The Cumberland County Commission met last night (April 15, 2024).

Members unanimously approved Willie Freeman, Bill Hargis, Daniel Husk, Levon Hubbard, and Teddy Wanamaker to the Board of Equalization. The board reviews property owner complaints regarding property tax assessments.

Commissioners approved the county’s participating in the Upper Cumberland Workforce’s Work Experience Program. It was created to provide valuable hands-on work experience to individuals wishing to develop and enhance employment skills.  This resolution, approved unanimously, allows Cumberland County to host participants, employed and paid for by the Upper Cumberland Workforce while working in various county jobs.  Participants are eligible to work up to 25 hours per week and can work 10-12 weeks.

A resolution approving a flat fee for any road change requests to the regional planning commission was granted. It sets a flat fee of $100 for road change requests.

The county commission unanimously approved changes to the solid waste tire disposal fee. It is regarding old tires received by the county from companies and individuals. Currently, the county is charged $135 per ton for tire removal. The fees charged ($1.00/tire) for this disposal do not cover this cost. This resolution authorizes the Solid Waste Department to charge the same tonnage fee of $135 to local companies disposing of truckloads of tires. The $1.00 per tire disposal fee for residents will not change, but only five tires can be disposed of in one day before the tonnage fee will be charged.

Members approved a resolution authorizing the issuance of interest-bearing general obligation capital outlay notes of Cumberland County. This is an accounting mechanism to allow the use of a debt service fund balance of $1,700,000 for capital items.

Several routine budget amendments were approved by the county commission.

In the monthly financial report, the new Cumberland County Codes Department issued 51 building permits, 36 general mechanical permits, and 46 general plumbing permits in March 2024. A total of $65,201 in fees were collected. Emergency medical service (EMS) collections were $397,131, which is above the budgeted monthly amount of $366,667. Year to date, EMS is $72,378 ahead of budgeted projections with total collections of $3,372,377.  Sales tax for the Board of Education was $1,130,567 which was $95,723 below budget. Year to date, collections are $296,143 below budget. Property tax collections are at 99.29 percent of the budget year to date compared to 99.26 percent at this time last year. Hotel/Motel collections are $851,446 of the $1,308,411 annual budget and were $856,923 in the prior year at this point. Prisoner boarding collections from the state stand at $231,440 (seven months of revenue).