The Cumberland County Commission met this evening for their regular scheduled session.

An invocation and the presentation of the United States and Tennessee flags by the Cumberland County Young Marines got the meeting started.

The first resolution for the commissioners was to appoint Philip Burnett to the position of County Attorney for a term of two years. The resolution passed unanimously. Burnett agreed to serve with a financial agreement of $2,500 monthly retainer with a $175 billable rate. Burnett replaces former county attorney Randy Boston.

The following resolutions were approved by the county commission:

• The appointment of Terry Lowe to the Cumberland County Regional Planning Commission to fill the unexpired term of Randy Boston through August 31, 2020. All commissioners voted yes with Commissioner Terry Lowe abstaining.
• A budget amendment for the General Purpose School Fund for a memorial donation of $995. The money came from donations from citizens and groups to the Cumberladn County Shoe Fund in memory of Burrell Harris. Amendment passed unanimously.
• A budget amendment for the General Purpose School Fund for a community donations totaling $2,250. This comes from the Fairfield Glade Ladies Club donating the money to assist with the shoe fund and the library programs in Cumberland County. Amendment passed unanimously.
• A budget amendment for the General Purpose School Fund for the director of schools contracted raise of $2,100. Amendment passed unanimously.
• A budget amendment for the General Purpose School Fund for the Lincoln Financial Retiree Surrender for $21,352.95. The Cumberland County Board of Education is named as the account holder for a group of Lincoln Financial retirement plans sold to former employees. One retiree asked Lincoln Financial to fully surrender her account balance which resulted in Lincoln Financial writing the Board of Education a check for the balance of the account that went back to the county. Amendment passed unanimously.
• A budget amendment for the General Purpose School Fund for non-recurring school safety grant for $169,730. This was part of the Safe Schools grant. Amendment passed unanimously.
• A budget amendment for the General Purpose School Fund for cancel movement of federal revenues for $200,000. The money was transferred to the Federal Projects School Fund in 2017-2018 year to help with cash flow issues arising from reimbursement timings. The General Purpose School Fund met the required fund balance test for the 2018-2019 year without the need to transfer the $200,000. Without the need to transfer the money, there was no need to move it back out to Federal Projects. Amendment passed unanimously.
• A budget amendment for the General Purpose School Fund for additional allocations for the Crab Orchard Septic System for $200,000. Amendment passed unanimously.
• A budget amendment for the General Purpose School Fund for contributions to capital projects overages in the amount of $750,000. Amendment passed unanimously.
• A budget amendment for the General Fund for the trustee’s office for $1,732. Amendment passed unanimously.
• A budget amendment for the General Fund for the library for $3,389. Amendment passed unanimously.
• A budget amendment for the Drug Control Fund for the sheriff’s department drug enforcement for $10,000. Amendment passed unanimously.

Cumberland County Finance Director Nathan Brock then presented an update. EMS collections continue to be an issue being down some $400,000. The issue appears to be with a third party billing company that should be resolved in the future. Through September 2018, the county took in nearly $1.7 million in sales tax revenue. The recent fees charges for archives and records requests resulted in $6,230 collected last month. And in regards to the settlement with Spirit Broadband, the county has yet to collect any money. The county will now go after the assets of Spirit Broadband.