The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners held their regularly scheduled meeting last night (Monday, September 17, 2018).

The meeting started with a moment of silence for the tragedy that took place at the county school bus garage last Friday where two were shot and killed.

Cumberland County Sheriff Casey Cox recognized Investigator Jason Elmore, Investigator John Wirey, and Deputy Dustin Hensley last night during the county commission meeting. The three were honored for their work in a case where 14 suspects were arrested and prosecuted in federal court resulting in the seizure of 4.6 pounds of meth, .5 oz of cocaine, six firearms and almost $5,000 in cash. The investigation was part of a multi state meth operation from November 2017 to May 2018.

The commission unanimously voted County Mayor Allen Foster chairman, Rebecca Stone chairman pro tem and Nancy Hyder parliamentarian.

The following resolutions were approved:

RESOLUTION 09-2018-1-To appoint Commissioners Nancy Hyder, Charles Seiber, Jack Davis and John Patterson as members on the Financial Management/Purchasing Committee for one (1) year terms to expire August 31, 2019.

RESOLUTION 09-2018-2-To appoint Deborah Holbrook, Rick Williams, Josh Stone, Jill Davis and Valerie Cox as members to the Ethics Committee for one (1) year terms to expire September 30, 2019.

RESOLUTION 09-2018-3-To appoint David Gibson and Michael Speich as members on the Wildlife and Fisheries’ Committee for four (4) year terms to expire August 31, 2022.

RESOLUTION 09-2018-4-To reappoint Terry Lowe to the Residential Building Codes Board of Appeals for a four (4) year term to expire August 31, 2022.

RESOLUTION 09-2018-5-To appoint Michael Speich and Wendell Wilson as members to the Cumberland County Railroad Authority for two (2) year terms to expire August 31, 2020.

RESOLUTION 09-2018-6-To appoint Rebecca Stone, Larry Warner, Barbara Parsons, Jule Bryson. Judy Graham Swallows and Joyce Rorabaugh (ex-officio member) to the Public Records Commission for four (4) year terms to expire August 31, 2022.

All resolutions were unanimously approved with those that were nominated abstaining from the vote.

County Finance Director Nathan Brock then gave a report to the county commission. Brock said financial details are just beginning to come in for revenues. The report for sales tax for September won’t be available until September 20, 2018, but the August collections came in at approximately $838,000 against a budgeted amount of $819,000. Ambulance collections are down because in large part to a licensing issue with a third-party billing company. The August and September totals are down $214,000 from projections. Brock said this should clear up over the next month or two. The Hotel/Motel taxes are also lower than projected at only $94,000 for the first month. Brock said these numbers should improve.

Finally, County Attorney Randy Boston has submitted his letter of resignation. He has agreed to stay on through the month of September while County Mayor Allen Foster conducts a search for a new county attorney to recommend to the commissioner. County Mayor Foster said traditionally in September of even-numbered years, the commission elects the county attorney for the following two years. The appointment to replace Boston will more than likely need to be made during a special called meeting later this month or possibly next month.