Votes at a glance: Blount County workshop forwards budget, school and capital resolutions to full commission

The Blount County workshop forwarded a package of budget, school and administrative resolutions to the full county commission after committee recommendations. The motions below summarize each item read at the workshop, the mover/second as recorded, and the vote count announced on the record.

Votes at a glance

- Resolution 25-6-0004 — Budget increase, Central Services, $510,000: “Appropriate general county capital funds to modernize courthouse elevators.” Motion from Commissioner French; second Commissioner McMahan. Vote recorded: 17 yes. Outcome: moved forward to full commission with favorable budget-committee recommendation.

- Resolution 25-6-0006 — Budget increase, Schools, $2,449,384.34: “Appropriate education capital funds for capitalized expenses incurred in the current fiscal year.” Motion from Commissioner French; second Commissioner Caldwell. Vote recorded: 17 yes. Outcome: moved forward to full commission with favorable recommendation.

- Resolution 25-6-0007 — Budget increase, Schools, $1,343,290.21: “Appropriate Tennessee state grant funds for the 2025 summer school program.” Motion from Commissioner Giles; second Commissioner Carver. Vote recorded: 16 yes, 1 abstention (Commissioner Reagan stated on the record: “I will be abstaining from this because I am working summer school.”). Outcome: moved forward to full commission with favorable recommendation.

- Resolution 25-6-0001 — Fiscal year 2025–26 tax rate resolution. Motion from Commissioner Anderson; second Commissioner Giles. Vote recorded: 17 yes. Outcome: moved forward to full commission with favorable recommendation.

- Resolution 25-6-0002 — Fiscal year 2025–26 appropriation resolution. Motion from Commissioner Carver; second Commissioner Markle. Vote recorded: 17 yes. Outcome: moved forward to full commission with favorable recommendation.

- Resolution 25-6-0003 — Fiscal year 2025–26 capital outlay priorities. Motion from Commissioner Carver; second Commissioner French. Vote recorded: 17 yes. Outcome: moved forward to full commission with favorable recommendation.

- Confirmation — Mayoral appointment of Carrie Barrett as Blount County purchasing agent. Motion from Commissioner French; second Commissioner Giles. Vote recorded: 17 yes. Outcome: moved forward to full commission.

- Resolution 25-6-0012 — Binding memorandum of understanding for the highway department. Motion from Commissioner French; second Commissioner Carver. Vote recorded: 17 yes. Outcome: moved forward to full commission.

- Resolution 25-6-0013 — Adoption of the revised Blount County hazard mitigation plan. Motion from Commissioner Koehler; second Commissioner Carver. Vote recorded: 17 yes. Outcome: moved forward to full commission.

- Resolution 25-6-0014 — Establish a Blount County Historical Commission. Motion from Commissioner Hannah; second Commissioner Caldwell. Vote recorded: 17 yes. Outcome: moved forward to full commission.

- Zoning public hearing — Set a date and time to amend the zoning resolution by modifying Section 7.2(c) to revise the open-space requirement for cluster developments. Motion from Commissioner Carver; second Commissioner Anderson. Vote recorded: 17 yes. Outcome: public hearing set for the full commission meeting next week.

Procedure and notes

Each item above was described by the clerk and carried a recommendation from the budget committee or the relevant standing committee; the workshop votes recorded on the transcript were counts (for most items the clerk announced “17 yes votes”). Where a commissioner spoke publicly about an item (for example, Commissioner Giles asked whether the $510,000 would cover modernization and annual safety checks for elevators), officials provided clarifying details on the record. The summer-school grant resolution recorded one abstention by Commissioner Reagan because of a personal employment conflict.

Ending

All listed items were forwarded to the full commission for final action at subsequent meetings.