Finance committee approves a package of budget amendments, including payment for AED battery replacements and multiple departmental adjustments

The Bradley County Finance Committee on Feb. 10 approved a slate of budget amendments affecting multiple departments, unanimously approving most amendments and authorizing payment of an unbudgeted invoice for replacement battery packs for two automated external defibrillators (AEDs).

Mayor Davis reported an unbudgeted bill for AED battery replacements at two county locations, saying the invoice was “a $2,000, 2 thousand 1 dollar bill” and requested payment from the county commission fund code referenced as “599.” Commissioner Slater moved and Commissioner Collins seconded payment from that fund; the committee approved the payment on a voice vote.

Committee members then moved through a series of budget amendments listed in the meeting packet. Items approved included: a $5,000 legal-fees reallocation (to be funded from fund 599), several trustee office supply adjustments, a state grant to purchase two roll-off containers (packet showed an expense of $18,495 with a reimbursement line of $12,947 and a net impact to fund balance discussed in the meeting), ARP-funded completion costs for a boiler installation (an additional roughly $780 to complete an ARP-funded project), a $1,600 donation to Bradley County Parks from Simmons Bank, various judge and juvenile-office amendments, multiple health department revenue and expense increases (including a $145,000 increase entered to revenue account 463), a $1,724.10 car-seat public-safety grant, a veterans-office adjustment of $74,513 to cover a benefits timing issue, a $600 line adjustment in Bradley County EMS, fire-and-rescue donation of $2,000, and several Sheriff’s Office items including interlocal reimbursement and a supplemental SRO pay reallocation of $16,000.

“Thank you very much. I know we just did that, but you can't be too too patriotic,” Mayor Davis said during his report. The batch of amendments and so-called “services rendered” items were taken as package motions in several places; in virtually all cases where the transcript recorded a tally, the motion passed by voice vote with no recorded opposition (many recorded earlier as passing 5 to 0). Committeemembers asked staff clarifying questions about grant reimbursements, equipment conditions, and whether some lines had sufficient balances for wages and withholdings.

The committee also reviewed a list of “services rendered” transfers and approved them as a package. Staff flagged one travel line in a department packet ($695.63) for later attention by the budget team.

Next steps: Staff will implement the approved amendments, process the AED battery payment from the referenced fund, and prepare supporting award letters and documentation for audit and for the county commission to formalize some approvals at the next voting session.