Budget committee forwards $582,152 in FY2026 re‑allocations and several school funding changes to full commission

The White County Budget Committee on Monday approved a set of fiscal-year 2026 budget amendments — including a combined package the director said totals $582,152 — and forwarded multiple items to the full county commission for final action.

Director Markham outlined 15 amendments the committee will send to the commission, describing each as an intra-departmental reallocation intended to align appropriations with actual expenditures through the end of the fiscal year. "So in total, it's, $582,152," Director Markham said as he summarized the package, adding that the changes shuffle existing appropriations rather than create new spending.

Why it matters: the amendments touch public safety, maintenance and school operations and are intended to prevent audit exceptions and cover anticipated overages such as overtime, inmate medical costs and fuel. Several school-related amendments will be forwarded contingent on school-board approval.

Key items the committee reviewed include: - Sheriff/jail salary and overtime reallocation: $281,000 to align payroll and overtime lines. - Tennessee Law Enforcement Hiring, Training and Retention grant: $34,671 appropriated to the sheriff’s department for eligible employees. - Anticipated fuel costs: $52,500 added to cover higher fuel expenditures. - Employee medical insurance true-up: $82,000 to cover cost increases tied to calendar-year insurance timing. - Outside inmate medical expenses: $150,000 to cover potential off-site inmate medical care. - Central maintenance precautions: $145,000 to cover vehicle and heavy equipment repairs. - Rolling sawmill site improvements: $35,000 requested to cover demolition/site-prep and contingencies. - Broadband-ready communities grant remaining balance: $36,000 appropriated for economic development uses consistent with grant covenants.

Director Markham repeatedly emphasized that many amendments "stay within committee" because they move money inside the same major category or department. He also explained that appropriations lapse on June 30 if no purchase order or obligation is in place, and any unused amounts revert to fund balance.

School and federal-project funding: the committee approved several school-related amendments to go to the full commission contingent on school-board approval. Notable school items included a $486,117 appropriation recognizing additional high-performance LEA bonus funds, a $484,469 summer-learning camp grant for White County schools, $150,000 in remaining USDA/RUS DLT grant funds for smart-board purchases, and a $310,035 cafeteria fund amendment recognizing additional USDA revenue and fund-balance support for personnel and supplies.

The committee also approved a motion to transfer $2,000,000 out of the school federal projects fund back to the general purpose school fund to restore cash flow to the district account. Director Markham said the transfer would leave roughly $1,000,000 in the federal projects fund as a cash-flow reserve; he described the original transfers as temporary moves made during heavy ESSER-era spending.

Fireworks contract: in a separate old-business exchange, members discussed a prior May amendment to add extra fireworks for the July 4 celebration. There were inconsistent figures in the discussion (the transcript references both $66,000 and $6,000). A motion recorded in the transcript to rescind the previously approved extra-fireworks amount reads as rescinding "$6,000" and passed by voice vote.

Votes at a glance: - Approval of minutes from 06/01/2026: approved by voice vote. - Forwarding of 15 budget amendments to full commission: approved by voice vote. - Approval of combined $582,152 intra-department reallocation: approved by voice vote (remains within committee for implementation as described). - Various school-fund and grant appropriations (see body): approved to send to the commission, many contingent on school-board approval. - Transfer of $2,000,000 from school federal projects fund back to general-purpose school fund: approved to send to full court contingent on school-board action. - Motion to rescind previously approved fireworks add-on (transcript records rescind of "$6,000"): motion passed by voice vote.

What the committee did not do: none of the actions authorized new general-taxpayer spending for recurring programs; most items reallocate previously appropriated funds or recognize grant revenue. Several school fund items require the school board's signoff before the commission acts.

The committee set a public hearing on the FY2027 budget for 5:30 p.m. next Monday, before the regular county commission meeting, and adjourned.