Report Courtesy of Cumberland County Mayor Allen Foster

The May 2024 meeting of the Cumberland County Commission was held Monday night with all in attendance except Commissioners Holbrook, Sherrill, and Walker.

Mayor Foster notified the Commission that the Cumberland County Clerk declared a vacant seat in the office of First District Cumberland County Commission effective May 20, 2024.  Commissioner Walker has moved out of the district and has resigned.

The Commission will not be filling the vacancy, as it is within 120 days of a scheduled election.  Interested qualified citizens from the First District of Cumberland County are urged to consider running for this position in the August 1, 2024 election.

Petitions to run for this office can be picked up beginning May 21, 2024 at the Cumberland County Election Commission located at 83 Northside Lane, Suite 101, Crossville, TN 38571.  The qualifying deadline for this vacancy is June 7, 2024 at noon.  More information is available at the Cumberland County Election Commission office.

Resolutions

The following resolutions were considered by the Cumberland County Commission.  The sponsor of the resolution is in parenthesis.

RESOLUTION 05-2024-1 – TO ACCEPT OFFER(S) TO PURCHASE DELINQUENT TAX PROPERTY OWNED BY CUMBERLAND COUNTY (HOLBROOK).The following delinquent tax properties were approved in a unanimous vote in favor of accepting the offers to purchase and will now go back on the tax rolls.

Offeror(s) Property Address Price Ad
National Premier Properties
3043 Pomo Circle/150I E 4.00 $276.80 $45.00
6326 Osage Rd/150J D 14.00 $278.50 $45.00
827 Spokane Lane/161D D 18.00 $261.70 $45.00
812 Spokane Lane/161D E 6.00 $271.80 $45.00
9402 Cherokee Trl/161D H 40.00 $274.40 $45.00
503 Brave Lane/162C B 24.00 $262.20 $45.00
508 Brave Lane/162C C 5.00 $263.40 $45.00

Laurie & Andrew Berben
930 Paola Dr/161B B 5.00 $270.40 $45.00

Betsey Navarro
233 Albemarle/90B B 9.00 $375.70 $45.00
924 Geronimo Ln/150P G 13.00 $973.30 $45.00

Robert & Agnes Morden
1044 Greyeagle Dr/162C A 23.00 $1,070.50 $45.00

RESOLUTION 05-2024-2 – TO APPROVE UPDATING THE CURRENT CUMBERLAND COUNTY PERSONNEL POLICY (FOSTER).  The Commission voted to approve minor changes to the personnel policy including having an initial period of employment for part time in addition to full time employees, updating the leave policies to allow quarter hour increments, moving a section of the record keeping policy to another heading, and clarifying Veterans Day observation details.

RESOLUTION 05-2024-15 – TO ACCEPT OFFER FROM THE TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION RELATING TO THE BRIDGE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT ON 70 NORTH AT OBED RIVER PARK (FOSTER).  The State of Tennessee offered, and the Commission accepted, $36,000 for a small piece of property on Highway 70 North at the Obed River Bridge by the Obed River Park.  This will allow the fencing to be replaced by the section being taken.

RESOLUTION 05-2024-16 – ALLOWING CUMBERLAND COUNTY TO APPLY FOR A HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT GRANT (STONE).  This grant, if received, would give another $500,000 toward repairs and remodeling on the former courthouse, and was approved by the full commission.

The following two resolutions approved the extension of interest rates and the conversion of an interest rate on the county’s bonds.  We continue to work to reduce the debt of the county and have been successful in doing so.  These moves provide the flexibility to possibly pay off more debt in the future and were approved by the full Commission.

• RESOLUTION 05-2024-17 – APPROVING THE EXTENSION OF THE INTEREST RATE ON THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BONDS, SERIES VII-F-1 WITH US BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AND APPROVING ALL DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH (STONE).
• RESOLUTION 05-2024-18 – APPROVING THE CONVERSION OF THE INTEREST RATE ON THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT BONDS, SERIES VII-B-2 FROM A BANK RATE TO A DAILY RATE WITH A LETTER OF CREDIT PROVIDED BY TRUIST BANK, AND APPROVING ALL DOCUMENTS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH (STONE).

The following routine budget amendments were approved by the Commission for various county departments:

• RESOLUTION 05-2024-3 – GENERAL PURPOSE SCHOOL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, ISM STATE GRANT (PATTERSON)
• RESOLUTION 05-2024-4 – GENERAL PROGRAM SCHOOL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, TISA OUTCOMES FUNDING (SHERRILL)
• RESOLUTION 05-2024-5 – FEDERAL PROGRAM SCHOOL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, ATSI 23 GRANT ORIGINAL BUDGET (PATTERSON)
• RESOLUTION 05-2024-6 – FEDERAL PROGRAM SCHOOL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, STATE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT GRANT ORIGINAL BUDGET (STONE)
• RESOLUTION 05-2024-7 – GENERAL PURPOSE FUND-141, BUDGET AMENDMENT, STATE SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT GRANT ORIGINAL BUDGET (STONE)
• RESOLUTION 05-2024-8 – GENERAL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, FIRE DEPARTMENT (MAXWELL)
• RESOLUTION 05-2024-9 – GENERAL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES (PATTERSON)
• RESOLUTION 05-2024-10 – GENERAL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, FIRE PREVENTION AND CONTROL (MAXWELL)
• RESOLUTION 05-2024-11 – GENERAL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, OTHER GENERAL ADMINISTRATION (COOPER)
• RESOLUTION 05-2024-12 – GENERAL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (PATTERSON)
• RESOLUTION 05-2024-13 – GENERAL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, ANIMAL SHELTER (COOPER)
• RESOLUTION 05-2024-14 – GENERAL FUND, BUDGET AMENDMENT, AGRICULTURE EXTENSION SERVICE (STONE)

Financial Update
The new Cumberland County Codes Department issued 42 building permits, 15 general mechanical permits, 32 general plumbing permits, one plumbing fixture permit, and one water heater permit in April 2024.  A total of $47,217 in fees were collected.  EMS collections were $305,997, which is below the budgeted monthly amount of $366,667.  Year to date, EMS is $11,708 ahead of budgeted projections with total collections of $3,678,374.  Sales tax for the BOE was $1,187,369 which was $11,979 below budget.  Year to date, collections are $308,122 below budget.  Property tax collections are at 100.02 percent of budget year to date, compared to 99.9 percent at this time last year.  Hotel/Motel collections are $937,597 of the $1,308,411 annual budget, and were $956,371 in the prior year at this point.  Prisoner boarding collections from the state stand at $284,822 (nine months of revenue).