Franklin County commissioners approve multiple budget amendments, school bonuses; proposed Budget Committee fails

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners on Dec. 2 approved a series of budget amendments and administrative measures, including one-time bonuses for eligible classified school employees and an amendment to the centralized cafeteria budget, and approved leases and service contracts for county facilities.

The most consequential budget votes were amendments to the Franklin County Board of Education budgets. The commission approved Resolution 12K-1219 and Resolution 12L-1219 to fund one-time bonuses for classified school employees (full-time employees who met eligibility received $500; part-time employees $300; an additional $200 supplement was approved per contracted bus route). The measures passed on a roll-call vote, 11–4, after the school board requested the appropriation.

The votes were part of a larger consent package in which the commission also amended the centralized cafeteria budget (Resolution 12A-1219) and approved multiple fund adjustments across the General Fund, Library Fund, Drug Control Fund and debt service funds.

Why it matters: the bonuses and cafeteria amendments change how school operations will be funded for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020 and require county appropriations; the actions were approved by recorded roll-call votes where noted.

Other business taken at the meeting included: • Approval of a one-year commercial lease of the Farmers Market Pavilion on the old high school site to the Franklin County Farmers Market Association (Resolution 12E-1219). The lease will be executed by the county mayor and sets a one-year term beginning Jan. 1, 2020, with the county receiving a $1,000 annual rental payment per the lease terms approved by the commission. • Approval of a multi-year contracted services agreement with UniFirst Corporation for custodial and garment services for county facilities (Resolution 12F-1219). The vote authorized the county finance director to execute a contract not to exceed five years. • Acceptance of the Franklin County Hazard Mitigation Plan (Resolution 12I-1219), which the commission accepted after the county’s legislative committee forwarded it to the full body. • Naming the new thoroughfare between the county annex building and the Tennessee College of Applied Technology building “Christine Hopkins Way” (Resolution 12H-1219). • Authorization for the county mayor to execute a replacement warranty deed conveying the old Franklin County jail property to the City of Winchester, to correct an earlier, misplaced deed (Resolution 12M-1219).

A governance item failed to pass: a proposal (Resolution 12J-1219) to create a permanent Budget Committee composed of the county mayor plus one commissioner from each of the eight commission districts failed on a 8–7 roll-call vote; the measure needed nine votes to carry. County Mayor David Alexander had advocated for the committee in a submitted memo, saying, “I strongly believe that the County Legislative Body, who are directly elected by the people, are the only ones who should be in charge of the Budget and the Budget process.” The measure’s defeat leaves the existing finance/management practice in place.

There was limited public debate during the meeting on most items; many budget amendments and appointive matters were handled under motions to receive and file committee reports or via grouped roll-call votes. Where roll-call votes were recorded, tallies and outcomes were entered into the minutes.

What happens next: the school and county finance offices will implement the budget amendments through the remainder of FY2019–20. Several approved agreements (the Farmers Market lease and the UniFirst contract) require signature by the county mayor and administrative follow-up.

Actions at a glance (selected): • Res. 12A-1219 (Centralized Cafeteria amendment) — Approved, roll-call 15–0 • Res. 12B-1219 (Board of Education general purpose amendment) — Approved, roll-call 15–0 • Res. 12K & 12L-1219 (One-time classified staff bonuses and related school budget changes) — Approved, roll-call 11–4 • Res. 12J-1219 (Create Budget Committee) — Failed, roll-call 8–7 • Res. 12E-1219 (Farmers Market lease) — Approved, voice vote 15–0 • Res. 12F-1219 (UniFirst contracted services) — Approved, roll-call 15–0

The commission adjourned at 9:22 p.m.