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County advances $1M ADA compliance plan, schedules debt service and reviews ARP funds; staff projects tax-rate rise
Summary
Claiborne County's budget committee approved a $1 million allocation for ADA compliance (Fund 171), a $3.74 million debt-service schedule (Fund 151) and reviewed $10.48 million in ARP unspent allocations; staff presented an estimated FY2025 property tax rate of 2.385.
On March 19, 2024, the Claiborne County Budget Committee approved a $1,000,000 draft for Fund 171 to address Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance in county buildings, approved a $3,738,345 Fund 151 debt-service draft including planned borrowing, and reviewed Fund 127's remaining ARP allotment of $10,481,554.
Finance Director Eric Pearson told the committee the ADA projects are mandatory to preserve access to certain state grant funding; the committee noted the final project amount will depend on an architect’s study and that a bond issue will likely be needed to finance the capital improvements with debt service recorded in Fund 151. The Fund 151 package also incorporated assumed debt for the landfill truck and ADA bond. Committee member Zach Bunch moved to approve the debt-service budget; the motion passed unanimously.
The Finance Director presented Fund 127 (ARP) status showing $10,481,554 remaining in allocated but unspent ARP funds, funding projects such as health-department building improvements, sheriff’s equipment and waterline projects. The committee approved the ARP budget as drafted.
Pearson also presented estimated revenues for Fund 101 and a revised estimated total property tax rate of $2.385 (an increase of 0.0848 from FY2024). He said the tax-rate change produces an estimated $16,141,965 in property-tax revenue (a $575,565 increase). Pearson identified mandatory increases that drive the need for revenue, including $365,000 for ambulance service, $57,588 for salary increases for constitutional and fee officials, and insurance increases totaling about $98,544 for health insurance, $53,863 for property/equipment insurance, and $19,972 for workers’ compensation. Committee members emphasized conservative revenue assumptions going forward.
The committee scheduled further review of highway-department budgets (funds 131 and 176) at a subsequent meeting and adjourned.
