[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6241156,"mediaKeyId","3308849-be0a5b08924ca5fbb3048cf7bce45cc8","parentId",3308849,"title","Commissioners consider $83,006 TCRS buyback to smooth retirement rates","audioSeconds",91,"startMs",434000,"endMs",525000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3308849-be0a5b08924ca5fbb3048cf7bce45cc8&start=434&end=525","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3308849-be0a5b08924ca5fbb3048cf7bce45cc8/thumbnail_434000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6241156/Houston-County/Tennessee/Commissioners-consider-83006-TCRS-buyback-to-smooth-retirement-rates","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241156-9b9b574d9c657abe81c7e5640ac57ffd/orig.mp4?Expires=1775402143&Signature=NQk9v210v9TZhWeJovNslQDhquR8VlGoJhIr3C1KeYqJnJYatd-GpWJyHTl59pVHbeb4noUxLadmHE9rYh5RwkKlDHm0zwcGGaNgQ2qExf9Cdd-4kUKPg1LhRauINvI3TXcxvgBlC2pNOUXnApUMRfloEe3015QW7JCYqUdgfgWQZABJR5jrCkXUD~rvhN-yczKCMzu~Fl5jCDAeleri8hhHn8asbnlWNRrX~DlFmCbC-o~qqnF6W8wzi0zMofW64Cyi6tA7FtLck5PRywBkW1sB1imKuybAx0tlbPSnBmobSWJqIPhpFA1LyVKV3aV6gdqBGjRGhZMiDsO2bTi6Yw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Houston County, TN","date","2025-05-15T02:18:56.6Z","article","Houston County finance staff presented a proposal to place $83,005.94 into the county’s TCRS retirement fund to “buy back” service years or create a fund balance that offsets future market‑driven increases in the county’s annual retirement contribution rate.

Finance staff said the lump sum would be placed in a fund balance for the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS) and would reduce the county’s employer rate for roughly two to three fiscal years while the balance remains. The staff member said the county will still pay market differences when rates rise, but the fund acts like a savings account to smooth volatility.

“That $83,005.94 is what it would cost to buy back for years,” the county finance presenter said. “That $83,000 goes into, like, a fund balance for TCRS, and that fund balance helps offset our rate every year.”

Staff noted the county has 19 active employees in the plan and 31 inactive employees who are entitled but not yet receiving benefits; no current retirees were reported under the plan because the county’s plan is recently started. A county representative said the DCRS representative (named Armistead in the discussion) will be at the next Monday meeting to answer final questions.

The commission did not vote on the payment during this meeting; staff presented supporting materials and an overview and offered to have the pension representative attend the next meeting for technical questions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","5/13/2025 CLB Workshop","oneSentenceSummary","County finance staff described a proposed $83,005.94 payment into the county’s TCRS fund to create a reserve that smooths employer contribution rates over several fiscal years; staff said a DCRS representative will attend next meeting to answer detailed questions.","taxTitle","Houston County, Tennessee","taxId",73401,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6241161,"Houston County commissioners propose $370,000 loan to help school board meet state reserve requirement",95,86000,181000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3308849-be0a5b08924ca5fbb3048cf7bce45cc8&start=86&end=181","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3308849-be0a5b08924ca5fbb3048cf7bce45cc8/thumbnail_86000.jpg","/articles/6241161/Houston-County/Tennessee/Houston-County-commissioners-propose-370000-loan-to-help-school-board-meet-state-reserve-requirement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6241161-7050e81207acc5f382d044288bdc5b34/orig.mp4?Expires=1775402143&Signature=V3O2amlsB2-quK0V5ZLdEWVSWqN0g5qC~6iR6X1R-cbMYvZnqrkzi9MsERKQL1dv4P7kXmiVftJRxIKHbIyX2Tz~Wr7OsuDwxniTq3gf0GdCXKHISfA9Wzke0XC-YV3xHgjLjGZDLu9b-BgF2EY~NBissEgXO2K7AGzOF-RreF9LJVPNC3poy5jBa8zkKnSfTg4EIOKhTC5wUApFxpPmc1VqsG7YRD0-Qe~txkqwp4JSaWGlk0AgEzoBEoHyV3eB3uNnDteywPvHUaS-Pp1X~yTPVP5nVbM4km1dzvdcWMFHfw42CSbeXjmaabJ7bJByJQYKqXdFObX1aeFN2mJEtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Houston County commissioners discussed placing $370,000 of county impact funds on the books as a no‑interest loan to the Houston County School Board so the board can meet a changed state reserve requirement.

County officials said the loan would bring the school board’s fund balance up to the level the state is asking them to meet this year. The county finance representative said the agreement would be structured so the school pays back half in 2028 and half in 2029.

“What we came up with is that we will use 370,000 of the impact money that we have,” the county speaker said. “And with that, that 370,000 will allow them to meet what the state is asking them to meet in this year.”

Speakers told the commission the shortfall arose after recent state actions to raise starting teacher pay and apply compensation increases broadly across school employees; the county speaker said those changes left the school board with a lower-than‑expected reserve. The county official estimated the school board needs “a little over $400,000” overall and that proceeds from planned property sales and internal adjustments are expected to help in coming months.

Commissioners and staff characterized the county’s proposal as a temporary, interest‑free loan from impact funds rather than a grant. The county speaker said the school has been making annual payments toward other obligations (noted as a $400,000‑a‑year payment tied to a prior obligation) and that, after those payments cease in two years, the school would have the capacity to repay the county.

No formal vote on the loan was recorded in this meeting transcript. County staff said the transfer must be approved at the next regular meeting (listed by staff as Monday night) to place the money on the books so the school board can use it.

The commission discussed but did not adopt specific repayment language or an enforceable repayment schedule during the session. Commissioners asked clarifying questions about the state reserve percentage and the timing of the school’s planned property sale. The transcript does not record a final motion or vote on the loan during this meeting.

Financial details not stated in the meeting transcript — such as the exact state code or the precise reserve percentage now required — were described only generically as a “state” requirement and were not cited to a specific statute during the discussion. The county official said the proposed loan would return to county accounts when repaid.","County leaders discussed using $370,000 of impact funds as a no‑interest loan to the school board so the board meets a new state fund‑balance threshold; county staff said repayment would be phased in 2028–29.","actionData","errors"]

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Commissioners consider $83,006 TCRS buyback to smooth retirement rates

Houston County commissioners propose $370,000 loan to help school board meet state reserve requirement