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At-a-glance: Cocke County commission approves budget transfers, grants, surplus sales and appointments
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Summary
The commission approved multiple budget transfers and amendments, surplus equipment and vehicles sales, opioid-abatement grant awards, an FY26 mental-health transport grant for the sheriff's office, and several committee and board appointments. Several items were approved on roll-call votes; summaries and next steps are listed below.
At its regular meeting the Cocke County Board of Commissioners approved a package of routine and agendaed items that included budget transfers and amendments, surplus equipment sales, committee appointments, and grant awards. Key actions taken by the commission included:
- ARPA and general fund transfers and budget amendments: The budget committee recommended and the commission approved various transfers and amendments (as listed in the meeting packet) to fund school projects and county initiatives. Staff noted some items represent newly created line items tied to previously awarded ARPA/state funding; the transfers were approved on roll call.
- Surplus equipment and fire trucks: The commission approved the disposal and sale of surplus equipment for the recreation and fire departments; staff said proceeds are deposited back into the appropriate departmental funds and that the county will follow public-auction rules and state guidance before donating or transferring units to volunteer departments.
- FEMA consultant bid award (summary): The budget committee recommended awarding the FEMA-consultant bid to Delivering Results Solutions (DRS); the commission later approved a contract with DRS to manage appeals and closeouts (see separate article).
- Appointment: Billy Hudson was appointed to the Cocke County Partnership Board (motion approved).
- Opioid abatement grants: The commission accepted the opioid task force's recommendations for distribution of opioid-settlement abatement funds, which are restricted to opioid prevention and treatment programs; the motion passed on roll call.
- FY26 mental-health transport grant: The commission accepted a $102,665 FY26 mental-health transport grant for the sheriff's department to cover non-insured mental-health transport costs. County staff said last year county charges for non-insured transports exceeded prior grant levels and the award will reduce deputy overtime and related costs; unused funds may roll into the next budget year if not spent.
The meeting also included committee reports (budget, public safety, purchasing), updates on the Smoky Mountain Innovation Park and industrial-park sewer bids, discussion of nonprofit grant administration, and requests for county staff to follow up on open issues such as road closures for local events and the reconstitution of the county agriculture committee. Several items were advanced to committees for additional study or transferred to the general committee as noted in the meeting packet.
