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Benton County commissioners approve appointments, ARPA allocations and opioid-fund contributions
Summary
At its May 19, 2025 meeting the Benton County Commission approved multiple appointments and budget amendments, including $463,844.94 in TDEC ARPA pass-through funds for water utilities, a $179,326.50 ARPA health-department grant, and opioid-fund contributions of $20,000 and $15,000 to local recovery programs.
The Benton County Commission met May 19, 2025, at the Benton County Courthouse and approved a slate of appointments, budget amendments and appropriations covering county operations, school programs and law enforcement needs.
Pro-Tem Chairman Jeff Murphy called the meeting to order; County Clerk Wanda Malin announced a quorum (14 present, 4 absent). The commission approved the meeting agenda and an amendment to add two resolutions to the floor.
Mayor Mark Ward’s appointments to county boards were approved. The commission appointed John Killen to the Benton County Industrial Development Board (Resolution 20250519-01) and Frank Wright to the Benton County Records Commission (20250519-02). Commissioners also approved appointing Jeff Murphy to the Records Commission (20250519-03) and to the Tennessee River Resort District Board (20250519-04); Murphy recorded an abstention on both votes.
On budgeting matters, the commission approved a series of school and county budget actions. The board accepted a $5,350 contribution from the City of Camden for the county library (20250519-05) and appropriated $1,000 to the Election Commission to cover a projected payroll shortfall (20250519-06). The commission allocated $463,844.94 in TDEC State ARPA funds to be passed through to county water utilities (20250519-07). School-related appropriations included $2,400 from health-survey funds (20250519-08), $130,000 for school maintenance and food supplies (20250519-09), and $242,423.24 from the Tennessee Department of Education for a Summer Learning Camp (20250519-10). Additional intra-school transfers and line-item adjustments were approved to cover special-education supplies and other needs (20250519-11).
Law-enforcement and public-safety budget adjustments were numerous. The commission corrected a clerical error on a prior surplus-property resolution (20250519-12) and approved an amended appropriation to cover a small correction in AED license funding (20250519-13, amended). The sheriff’s office declared several LESO vehicles surplus for disposal (20250519-14) and reallocated small refunds and payroll funds to correct departmental overages (20250519-15, 20250519-16 as amended, 20250519-17 as amended). The board appropriated $26,000 to cover various sheriff’s budget shortfalls (20250519-18), amended language for courthouse security/bailiff salaries (20250519-19), and approved $4,200 from Fund 171 to purchase bulletproof vests for newly hired officers (20250519-20).
Other operational items approved included $10,000 for contracted services to manage waste tires (20250519-21), $2,200 to cover a postage shortfall in the Property Assessor’s office (20250519-22), and a $5,250 reimbursable supplemental maintenance grant appropriation for the county airport to enable FAA reimbursement (20250519-23). The commission also approved a $179,326.50 ARPA-funded appropriation for Health Department building improvements and related project costs (20250519-24).
On public-health and recovery funding, commissioners suspended the rules to consider two opioid-funded contributions: $20,000 to the 24th Judicial District Recovery Court (20250519-25), and $15,000 to the Hope Center (20250519-26). The Recovery Court contribution passed unanimously; the Hope Center contribution passed with one No vote (Commissioner Bain).
Routine business included approval of a trustee release of 2023 property taxes and the appointment of several notaries. A brief presentation to the commission by Scott Hill of SCR Network, offering internet service options for the county, was listed on the agenda and noted during the meeting. Citizens’ forum remarks included comments on the general budget, road conditions and a local painting request.
Votes at a glance (selected resolutions and outcomes) - 20250519-01 (appoint John Killen, Industrial Development Board): Approved, roll call 14 Aye, 0 No, 4 Absent. - 20250519-02 (appoint Frank Wright, Records Commission): Approved, roll call 14 Aye, 0 No, 4 Absent. - 20250519-03 (appoint Jeff Murphy, Records Commission): Approved, roll call 13 Aye, 0 No, 1 Abstain (Murphy), 4 Absent. - 20250519-04 (appoint Jeff Murphy, TRRD Board): Approved, roll call 13 Aye, 0 No, 1 Abstain (Murphy), 4 Absent. - 20250519-07 (budget TDEC State ARPA pass-through to water utilities, $463,844.94): Approved, roll call 14 Aye, 0 No, 4 Absent. - 20250519-10 (budget Summer Learning Camp, $242,423.24): Approved, roll call 14 Aye, 0 No, 4 Absent. - 20250519-20 (bulletproof vests for new officers, $4,200): Approved, roll call 14 Aye, 0 No, 4 Absent. - 20250519-24 (ARPA Health Department grant, $179,326.50): Approved, roll call 14 Aye, 0 No, 4 Absent. - 20250519-25 (opioid funds, $20,000 to 24th Judicial District Recovery Court): Approved, roll call 14 Aye, 0 No, 4 Absent. - 20250519-26 (opioid funds, $15,000 to Hope Center): Approved, roll call 13 Aye, 1 No (Bain), 4 Absent.
What’s next: The commission did not table or postpone major items; most actions were approved on first consideration. Several items reference pass-through or grant reimbursements that will require subsequent administrative processing and invoice submission (for example the FAA-reimbursable airport maintenance appropriation and TDEC ARPA pass-through funds).
