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Cheatham County adopts multiple budget amendments, approves asset surplus and a pay increase for elected officials
Summary
The county approved a suite of budget amendments for the County General, Highway, Solid Waste and General Capital Projects funds, authorized surplus and sale of multiple vehicles/equipment, and approved an elected-officials pay increase effective July 1, 2025 after a 10–2 roll-call vote.
Cheatham County commissioners on Dec. 16 approved a series of budget amendments, voted to surplus numerous county vehicles and equipment for auction, and adopted a proposal to increase elected officials' salaries, effective July 1, 2025.
Key votes and amounts
- Recovery/Drug Court staffing: The commission authorized a budget amendment to reallocate unused budgeted funds to cover a full-time Recovery Court Director (Drug Court/Recovery Court) at an additional $37,318.68 (Resolution 6). Motion by David Anderson; second by Diana Lovell. Roll-call approval: 12 Yes, 0 No.
- Elected-officials pay increase: After committee recommendation and an amended budget process, the Legislative Body voted to adopt an increase that will move elected officials' pay to one population class above Cheatham County's current minimum scale under state law, effective July 1, 2025. Motion by Bill Powers; second by Diana Lovell. Roll-call tally: 10 Yes, 2 No (No votes: Randy Noe, B.J. Hudspeth). The motion passed (Resolution 7).
- County General Fund amendments: Additional amendments were approved encompassing Jail ($300,000.00), Veteran's Services ($380.48), and Election Commission adjustments including $43,191.26 to cover Election Worker pay (Resolution 8). Vote: 12 Yes, 0 No.
- General Capital Projects and Solid Waste/Highway adjustments: The commission approved a $36,710.55 transfer for General Administration projects (Resolution 9), and Solid Waste capital requests and salary-study implementation supplements across funds (Resolutions 10 and 11). Votes were recorded by roll call and were largely unanimous.
- Surplus and disposition of equipment: The commission authorized surplus and disposal/sale of multiple Sheriff's Department vehicles and Highway equipment (Resolutions 12, 13, 14). Lists with VINs, serial numbers and mileage were recorded in the packet. Votes were recorded by roll call; most motions passed 12–0.
Why it matters: The budget amendments redistribute existing and unspent county funds to address staffing, inmate medical costs, election worker pay and capital repairs. The elected-officials pay increase drew the only recorded dissent in the meeting; two commissioners voted no, citing concerns recorded in the roll-call record. The salary change is effective mid-2025 and will affect the county's personnel expenditures next fiscal year.
What commissioners said: Commissioner David Anderson led the Recovery Court funding motion; Commissioner Bill Powers moved the elected-officials pay change and Commissioner Diana Pike Lovell seconded. Commissioners raised procedural items in committee prior to the Legislative Body vote; the meeting record shows committee votes on Dec. 9 that recommended the amendments forwarded to the full body.
Next steps: The clerk recorded the resolutions and budget amendments in the official minutes. The pay increases are scheduled to take effect July 1, 2025; department budgets will be adjusted in the next fiscal cycle to reflect these changes.
