Franklin County commissioners approve school and highway budget amendments, Edmentum contract, grants and appointments

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners, chaired by County Mayor Chris Guess, met at the Franklin County Courthouse in Winchester on Feb. 23, 2026 and approved a slate of midyear budget changes, grant applications and appointments affecting county operations and the school system.

Commissioners voted unanimously (14 yes, 0 no; 1 absent) to adopt several amendments to the Franklin County Board of Education General Fund and county funds to reflect grant receipts, reimbursements and re‑budgeted prior purchase orders. Resolutions included a $68,000 opioid‑abatement allocation for community services, an IDEA high‑cost reimbursement of $25,231.43 for special‑education supplies, and a $49,854.15 highway re‑budget of prior district purchase orders.

Why it matters: the budget adjustments reconcile audit and programmatic needs and authorize spending tied to specific grants and prior commitments, ensuring school and highway programs can use awarded funds without violating audit or purchasing rules.

The commission also approved Resolution 2f‑0226 to authorize the Board of Education to enter a multi‑year contract with Edmentum for diagnostics, student pathways and courseware. The vendor order form in the meeting record lists a three‑year total of $367,317.76 with annual invoices of roughly $122,439.25; the resolution authorizes the Finance Director to execute a contract of up to three years. The motion to approve was made by Commissioner Bruce McMillan and seconded by Commissioner Lydia Johnson.

County Mayor Chris Guess and Finance Director Andrea Smith also placed two Tennessee State Museum TN250 applications on the agenda. Resolutions 2g‑0226 and 2h‑0226 authorize submission of a Project Support Grant and a Community Support Grant for FY2026–FY2027 and authorize the mayor to accept awards. The motions passed without dissent.

Transportation and safety measures were also adopted. The commission approved a series of traffic items including multiple reductions to speed limits on county roads and adopted the Transportation Safety Action Plan. Commissioners described those votes as part of an ongoing effort to respond to neighborhood safety requests and to position the county for federal planning grant opportunities.

Departmental business: the meeting packet included combined committee and department reports that the commission approved by motion, including trustee interest and sales‑tax reports, and first and second‑quarter solid‑waste and recreation/pavilion reports. Rocky Peacock, solid‑waste and recreation director, reported that wood operations and increased recycling participation are helping offset disposal costs and that the department received recycling equipment and organic‑management grants. "Our wood operations are helping with off‑setting the cost for operating in the entire Solid Waste budget," Peacock wrote in his report to the commission.

Appointments and housekeeping: Commissioners appointed Beth Smith to the 9‑1‑1 Board and Stan Henn as a part‑time judicial commissioner, reappointed Mike Holmes (Board of Zoning Appeals) and Michael Rudder (Regional Planning Commission), and approved an updated list of notaries public. The commission also approved the revised Franklin County Employee Handbook and holiday calendar for 2026, and accepted the resignation of Commissioner Spike Hosch (District 5, seat B).

Votes at a glance (selected items) - Resolution 2a‑0226 (Board of Education budget amendment — opioid funds): mover Carolyn Wiseman; second Bruce McMillan. Outcome: approved (14‑0; 1 absent). - Resolution 2b‑0226 (IDEA high‑cost reimbursement): mover Johnny Hand; second William Anderson. Outcome: approved (14‑0; 1 absent). - Resolution 2c‑0226 / 2d‑0226 (Highway fund amendments / re‑budgeting prior district purchase orders): movers Lydia Johnson; seconds William Anderson. Outcome: approved (14‑0; 1 absent). - Resolution 2f‑0226 (Authorize multi‑year Edmentum contract): mover Bruce McMillan; second Lydia Johnson. Outcome: approved (14‑0; 1 absent). Edmentum three‑year total on file: $367,317.76. - Resolutions 2g‑0226 and 2h‑0226 (TN250 grant project/community support pre‑applications): movers Tyler Bauer and Scottie Riddle; seconds Bruce McMillan. Outcome: approved (14‑0; 1 absent).

What’s next: Where grants are approved, staff will submit applications and return to the commission with award documentation, claim requests and any required match or contract documents. The Edmentum contract will be executed by the Finance Director; annual invoices and payments are shown on the order form in the record. The commission adjourned at 6:10 p.m.

Meeting materials (budget and finance reports, committee minutes, grant pre‑application forms, Edmentum order form and resolutions) are part of the official record on file with the County Clerk’s office.