Benton County commissioners approve library, sheriff and jail budget adjustments; one resolution fails

Benton County commissioners met Feb. 23 at the Benton County Courthouse and approved a series of budget adjustments and appropriations affecting the county library, sheriff's office and the jail.

Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the January 2021 minutes and to accept the Report of Public Utilities. Commissioner Dayna Ferguson moved to approve both items; the motions carried on roll-call votes with all present voting aye.

The board approved RESOLUTION NO. 20210216-03, sponsored by County Mayor Brett Lashlee, to exclude future part-time employees hired after the resolution date from participating in the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS), while preserving eligibility for current part-time employees who already participate. The motion to adopt the resolution was made by Commissioner Ferguson and seconded by Commissioner Don Patton; the roll-call vote was recorded as all present voting aye.

Also approved was RESOLUTION NO. 20210216-04 to budget $4,250 received from the city of Camden into the Benton County Library budget (increasing contributions revenue and part-time/hourly personnel expenditures). Commissioner Ferguson moved the measure and Commissioner Patton seconded; the board voted unanimously in favor.

The board considered RESOLUTION NO. 20210216-05, sponsored by Sheriff Kenny Christopher, to budget $6,487.39 in revenues to the sheriff's office for January 2021 and allocate those funds across vehicle maintenance and repair, tow-in services, office supplies and other charges. Commissioner Don Patton moved the resolution and Commissioner Kenneth Miller seconded. Commissioner Hill successfully moved an amendment to change the Tow-In Services line from $375.00 to $650.00 and to change the resolution language from "Decrease Revenues" to "Increase Revenues." The amended resolution passed on a roll-call vote of 12 ayes, 4 nays and 1 abstention.

A separate motion tied to FEMA receipts and a small transfer to the sheriff's overtime account (documented in the transcript as $1,235.86) appears in the record in two contexts: one bookkeeping entry described in the agenda materials and a later motion that did not pass. A different roll-call vote on a related resolution failed with an 8-8 split and one abstention; the record shows the motion failed.

The board approved RESOLUTION NO. 20210216-12, sponsored by Sheriff Christopher, to appropriate $68,000 from the unassigned fund balance to the jail's medical claims account to cover two major medical incidents. Commissioner Hicks moved the resolution and Commissioner Ferguson seconded; the roll-call vote was recorded as all present voting aye.

A resolution concerning the Energy Efficient Schools Initiative (ESSI) loan repayment schedule and a putative appropriation of $49,328 to cover debt-service payments (RESOLUTION NO. 20210216-14) was listed on the agenda but was pulled during the meeting; the transcript notes the monthly ESSI payment amount ($12,332) and the total requested appropriation if adopted.

Where recorded, vote totals and dollar amounts are taken from the meeting transcript and agenda materials. The meeting included short procedural recesses and routine roll-call votes; no direct public-comment exchanges or contested public hearings are recorded in the supplied transcript excerpt.

The board moved on to consider capital-outlay financing for the school system later in the meeting.