Rhea County commissioners approve budget amendments, severance tax and funding for sports complex

Rhea County commissioners approved a package of budget amendments, contracts and resolutions at a regularly scheduled meeting, adopting measures to fund road repairs, community facilities and a mineral severance tax.

The board approved a mineral severance tax resolution referencing Tennessee Code Annotated §67-7-201 that levies $0.20 per ton on sand, gravel, sandstone, chert and limestone within the county to support road funds. The resolution passed on a roll call in which commissioners Mister Cashman, Commissioner Dunn, Ellis, Mister Fisher, Mister Francisco, Mister Reed, Mister Stevens and Mister Welch each answered “Yes.”

The commission also authorized multiple budget amendments introduced under new business, including line items totaling multi-million dollar allocations for capital and operating needs. Among the approved allocations were specific road repair and resurfacing line items; a $155,248.25 allocation from DOTI impact funds to improve Circuit County Road, Summertime Lane, Rogers Road and Shutin Gas Road was recorded and approved.

In measures affecting public facilities and recreation, commissioners approved a resolution to allocate $316,689.78 from the hotel/motel reserve fund as matching money for construction of the Rhea County Able Sports Complex soccer field, supplementing an earlier Local Parks and Recreation Fund (LPRF) grant. Mayor Vincent confirmed the city’s approval of the related grant.

The board approved a revised contract between the Rhea County Board of Education and the Volunteer Electric Cooperative to replace and upgrade lighting at the high school football field at a cost of $376,500. The agreement was described in the meeting as payable interest-free via monthly charges to the cooperative at $3,137.50 over 120 months.

Commissioners also approved a one-time purchase of sealed architectural construction documents from Studio 323 architecture for convenience-center design for $5,260, which the agenda described as a cost-saving move because the plans can be recertified in the future. A separate lease amendment was authorized to move Avalon Center’s county office space to 375 Church Street, Suite 112, Dayton, Tennessee, while retaining other terms of the original lease dated Feb. 23, 2024.

Administrative matters included routine readings of committee minutes, the mayor’s appointment announced for Villa Edwards (term to begin January 2026 and expire January 2030), and the 2026 holiday schedule resolution. The meeting also recorded elections of insurance/bonding representatives for county needs and an updated county flood damage protection resolution that largely restated previous policy language; meeting discussion noted a $50 appeal fee that was confirmed as unchanged.

Unidentified Speaker 2, a county official who reported on facility work and invited commissioners to a staff preview of relocated offices, said the county team had “been all the proud of it” after several projects advanced during the year.

No extended public debate or contested votes were recorded on the action items listed; most measures passed by voice vote or unanimous roll call. The chair closed the meeting with remarks thanking commissioners and staff; a motion to adjourn was seconded and the meeting concluded.