. We'll be able to move forward not only as a community, but also increase transparency because let's be honest, half transparency is understanding. I went and I tried to understand why Washington County was audited by the comproller and not by uh a local company as done before. I cannot find the answer. No. Kevin, you reached your three minutes. Can I have an additional one? I'll grant you additional three. I know you've been trying to get here. Is there any objection to three more minutes for Kim? See no objection. Thank you. We do have these needs. We do have things that we need just as stated. I believe in security for schools. Absolutely. But in order to reach that, we need to make sure we are running efficient. So if we are able to come to an

agreement, I would more than gladly put put forward a proposal, a plan to establish a department of government efficiency here in Washington counties, a volunteer committee that would be able to have read only access to items. So that way we can go through what's being spent and see where can we actually cut things down. Are we buying Mayfield or are we buying generic areas where we can implement AI and automation update software so that way they don't take nine months to update something. It should be done automatically. It should not require extra time or attention. If somebody's working hard down at the courthouse, they should not have to stop and do something that the machine could have done in less than a second. We should make these changes as soon as possible. And I believe that with a just after a 90-day evaluation that we could save at least one cent off of the current $1.71 tax rate. And that is a a very underestimated amount just by what I was able to get not from online but also my own calculations as well. I thank you so much and I hope you have a wonderful evening. Thank you Kevin. All right. Our next speaker is uh I'm going to mess your name up and I'm sorry. Um Lor Lorenza Romano. Romano. Romano. Thank you. Thank you. Did I get the

first part right though? Close. Close. All right. Lorenzo, you live at 128 McCarti Road. McCra McCrae Road. Where do you live? Where do you live? Oh, 28 road. Great. Thank you. All right, gentlemen. Uh, I've been asked by my neighbors to present a petition to you. 1450 signatures. Uh speaking about many of the things that Kevin just talked about, uh review of the great library project, uh a review of the city bank and new schools being subsidized by being being built in this area. We're also looking for that uh Washington County to set up some type of doge, which we can learn a lesson from the federal government, what they've done, cutting, cutting, and then deciding if we need to spend. Uh we wanted to reverse the tax appraisals that happened last year. Last year, we got hit with tax appraisals. This year, you're raising the taxes. You know, uh it just doesn't work that way. We had a a massive uh increase in taxes that went on to been going on the books this year, I believe, but they were reassessed last year. In addition, um the petition also cites uh tax dollars made for for transparency in government. We'd like to see some of that spent. I'm offering a solution as well. I'm offering Tennessee code 67-4-2092901 uh which is the laws on impact fees for developers and what they can be used for. Uh that particular

many counties in Tennessee have already adopted them. The fees can be used for to fund infrastructure projects. These can be used for transportation improvements, traffic signals, road expansions. Uh similarly, school districts rely on impact fees to promote new schools. We don't need the citizens tax money if everybody is putting in their fair share that are coming into this county and and so forth. The additional the other uh available methods for uh is to increase the deed transfer fees so that these things are now added into the budget. You can increase your revenue. I speak from over 15 years experience as miniscal attorney last century of course. Uh this century I'm up here. I've been in this court before. Uh I would ask uh Mr. Balone to explain to you second Timothy 3 and tell tell us exactly what's going on in the paper. And I think we would be a better community if we look at all the other sources that are out there besides just tax county or the Congress is looking at that. It's not tax money. They're they're decreasing taxes. and they're increasing other things we have the same opportunities if you take and I think that's important to consider when you're dealing with people that need the tax break uh part of my time is in Florida state of Florida is not going to eliminate or at least seniors these are possible things that can happen if you look for alternatives If you're not looking for alternatives,

then you're just hitting the people. These are the people that got to come back here and uh make their decision at the polls. These are your people. Uh we probably could use some women here. Maybe they could help us out. We got one. That's not enough. Thank you. Thank you. All right. We uh we'll go ahead and enter institution into the vote showing our agent has received it and uh I'll turn this over to the clerk. She may enter that in into the record. Go ahead and close our public comment period and uh move back into regular session. This time I'll call on Commissioner Davenport for budget report. Commission uh in your packet from our second meeting and June we have three resolutions coming for you tonight. Uh first resolution 251 resolution fixing the tax levy county Tennessee year effective was July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2026. Motion made that a motion to approve. Motion to approve by Commissioner Davport. Do we have a second? Second by Commissioner Tuck. the floor for question or discussion. All for question. Question's been called. By the clerk, if you'll switch us to the voting screen, please go ahead and cast your vote and lock it in.

Clark, if you announce the vote 14 yes, one absent resolution passes. Commissioner resolution motion resolution for the various funds, departments, institutions, offices, and agencies of Washington County, Tennessee. Jul 2025 202 motion approved by Commissioner Davport. We have a second. Second by Commissioner Huff. Question or discussion. Calls been called. Mad cler switches the voting screen please. Commission one. Well, I had any number of questions. I guess I'll keep it simple, but I mean this is um sometimes I get lost on these resolutions, but is this just this is just the special appropriations. Is that correct or it's just the full budget? It appears to be the full budget. I did see one inconsistency. I guess in one place in our packet on page 13 it references 102,000 for John City Library and then in the body this is a nominal item but in the body of I think it references I just was one item I called that there was a discrepancy or inconsistent hang on just a minute hang on just a minute clerk before you can reset the voting screen because this discussion may change somebody's and anybody want

to change your vote. So, we'll we'll we'll call the vote again. I appreciate that. Let's go ahead. Commissioner Malone, that the difference is the funding for the Imagination Library. Okay. So, 25 of the 127 goes to Imagination Library 102 go for Thank you. Yes sir. uh on page 14 and again I had a number of questions but I big picture it looks like the countyy's going from 458 employees so well we're going from a budgeted 458 budgeted 458 an actual 451 but to a budgeted employee count of 460 now I think that obviously excludes the um school system but where are the where are the to increase the position. So actually both one was one's a actual uh with a temporary agency um and we tend to keep that that way that's the include in permits and the other one is a is for planning and so we are in process of um working with the town of Jonesburg to share their share planning services and in order to accomplish that it'll it'll take a little more support probably takes a little more support anyway but the town of Jonesboro's uh contribution will cover about half that expense but those are the two thank you what I guess forformational purposes because Contrary to maybe something that

was said earlier, the the resolution we just passed with the tax levy of 1717 which the same as it was last year. So that that is not tax. Um then maybe either mayor or or Mitch or perhaps even um even members of the budget committee. I'm just curious about I was unable to debate the budget area this morning. I had calendar conflict. Could somebody speak maybe a little bit to what what is budgeted or planned for in terms of, you know, employees, in terms of, you know, a cost of living increase, that sort of thing. Budget reflects a 3% increase, which is that was the amount that was tapped out from the state to the official soldiers. And so that that was also the same amount that was used for line items of salary expense across the county. Thank you. I I imagine, Mr. Chairman, that others have questions, but I'll I'll be quiet for now. Is there any further questions? Questions been called. Mad clerk. Switch us the voting screen. Please go ahead and cast your vote. Min 14 yes, one absent. The resolution passes. Commissioner D. Our final resolution

comes before you motion resolution number 25603. Resolution adopting the budget county and ending June 30, 2026. Motion to approve by Commissioner Davport. Do we have a second? Second by Commissioner Tita. Question or discussion. All the questions. Questions been called. Madam clerk, if you'll switch us to the voting screen, please cast your vote. Lock it in. Item clerk if you announce the vote. 14. Yes. One one absent. The resolution passes. Any other business? Commissioner Davenport. All I have chairman. Thank you. We have no old business to report this evening. No new business to report. No announcements to report. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? Motion by Commissioner Jones, second by Commissioner Wexler to adjourn. All in favor of adjournment signify by saying I. I. I'll oppose or journ.