The Cumberland County Commission met for their regular monthly session last night. Highlights include:

RESOLUTION REGARDING CUMBERLAND COUNTY ARCHIVES BUILDING – With the rising costs of construction, the Archives building construction came in approximately $280,125 over the budgeted $1.6 million amount.  This resolution amended the budget to cover the cost and was turned down by a vote of 9-8 (10 votes were required to pass). Commissioners Norris, Stone, Threet, Sherrill, Wilson, Baldwin, Holbrook, Mall, and Patterson voted for it. Commissioners Kyle Davis, Hyder, Gibson, Seiber, Jack Davis, Lowe, Cooper, and Blalock voted against.

RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A REDISTRICTING COMMITTEE – This group will set the voting districts, within state and federal law, when the U.S. Census data is finally released to show counts on the county level. More details of how the process will work will be released later. The committee will consist of County Commissioners Chad Norris, Nancy Hyder, Rebecca Stone, Charles Seiber, Terry Lowe, Wendell Wilson, Jerry Cooper, Jim Blalock, Colleen Mall, and Election Administrator Jill Davis.

RESOLUTION TO DONATE PROPERTY TO THE STATE FOR THE NORTHWEST CONNECTOR PROJECT – The State of Tennessee, in conjunction with the City of Crossville, is working to finish the Northwest Connector. (The project involves Northside Drive from Sparta Highway east to Main Street then Interstate Drive from Main Street east to Genesis Road). This agreement gives an easement for the widening project on the newly acquired county property at the corner of Highway 70 and Northside Drive. This was passed by the commission.

The also unanimously gave the go ahead for a resolution giving part-time county workers meeting specific employment requirements a bonus of $750.

The county commission also approved several typical year ending budget amendments.

Another resolution accepted the Learning Camps Transportation Grant for reimbursement for student transportation costs during Summer Learning Camps.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY FINANCIAL REPORT

Cumberland County Finance Director Nathan Brock reported to the county commission sales tax collections for the general purpose school fund came in at $1,178,207 which is $302,295 above projections. Year to date the county collected $10,009,342 and are $1,297,126 above budget.

Property tax collections year to date are 99.99% of budget compared to 99.6% at this point last year.

Cumulative hotel/motel taxes are $655,193 which is 98% of the budget. The budgeted amount was revised down this year to $668,166 from $817,283. Last year, with the larger budgeted amount, the county collected $583,431, or 71.4% of budget.

Cumulative prisoner boarding collections are $372,684, or 61.87%, of the $602,396 annual budget. Last year, the county was at $450,021, 60.6%, of an annual budget of $743,000.