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Cheatham County approves budget amendments, $246,000 for EMS and county IT contracts
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Summary
The Cheatham County Legislative Body on Jan. 27, 2025 approved several budget amendments including $246,000 for Ambulance/Emergency Medical Services, authorized $1,980 for courtroom live-stream installation, approved a memorandum of agreement with Vanderbilt University Medical Center for EMS externs, and authorized the mayor to sign a Hiscall phone-system contract and related firewall purchase.
Cheatham County commissioners approved a slate of budget changes and administrative contracts during the Jan. 27, 2025 legislative session in Ashland City.
Key votes included approval of an additional $1,980 to install live-streaming equipment in the General Sessions Courtroom (motion by Commissioner Walter Weakley; roll-call vote 10–0–2). The county's Budget Committee presented several County General Fund amendments covering County Clerk equipment, special patrols and jail needs, county mayor consulting, property assessor adjustments and ambulance/EMS items. The body voted to consider the Ambulance/Emergency Medical Services allocation separately and ultimately approved a $246,000 budget amendment to cover EMS attendant pay and related needs (motion recorded with B.J. Hudspeth explaining the need for the amendment; roll-call vote 7 Yes, 3 No, 2 Absent).
Commissioners also authorized: a correction and additional funding to General Capital Projects ($36,710.55), a $750 adjustment in the General Debt Service Fund to cover fiscal-agent fees, and a $34,566.80 transfer from a Jail Workhouse Litigation Reserve into the Jail capital fund for a construction change order to add a booking control area and camera review capability. Those measures passed by roll-call votes recorded in the minutes.
Administrative approvals included the mayor's signature on a Memorandum of Agreement between Cheatham County Emergency Medical Service and Vanderbilt University Medical Center to accept VUMC EMT externs (the MOA packet shows a term of Nov. 1, 2024–Oct. 31, 2027) and confirmation of Ed Cole's reappointment to the Cheatham County Rail Authority (term 1/31/2025–1/31/2029). The body also approved the mayor's signature on a phone system contract for the Cheatham County Health Department with Hiscall, Inc. (the attached vendor quote lists a Hiscall Cloud Service at $525.65 per month on a 60-month term and a SonicWall TZ370 firewall quote at $2,255.75 with one year of support included). The minutes record the mayor's contract approvals by voice vote.
Motions were made and seconded by named commissioners; roll-call tallies for major votes are recorded in the official minutes and resolutions. Examples: the live-stream funding (Resolution 4) passed 10 Yes, 0 No, 2 Absent; the County General Fund package (as amended) passed 9 Yes, 1 No, 2 Absent (Resolution 6); the EMS $246,000 amendment passed 7 Yes, 3 No, 2 Absent (Resolution 7). The minutes list each commissioner's recorded vote for these roll-call items.
The legislative body also approved appointments (Allen Kulkin to the Library Board), established the Cheatham County Cares Committee with named membership, accepted consent calendar notary appointments, and adjourned at 7:37 p.m.
Next steps noted in the minutes: implementation items such as the live-stream installation and the Jail change order will follow administrative processes; budget amendments list funding sources (variously "unused budgeted funds," "excess revenue collected," the Jail Workhouse Litigation Reserve, and transfers from county fund balance) as recorded in the packet.