Knox County budget committee transmits proposed 2025 budget, approves higher assessment limits

The Knox County budget committee voted on Wednesday to transmit a proposed 2025 budget with a grand total of $21,137,574 to the full county commission and approved motions to exceed two county assessment limits.

The committee’s chair praised the work of budget staff and the committee’s members before the vote and announced his retirement from budget review duties after roughly 40 years of service. “So after 40 years, it’s time for me to step down,” he said during opening remarks. Members of the public and local officials offered thanks and brief comments during the public hearing on the proposed budget.

Paul Keith of Saint George, speaking as a citizen, praised county staff for late efforts to hold down costs, saying the county has “a wonderful team” that worked to delay or defer expenses where possible. Gary Leishman, identified with the Town of Rockport, publicly thanked retiring committee member Bob Duke for his service.

On the motions: the committee called for approval and transmission of the 2025 budget, with the chair reciting a grand total of $21,137,574 and a net total given in the meeting as $14,151,638. On the commission side, the recitation included the same grand total and a slightly different net figure recorded in the transcript as $14,051,638; the committee’s recorded voice votes were reported as “3 in favor, none opposed.” The committee also voted to exceed the county base assessment limit from $6,342,819 to $6,847,599 and to increase the corrections-based assessment (figures cited in the meeting include $5,455,717 and $5,648,856; a later commission recitation echoed those increases with minor numeric transcription differences). Each measure was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote and was described by meeting speakers as being transmitted to the county commission for final action.

The committee distinguished discussion and formal action: speakers offered context about rising personnel and contracted-service costs—one speaker said personnel costs were “almost $13,000,000 of a $14,300,000 budget”—but the formal adoption of a county budget occurs when the full commission acts on the transmitted proposal. Meeting participants noted hiring and retention pressures and said capital expenses were not significantly up this year.

The committee adjourned after voting; the transmitted measures will be before the Knox County Commission for final consideration. The meeting record includes the motions and the committee voice tallies; individual roll-call votes by name were not recorded in the transcript provided.