|
|
 |
County Commission
03/13/2006
This
session of the County Commission was called to order
by Chairman Gary England. Commissioner Merritt was
absent due to a family emergency and Commissioner
Patterson was on vacation. All other commissioners
were present. Notaries unanimously approved were
Angela C. Lundin, Sue K. Monroe, Rachael Michele
Burkhart, and Melissa Ann Stormer.
Stanley Boles, Chairman of the Budget and Finance
Committee, presented budget recommendations made by
that committee. (See Budget and Finance Committee
3/7/06). Gene McBee, a District 2 commissioner
objected to paying the autopsy invoice on principle.
He felt that this particular autopsy was performed
only because the Maynardville police pushed for it:
that it was not necessary; the family did not want
it; and therefore the county should not have to pay
for it. Voting NO to paying this UT Medical Center
bill was Gene McBee and the motion to pay passed.
All other Budget and Finance recommendations passed
unanimously.
Quarterly budget totals had just been completed and
made available - thus the County Mayor’s report and
the Quarterly Revenue Committee’s report (which rely
on these figures) were not ready. These reports will
be added to the April 10th County Commission agenda.
County Attorney K. David Myers reported that he
participated in a conference call about options to
increase jail space with the county’s lawsuit
attorney John Duffy and Grant Tharp (architect with
Barge, Waggoner and Sumner and Cannon, Inc). There
is some disagreement between Mr. Duffy and Mr. Tharp
as to the number of beds that will be gained by
renovating the Ag Extension area. Mr. Tharp feels
that his firm should comply with the TN Correctional
Institute (TCI) code requiring 50 sq feet of space
per prisoner. Each cell should contain a bunk, water
closet and lavatory. Attorney Duffy felt that the Ag
Extension space did not need to be renovated to TCI
population codes and would be able to house 19, 20
even up to 24 inmates. Mr. Tharp seemed reluctant to
accept that as an answer and appeared unwilling to
certify
space for occupancy that is not in compliance with
TCI standards. Mr. Myers said Mr. Tharp would not
indicate on the plans that 19-24 prisoners can be
housed in this space. If the prisoner population did
not comply with TCI code, then the number of inmates
that could be housed would be up to the county, the
attorneys and the judge. Mr. Myers indicated he
would meet with both Mr. Duffy and Mr. Tharp within
the next 30 days and try to get clarification.
Commissioner Trever Warwick has contacted Hallsdale
Powell Utility District (HPUD) concerning acquiring
city water for the folks in the 4th district.
Anderson County Utility Board (ACUB) will need a
letter from HPUD ceding water supply rights to ACUB,
and HPUD is willing to do so. ACUB already supplies
water to the west side of Union County and this
would simply be an extension of that. Mr. Warwick
spoke with ACUB officials and they appear interested
in providing water to that area. Mr. Warwick
indicated that Union County would need to get a
contactor to install the meters. He recommended that
the county put out bids for contractors to see what
it will cost to lay water line. Commissioner Jesse
asked Mr. Warwick if he had spoken to the families
and he indicated that he had and that they all want
city water.
Mayor Larry Lay said that all of the utilities
companies already know the cost of laying lines.
“You need to look at the revenue”, said Mr. Lay. “We
have 4 months left of this year’s budget. What
remains in the undesignated fund (savings) has to
see us not only through the rest of this fiscal year
but also for seven months into the next fiscal year.
The county will not get any significant revenue in
until February 2007 and must operate until then on
what it has.” (Note: According to Ron Woody, a
consultant with the County Technical Assistance
Service (CTAS), the Comptroller of the State of TN
recommends that the Undesignated Fund balance should
be between $800,000 to a million dollars at the
beginning of a new fiscal year (7/1/06) to provide
operating capital and emergency funds until the
revenue stream begins). The mayor indicated that the
county has installed millions of dollars of water
line funded by grants, and water has not cost the
taxpayers a cent. There are many areas of Union
County that need city water and the mayor stated
that he would like to see them all have it. “But
before you pay out any more money to bring water
into areas,” said Mayor Lay (referring to the
$51,000 the county commissioners have already
pledged on 1/9/06 to be taken from the Undesignated
Fund to help pay for water for the Beeler Lane Water
Project) “you need to look into grants and
alternative funding.” Rural Development zero
interest loans are sometimes available. Appalachian
Regional Commission (ARC) grants are funds
appropriated annually by Congress and awarded by
Governor Bredesen for projects that directly impact
economic development in an Appalachian region. ARC
grants are a 50/50 match – the county would have to
come up with half the cost. A Community Block
Development Grant (CBDG) will require that a formal
survey of all the neighbors be completed in order to
identify which residents will commit to purchasing
meters and water as part of the application process.
One grant must be completed before application can
be made for another – thus grant requests within the
county need to be coordinated. Mr. Warwick was asked
to continue researching the project.
Rodney Patterson, Chairman of the Litter Resolution
Committee, was on vacation and the litter discussion
was tabled.
New
Business
The Union County Parks and Recreation board
recommended and requested that Michael Dimitroff be
appointed to their board and the commissioners
agreed.
Steve Neff, one of the Sunset Bay partners,
indicated that they will be moving out of the
development 7/1/06. They have two large (25’x64’)
buildings that Sunset Bay would like to donate to
the county. Mr. Neff stipulated that one building
would be used in Sharps Chapel for both a library
and to house an ambulance/emergency services and
staff (when there are enough funds to do so). The
second building could be used at the county’s
discretion and Mr. Lay suggested that it might be
incorporated as part of the new Maynardville EMS
building, thus reducing the costs of building that
facility. Both houses have kitchens, bathrooms with
showers and areas that could be used as conference
areas and for sleeping. Union County would assume
moving costs. Mayor Lay suggested that the
commissioners vote to accept both houses and should
consider budgeting for moving/setting the buildings
up as well as future staffing of the facilities in
the next fiscal year. The vote was unanimous to
accept both buildings from Sunset Bay.
Janet Moore has one acre of property adjacent to the
courthouse bordered by EJ Ailor, Hwy 33, Broad St
and county property. She is offering this property
to the county for a $350,000. Discussion of this
issue will be place on the April agenda.
David Myers reported that he is in the process of
preparing 2004 delinquent tax lawsuits. Any property
with delinquent taxes through 2004 can be sold for
back taxes and fees. He submitted a resolution
stating that the county would select him as the
delinquent tax attorney and in compensation he will
receive a standard fee of 10% above what is owed to
the county. The vote for David Myers to serve as
delinquent tax attorney was unanimous.
The last tax sale in the county was in February 2006
and 30 parcels of property were sold. About 40-50
people were bidding on these parcels and while this
represented about $60,000 in back taxes the total
collected (interest, attorney fees, Clerk and Master
fees, Officer fees) was around $158,000. “With the
exception of 4 or 5 properties we are working on,”
said Mr. Myers, “we have all the back taxes cleared
up through 2001”.
Commissioner Lynn Beeler had planned to discuss the
issue of compensation time accrued by Investigator
Steve Rouse, but the Sheriff was not immediately
available and this discussion was tabled. The next
County Commission meeting will be held at 7:00 on
Monday April 10. The public is invited to attend.
_________________________________
|
|
|
|