Hickman County commission approves school budget, transfers funds and sets tax rate at 1.76

The Hickman County Commission on June 8 approved the county and school budget packages that include a two-cent increase to the school property tax rate and other line-item adjustments, and set the county'wide tax rate at a rounded 1.76.

A presenter for the school told commissioners the package "reflects exactly what was recommended on the night of May 11th," and commissioners moved quickly to approve the budget. Commissioner Matthew Barnhill moved to approve the package and Commissioner Devon Pickard seconded; the clerk conducted a roll-call vote and announced the motion carried. Several commissioners declared conflicts of interest as school employees but stated they would vote in favor.

In a separate approved motion, commissioners authorized a two-part funding change for school capital needs: a $200,000 transfer from an AFT-designated fund into fund 151 and the integration of a $405,000 one-time contribution into fund 151. Commissioner Danny Clark seconded that motion; the clerk again called the roll and announced the motion carried.

Commissioners also approved the solid-waste budget after staff noted operational changes and billing mechanics. During discussion, staff warned that implementing the new business/commercial charge will require system updates and that billing is likely to begin in September rather than the initially planned July 1 date to allow accurate commercial-property billing. Commissioner Devon Pickard moved to approve the solid-waste budget and Commissioner Wayne Thompson seconded; the motion passed on roll call.

Finance staff member Crystal explained the proposed tax levy tied to the approved budgets: with the school increase the certified tax rate would be 1.7515. To simplify calculations, Commissioner Keith Nash moved (seconded by Commissioner Bud Calcutt) to round the overall tax rate to 1.76 and authorize staff to adjust individual fund lines to match that figure; the motion passed on a roll-call vote.

After approving a motion by Commissioner Dusty Jordan (seconded by Commissioner Ron Mayberry) to adjust revenue lines to conform to the approved levy, the commission set meeting and hearing dates: a regular budget meeting Monday at 5:15 p.m., a public hearing on June 15 at 6:00 p.m., and budget-resolution presentation to the county commission on June 22. Commissioner Tucker moved to adjourn; Commissioner Matthew Barnhill seconded and the meeting ended.

Votes at a glance: all formal budget motions reported in the transcript were carried by roll call; where individual roll-call tallies were spoken in the record some names and counts were unclearly transcribed but the clerk announced each motion carried.