Cheatham County passes a slate of budget amendments, school transfers and zoning change in unanimous votes
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Summary
At its May 19 meeting, Cheatham County commissioners approved multiple budget amendments across general, highway, solid waste and school funds, transferred $1.2 million to education capital projects and authorized $400,000 for school cafeteria operations; a requested zone change also passed. Nearly all measures passed by roll call votes of 11–0 with one absence.
Cheatham County's Legislative Body on May 19, 2025 approved a package of budget amendments and funding transfers affecting general government, highways, solid waste and school accounts. Nearly every item passed by roll call 11–0 with one commissioner absent.
Major actions included: a set of County General Fund amendments to reimburse Homeland Security/Emergency Management expenditures ($20,362.84) and multiple Sheriff's Department and jail-related grant reimbursements and purchases; a Highway and Bridge Maintenance payment of $11,243.18 funded by an insurance recovery for paving; a $41,402.98 transfer from the Sports Gaming Privilege Tax reserve to Highway/Public Works for paving projects; Solid Waste/Sanitation adjustments ($3,000 and $21,000) to cover trustee commission fees and convenience-center labor; and a $0.02 rounding transfer in the General Debt Service fund. Motions were recommended by the Budget Committee and carried by roll call votes.
School finances were a focus: commissioners approved transferring $1.2 million from the General Purpose School Fund into the Education Capital Projects Fund to pay for a K–12 science textbook adoption and early-literacy kits, following a 6–0 School Board vote on May 1. They also moved $400,000 into the Central Cafeteria Fund to cover cafeteria personnel, and approved a $486,000 transfer to fund the Special Education Services, Inc. (SESI) contract. The Board of Commissioners recorded the same 11–0 roll-call support for these actions.
A separate motion approved a zone change requested by John and Debbie Harter to rezone 1.56 acres at 1560 Sams Creek Road from Agriculture to R‑1; no public speakers opposed the request and the measure passed by roll call.
Other approved items included a transfer of $582,362.80 from County General to General Capital Projects to complete construction on a new maintenance building, a resolution to request unclaimed balances remitted to the State Treasurer under the Unclaimed Property Act, and a consent calendar that included appointment of several notaries. Announcements closed the meeting; the body adjourned at 6:42 p.m.
All approved motions, budget amendments and transfers are recorded in the meeting minutes and associated resolutions on file with the County Clerk. Several budget items referenced earlier committee approvals (Budget Committee, May 12 and May 15 vote recommendations) and School Board approvals on May 1 where noted in the record.