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Franklin County commission approves budget amendments, waives motor‑vehicle tax for qualifying volunteers and returns $1.8M school request for revision
Summary
At its June 18 meeting the Franklin County Board of Commissioners approved a package of budget and administrative items — including a motor‑vehicle tax waiver for qualifying volunteer firefighters and rescue squad members — and voted to return a $1.8 million School Board request for redesign and clarifying language.
The Franklin County Board of Commissioners on June 18 approved a slate of budget adjustments, insurance items and intergovernmental contracts, and passed an ordinance to waive motor‑vehicle tax for qualifying volunteer rescue squad members and volunteer firefighters.
Chairman Eddie Clark opened the meeting at 7 p.m. in Winchester and the board voted, by unanimous roll-call or voice votes where noted, on a series of routine and finance items. Commissioner Chuck Stines moved to approve the motor‑vehicle tax waiver (Resolution 8a‑0618); the motion carried with all 14 commissioners voting in favor. The waiver implements an exemption authorized in state law for active volunteer firefighters and rescue squad members and adds a county-level tax waiver for the same vehicles when the county chooses to adopt it.
The commission also approved a group of budget amendments covering school, solid waste, highway, cafeteria and other county funds (Resolutions 8b–8g and 8e–8f among others). Those amendments were presented by Finance Director Andrea Smith and passed without dissent. The packet included audited revenue/expenditure reports for the fiscal year, quarterly school finance statements and detailed line‑item budget adjustments the commission received and filed.
The board approved an agreement authorizing the Franklin County Sheriff's Department to pick up litter on state routes under a Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) contract (Resolution 8m‑0618). The sheriff’s litter crew will operate on state right‑of‑way under reimbursement rules established by TDOT; the commission voted to authorize the county mayor to execute the one‑year contract.
On school capital spending, the board did not approve a School Board request to appropriate $1.8 million for the design and construction management of two new middle schools. Chairman Clark questioned wording in the School Board resolution about the procurement and role of a "construction manager"; construction consultant Gary Clardy told commissioners he served as a consultant to the School Board, not as a construction manager. Because the resolution’s language did not match the procurement process required for construction management services, the commission voted to send the resolution back for redrafting and routing through the School Board and Finance Committee for further review.
Other routine business approved on unanimous votes included certificates of property insurance for county entities, the Franklin County sanitary landfill permit, compensation‑time payouts scheduled before June 30, and the appointment of 17 notaries public. The commission also took routine receipts and departmental reports, including trustee interest and sales tax analyses, into the record.
What happens next: the School Board will be asked to redraft the $1.8 million appropriation request to correct procurement language and return to the county’s Finance Committee. Implementation of the volunteer motor‑vehicle tax waiver will follow county administrative steps and the statutory process under Tennessee law.
Who said what: Chairman Eddie Clark presided over the session. Finance Director Andrea Smith supplied the budget and revenue reports the board received and filed. County staff will prepare the corrected School Board resolution and return it for formal consideration.
