Franklin County commissioners approve handbook, budget amendments, grants and appointments; time-clock contract renewed

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners met Dec. 4 in Winchester and approved a series of resolutions and administrative items, including budget amendments, grant applications, an employee handbook and a multi-year payroll/time-clock contract.

Among the measures approved during the 33‑minute meeting were multiple school- and county-budget amendments and the board’s authorization to apply for and accept several state grants (including a Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation recycling equipment grant, a Tennessee Department of Transportation airport maintenance grant and a Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts courtroom security grant). The commission also authorized a Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) grant submission for the county reentry program. Finance reports, committee schedules for 2024 and the first-quarter financial reports were received and filed.

Other administrative actions included approval of the Franklin County Government Employee Handbook for 2024 and acceptance of County Attorney Ben Lynch’s resignation effective Jan. 1, 2024. The commission also authorized renewal of the county’s multi-year online payroll/time-clock contract and approved appointments and reappointments, including Audit Committee members and a part-time judicial commissioner; 24 notary applications were approved.

Votes at a glance: most items passed unanimously (15–0, with one absent). Where recorded, vote tallies are included below. Formal actions included:

• Planning & Zoning fee schedule (effective first business day in January 2024) — approved on motion after public hearing (motion recorded; passed). • Resolutions amending Board of Education and county funds (Resolutions 12a–12e and related budget adjustments) — approved (combined motions recorded; passed). • Grant authorizations and acceptances: recycling equipment grant (TDEC), airport maintenance grant (TDOT), courtroom security grant (AOC), and Workforce Innovation & Opportunity (SCTDD/WIOA) — motions recorded and approved. These will be followed by normal application and acceptance processes and any required reporting to grantors. • Renewal of county payroll/time-clock system contract — commission authorized renewal of a multi-year contract and maintenance agreement with vendor Andrews Technology (motion and contract approval recorded). • Approval of the 2024 Employee Handbook — approved on motion; the handbook will be maintained in personnel files and distributed to staff. • Appointments and notaries — Audit Committee reappointments and a part-time judicial commissioner (Robert Tipps) were approved; a block approval of 24 notary public applications passed by motion. • Road, speed-limit and private-road actions — the meeting approved a change to the 2024 meeting schedule, additions to the county private road list (Miller Farm Lane), and changes to the county road list; a motion to lower the speed limit on Latham Lane also passed.

What the minutes show: The meeting minutes record motions, seconds and roll-call tallies where applicable, with a single notable non‑unanimous item: the county’s opt‑out of the statewide one‑ and two‑family building code (Resolution 12p‑1223), which passed 13–1–1 and is the subject of a separate article. The remainder of the business on the agenda was adopted with recorded unanimous votes or by receipt-and-file votes in committee motions.

Next steps and administrative follow-up: where resolutions require further administrative action — for example, grant applications, contract execution, or filing a certified resolution with a state office — the minutes indicate the staff and departments responsible and the Finance Department or County Clerk will execute the next steps and reporting as required.