Blount County Commission forwards multiple budget items, appointments and zoning amendment to full commission

At its Jan. 7, 2025 workshop meeting the Blount County Commission voted to forward several agenda items to the full commission for final action. The workshop votes included budget increases, a grant application, confirmation of mayoral appointments, a zoning-map amendment and a resolution reaffirming opposition to diverting public dollars for private K–12 schools.

Key items moved forward at the workshop:

- Resolution (Sheriff's Office JAG funds): The agenda described a budget increase for the Blount County Sheriff's Office of $17,567 in Department of Justice JAG funds to purchase a portable light tower. The clerk recorded a motion from Commissioner Aykard, seconded by Commissioner Carver; the clerk reported 17 yes votes and the item was referred to the full commission with a favorable budget-committee recommendation.

- Resolution (Elections budget increase): A $55,000 appropriation from fund balance to increase the election-worker budget for fiscal year 2024–25 was moved forward. Commissioner Giles moved, Commissioner Carver seconded. Commissioner Acord questioned why projected savings from convenience voting centers (previously estimated at $80,000 per year) had not materialized and asked the elections office to explain the discrepancy at next week's meeting. The clerk recorded 17 yes votes; the matter was referred to the full commission.

- Juvenile court grant application: A state grant application of $100,000 to support a "safe baby court" coordinator position and a salary supplement for juvenile court services oversight was forwarded by motion from Commissioner Carver, seconded by Commissioner Giles. No matching funds were required; the clerk reported 17 yes votes.

- Budget committee confirmations: The commission forwarded confirmation of mayoral appointments to the Budget Committee (Jared Anderson, Nick Bridal, Mike Kaler, and Sharon Hannum). The clerk recorded 13 yes votes and 3 abstentions; the appointments were moved to the full commission for final action.

- County medical examiner appointment: The mayor's appointment of Dr. Jean Cauviello to a five-year term as county medical examiner was forwarded on a motion from Commissioner Carver, seconded by Commissioner Wells. The clerk recorded 17 yes votes.

- Commission Rules Committee: The commission approved sending five Rules Committee positions (no names were presented at the workshop) forward to the full commission; motion by Commissioner Anderson, seconded by Commissioner Aikert; clerk recorded 17 yes votes.

- Zoning map amendment: Resolution 251013 (read as amending the zoning map of Blount County from S Suburbanizing to C Commercial for a 19.345-acre portion of a 34.832-acre parcel at 3652 U.S. Highway 411 South, identified as tax map 90, parcel 18) was moved forward on a motion from Commissioner Giles, seconded by Commissioner Davis. The clerk recorded 16 yes votes and 1 abstention.

- Resolution reaffirming opposition to diverting public dollars away from K–12 public schools: Added to the agenda at the start of the meeting, the resolution reaffirming opposition to school vouchers (referencing state bills sometimes cited as SB 1 / HB 1 during the discussion) was sponsored by Commissioner Bowers, seconded by Commissioner Anderson; the clerk recorded 17 yes votes and the measure was referred to the full commission.

All of the items above were referred to the full commission for final action; vote tallies listed above are as the clerk announced during the workshop. Several items were referred with a budget committee recommendation noted in the clerk's reading of the agenda.