Cheatham County approves rezoning, adopts development-tax amendment and OKs multiple budget and capital measures

The Cheatham County Legislative Body met Aug. 19 in Ashland City and approved a package of rezonings, fiscal amendments and capital projects.

The commission approved a request by New Hope Partnership, LLC to rezone Map 23, Parcel 65 (1219 New Hope Road in the 2nd voting district) from C5 to C1. The Planning Commission’s recommendation had been split (4–2–1). The county’s roll call vote on the rezoning was 11 Yes, 0 No, 1 Absent.

County leaders also rescinded Resolution 10 (June 24, 2019) and adopted a new amendment to the Cheatham County Development Tax rate under Chapter No. 28, Private Acts 1997 of the 100th General Assembly of the State of Tennessee. The motion to rescind and adopt the new amendment (moved by Gary Binkley, seconded by David Anderson) passed by roll call vote 11 Yes, 0 No, 1 Absent.

County Mayor Kerry McCarver presented a series of appointments and contract approvals that commissioners approved by roll-call vote. Items included the reappointment of David Mahaney to the River Road Utility District Board and appointments of Hannah Cook to the 911 Emergency Board and Larry Nash to the CC Water/Waste Water Board. The commission also authorized the mayor’s signature on a GNRC planning contract for 2019–20, an update to an IT contract with Jason Cannon, a China Star lease modification, a TDOT slope-stabilization proposal for SR1/Hwy 70, a donation of specified property at A.O. Smith to TDOT (with authorization for the mayor to execute closing documents), and several service agreements including Auto-Chlor for jail dishwashing and ambulance medical billing.

On the county’s finances, Director of Accounts Sandrine Batts presented multiple General Fund budget amendments (line-item amounts listed in the official packet). The Budget Committee recommended the adjustments and the consolidated motions passed on roll call. Separately, commissioners approved a $79,467.47 amendment for Other General Administration in the General Capital Projects Fund (funding from prior-year fund balance) by roll call vote 11 Yes, 0 No, 1 Absent.

The commission authorized two three-year capital outlay notes: one for school paving and HVAC projects not to exceed $510,500, and one for a Highway Department office/garage project not to exceed $400,000 (both to be funded from note proceeds). Commissioners also approved a small Solid Waste/Sanitation Fund amendment ($1,564 to Convenience Centers, funded by prior-year insurance recovery) and authorized surplus and disposition of county assets (including a Mosler safe and six Hewlett Packard printers), with all motions carrying by roll call vote 11 Yes, 0 No, 1 Absent.

Capital Improvements Committee recommendations approved by the body included funding a jail HVAC system totaling $70,589 (to be paid $60,000 from Jail Litigation funds and $10,589 from the Capital Improvements Fund) and $45,890 to resurface the library parking lot (Capital Improvements Fund). Both measures passed by roll call vote 11 Yes, 0 No, 1 Absent.

Other formal actions included an approved request to recover unclaimed balances remitted to the State Treasurer under the Unclaimed Property Act and authorization for changes to the pay structure of the Veterans Service Office director, with the Veterans Service Office Committee given authority to use that change to hire a new director; both motions passed by roll call vote 11 Yes, 0 No, 1 Absent.

What happens next: many approvals (contracts, donations, and capital outlays) direct the county mayor and staff to finalize documents and implement projects; the three-year notes will require subsequent administrative steps to issue and spend the proceeds. The meeting adjourned at 7:43 p.m.