Hamblen County Commission approves school energy loan, budget amendments, health and justice center change orders, and transfers truck to food program

The Hamblen County Commission on Aug. 21 approved a package of resolutions, budget amendments, change orders and property actions affecting school financing, county facilities and community programs.

The most consequential vote authorized participation in the Energy Efficient Schools Initiative and related loan arrangements: commissioners approved a resolution and a memorandum of understanding that will allow the county to receive and manage a state-backed energy-efficiency loan for the Hamblen County Board of Education. County staff described the arrangement as a $4,900,000 loan from the state at about 1.5 percent interest; the county will receive reimbursements from the state on an invoice basis and will be responsible for making scheduled payments. County staff said the project is expected to begin producing energy savings immediately and that prior estimates showed payback in about eight years. "Energy will immediately start going down, and we'll start saving money," a county official said.

Commissioners also approved a substantial budget amendment for the Hamblen County Department of Education totaling $4,521,511.73. Other approved budget amendments included a $50,000 amendment for probation services and a $500 amendment for the county clerk's office.

Infrastructure and facilities actions approved included a $127,628 set of change orders for the Justice Center project (two change orders totaling approximately $127,628) and two small change orders for the Hamblen County Health Department: change order No. 1 for $3,625 to address a sewer-line issue and change order No. 2 for $2,846 to add concrete to level a sunken area found under a removed cooler. Both health-department change orders were added to the finance committee calendar and approved by the full commission.

The commission approved the purchase of a Mack MD box truck using funds from a food-and-security grant and then declared an older Mac MD 6 box truck surplus so the county could transfer it to the Avenue Church for its food-distribution program. The commission recorded its approval to purchase the new truck from Worldwide Equipment, Knoxville, Tennessee, then to surplus the county truck and give it to the Avenue Church under the grant rules.

The commission reappointed Edgar Gray to the Hamblen County Planning Commission for a term from Sept. 1, 2025, through Aug. 31, 2029; that appointment passed on a recorded vote of 10 to 2. The body also approved a resolution to increase the mineral severance tax for Hamblen County and a resolution authorizing the county to join a state settlement agreement referenced as Resolution 25-19.

Other routine approvals included consent-calendar items and multiple smaller budget appropriations and amendments listed during the finance committee report.

Votes at a glance

- Appointment: Edgar Gray, Planning Commission (term 09/01/2025–08/31/2029). Vote: 10–2. Outcome: approved. - Resolution 25-19: join state settlement agreement (road-related). Outcome: approved. - Resolution 25-20: Energy Efficient Schools Initiative (authorize loan and related MOU for school energy projects, loan amount ~$4,900,000 at ~1.5%). Outcome: approved. - MOU between Hamblen County and the Board of Education on the Energy Efficient Schools Initiative loan. Outcome: approved. - Resolution 25-21: increase mineral severance tax for Hamblen County. Outcome: approved. - Justice Center change orders (two orders totaling ~$127,628). Outcome: approved. - Hamblen County Health Department change order No. 1 — $3,625 (sewer-line jetting). Outcome: approved. - Hamblen County Health Department change order No. 2 — $2,846 (concrete leveling under cooler). Outcome: approved. - Purchase of Mack MD box truck from Worldwide Equipment (food-and-security grant). Outcome: approved. - Surplus and transfer: declare Mac MD 6 box truck surplus and donate to Avenue Church for food distribution. Outcome: approved. - Board of Education budget amendment No. 1 — increase $4,521,511.73. Outcome: approved. - County Clerk budget amendment — $500. Outcome: approved. - Probation services budget amendment — $50,000. Outcome: approved.

Why it matters: The energy loan and the large education budget amendment affect county finances and school infrastructure; justice center and health-department change orders alter capital-project budgets; the truck purchase and transfer affect a local food-distribution program.

What commissioners said: Commissioners asked how loan payments and reimbursements would work and whether the county would borrow or use bond proceeds. A county official clarified the loan will flow through the state on a reimbursement basis and that the county will make payments; staff described an expected payback horizon of about eight years and said energy savings should begin immediately.

Next steps: The MOU and loan documentation will be executed so projects can begin; staff indicated they will manage reimbursements and payments under the loan arrangement. Several small capital and budget amendments will be processed through the finance office.