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Budget panel reduces Marston Parks funding request; approves $150,000 for parks and directs rest to other priorities
Summary
Hamblen County commissioners debated a $200,000 supplemental request from Marston Parks and Recreation, ultimately approving $150,000 (half of the $300,000 recurring allocation the board had before) and reallocating the remaining funds toward school resource officer and other priorities.
The Hamblen County Budget Committee considered new and recurring nonprofit funding requests and amended the proposal for Marston Parks and Recreation. The commission approved $150,000 for the parks authority, reduced from the $300,000 recurring amount the parks had requested.
Marston Parks had requested an additional $200,000 over its established $300,000 annual allocation. After debate about county fiscal constraints and competing needs '1 including funding for school resource officers '1 commissioners moved to fund the parks at $150,000 this year and direct the remainder of previously proposed increases toward public-safety costs.
Commissioner Jamie Carden and others underscored community value of parks and rec programs but said the county must balance general-fund priorities amid an uncertain revenue picture. Commissioner (unnamed) said: "We just need to be careful, we've got $5,000,000 in a hole," a comment used in deliberations to urge restraint.
The motion to reduce the parks request to $150,000 passed by roll call with two abstentions. Commissioners said the parks' board will still operate but will need to increase fee revenue and fundraising; staff noted the parks are moving toward a fee-based model for some programs.
Committee members also confirmed the county's nonprofit funding process requires applicants to provide 501(c)(3) documents and financial statements; staff said those documents are posted on the county website and available as part of the review process.
The commission approved the amended nonprofit funding package in a single roll-call vote after earlier separate votes on a subset of new requests. Members asked staff to supply details on how the parks and other nonprofits track program usage and revenue to inform future funding decisions.
