Benton County Commission approves school budget moves, surplus firearms trade-in and opioid-abatement grant application

The Benton County Commission met Dec. 16, 2024, at the Benton County Courthouse and approved a slate of resolutions affecting school funding, sheriff’s office spending and county grants. Most motions passed unanimously on roll call votes of 15 Aye, 0 No and 3 Absent.

The commission reappointed Phil Davis to the Benton County Airport Board for a four-year term ending Dec. 19, 2028 after Bruce Martin withdrew his name from consideration, Mayor Mark Ward said. The commission separated the two names and approved Phil Davis’s reappointment by roll call.

In school-budget actions, DOS Mark Florence secured two transfers. The commission approved Resolution 20241216-02 to move $15,000 within the Schools Budget from Regular Instructional Equipment to Technology Other Contracted Services to cover unplanned technology-related expenses. Commissioners also approved Resolution 20241216-07 to transfer $280,000 from Fund Balance to a transfer to Other Funds to cover federal-project expenditures temporarily until state reimbursements arrive.

Sheriff Ken Christopher detailed several budget and property items for the sheriff’s office. The commission approved Resolution 20241216-04 to budget $2,994.65 in November 2024 revenues to the sheriff’s expenditure lines (including towing services and prisoners’ clothing). The commission also approved Resolution 20241216-06 to appropriate $33,286.62 to the sheriff’s travel line for Mental Health Transports; the amount represents the unspent balance of a 2023–24 mental-health transport grant (original award $34,100; $813.38 previously expended).

On property and equipment, the commission approved Resolution 20241216-03 to declare numerous outdated firearms surplus to be used for trade-in credit toward future firearm purchases for the sheriff’s department. The record lists multiple Glock handguns and two Savage long guns by serial number; the Budget Committee offered Amendment #1 to clarify the resolution’s trade-in intent before the commission voted to approve it.

The commission also authorized the mayor to apply for state Opioid Abatement / Violent Crime Intervention funds (Resolution 20241216-05). The amended resolution instructs Mayor Mark Ward to apply on behalf of Benton County for Community Grants Cycle 2 Opioid Abatement Funds; the record notes up to $1,000,000 may be available per year over three years and that, if awarded, the county could combine such funds with other sources to support construction and implementation of a county workhouse. Commissioners approved the amended resolution by roll call.

Resolution 20241216-09 deobligated the remaining balance of the county’s 2019 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) after reconciliation of final invoices; the grant had provided $315,000 for a Community Livability project and the commission approved closeout because the EMA building cost estimate exceeded available CDBG funds. The commission also approved Resolution 20241216-10 accepting a Tennessee Department of Transportation Proposal for Acceptance concerning an interchange at SR-69/US-641 and I-40 and authorized the mayor to sign the document on the county’s behalf.

A separate resolution (20241216-08) proposing a four-year countywide property reappraisal cycle under Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-5-1601 was presented but pulled from consideration by Mayor Mark Ward during the meeting and therefore was not adopted.

The commission approved the appointment of four notaries (Susan Wilks, Susan Turnbo, Shelley M. Pinson and Bridgitt Kathleen Lampert). During Any Other Business, Commissioner Jerry Price raised procedures and rules of order; the meeting adjourned after a final roll call vote of 15 Aye, 0 No, 3 Absent.

Votes at a glance • 20241216-01 (Airport Board): Phil Davis reappointed to Benton County Airport Board; roll call 15 Aye, 0 No, 3 Absent (Bruce Martin had withdrawn). • 20241216-02 (School budget transfer): $15,000 moved to technology line; roll call 15 Aye, 0 No, 3 Absent. • 20241216-03 (Surplus firearms/trade-in): Amended and approved to declare multiple firearms surplus for trade-in; roll call 15 Aye, 0 No, 3 Absent. • 20241216-04 (Sheriff budget): $2,994.65 of November revenues budgeted to sheriff expenditure lines; roll call 15 Aye, 0 No, 3 Absent. • 20241216-05 (Opioid abatement grant authority): Mayor authorized to apply/execute documents for Opioid Abatement / Violent Crime Intervention Funds (up to $1,000,000/year for up to three years); amended and approved, roll call 15 Aye, 0 No, 3 Absent. • 20241216-06 (Mental health transport): $33,286.62 appropriated to sheriff travel for mental-health transports (unexpended grant balance); roll call 15 Aye, 0 No, 3 Absent. • 20241216-07 (School transfer): $280,000 transferred to cover federal projects pending state reimbursement; roll call 15 Aye, 0 No, 3 Absent. • 20241216-08 (Four-year reappraisal): Pulled by the mayor; not adopted. • 20241216-09 (CDBG closeout): Deobligate remaining 2019 CDBG balance after reconciliation; roll call 15 Aye, 0 No, 3 Absent. • 20241216-10 (TDOT interchange): Proposal for Acceptance for interchange at SR-69/US-641 and I-40 approved; roll call 15 Aye, 0 No, 3 Absent.

What happened next: The commission adjourned. Any items requiring further action—such as grant applications, contract signatures or project approvals from state agencies—remain subject to future staff work and external approvals.

Sources and provenance: This article summarizes actions and votes recorded in the Benton County Commission minutes for Dec. 16, 2024 (meeting transcript segments SEG 004–SEG 019 for the listed resolutions and SEG 001–SEG 003 for procedural items).