Franklin County approves school budget changes, multiple multi-year leases and grants; supports utility district CDBG application

Franklin County's Board of Commissioners approved several administrative and school-related measures at its Jan. 19 regular meeting in Winchester, including a school budget amendment, multi-year copier leases for several schools and the solid-waste office, and authorization to pursue a federal/state community development block grant for a water system improvement.

The commission unanimously approved Resolution 1a-0121 to amend the Franklin County Board of Education's General Purpose School Budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021. Commissioners also approved multiple lease-and-maintenance agreements with Konica Minolta for copier/printer replacements at Rock Creek, Decherd, Clark Memorial, Huntland and school special-services sites and a separate lease for the Solid Waste office; the county finance director will execute the multi-year leases.

The measures also included authorization for the Franklin County Board of Education to enter a multi-year contract for internet access and related services under a cooperative purchasing arrangement (Resolution 1b-0121). According to the resolution packet, the contract leverages a Metropolitan Nashville cooperative contract with Education Networks of America (ENA) and would not obligate the county beyond the multi-year term without commission approval.

Commissioners approved Resolution 1aa-0121, authorizing the county mayor to apply for a State of Tennessee "Small Cities" Community Development Block Grant for the Center Grove Utility District; the grant request cited a $403,325 CDBG ask toward an estimated $474,500 clearwell project with the district covering a local match of $71,175 (15%).

"The total cost of the project is estimated to be $474,500," the resolution states; the commission approved sending the grant application forward.

Most of these items were approved on motions by Finance Committee members and commissioners on the floor. The votes on the school budget amendment and the set of copier/contract resolutions were recorded as unanimous in the meeting minutes.

The package of approvals follows routine committee review; the county finance director presented fiscal reports and committee minutes in support of the actions during the meeting.

The commission adjourned the administrative portion after approving the consent items and scheduling a March meeting to fill a forthcoming vacancy in District 8's Seat B.