Cumberland County commission approves commercial development district and multiple budget amendments

The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners on March 16, 2026 adopted a commercial development district intended to dedicate an increment of future sales and use taxes from activity inside the district to pay indebtedness for the project. Commissioner Joseph Sherrill moved the measure and Commissioner Mark Baldwin seconded; the resolution passed on a roll-call vote of the commissioners present.

The commission also approved a series of budget amendments affecting county departments and school funds. Commissioners approved a $2,500 recruitment-and-retention grant for the Sheriff’s Department and a $30,303 state grant for Emergency Medical Services. The board adopted multiple school-related amendments and grants that included $10,000 in an ISM state grant, $13,792.80 in Perkins vocational equipment funds, $25,193.59 to purchase Centegix devices for staff, $55,115.41 in GEAR UP funds, a $211,926 reallocation of General Program School Fund dollars, and recognition of $779,835.50 in Outcomes bused funds. Commissioner Wendell Wilson moved the package of school-related measures and Commissioner Greg Maxwell seconded; each carried by roll call of commissioners present.

The commission also adopted RES 03-2026-12 to appoint Amber Findley as Judicial Commissioner for a six-month term after a motion by Commissioner David Gibson with Commissioner Colleen Mall seconding.

Finance Director Jennifer Turner presented a departmental financial update on collections and tax receipts and responded to a question from Commissioner Wendell Wilson about Medicare payments for EMS. Turner said, "the issue seems to be multiple reasons why the EMS collections are not being received in a timely matter," flagging delays in EMS collections as an operational concern for the county.

Audit Committee chair Tom Isham reported the committee met March 13 and asked Director Turner to summarize two audit findings: an unrecorded Highway Department State 8 project that had not been routed through finance purchase orders, and ending fund balances that were higher than projected in the recent budget period. Commissioner Joseph Sherrill announced the Opioid Task Force will meet March 19 at 5:00 P.M. at the Community Complex.

County Attorney Philip Burnett told the commission two local cases have been dismissed, one new federal lawsuit tied to law enforcement has been filed, and one federal case remains under defense. The commission also approved a slate of individuals to serve as notaries public for the State of Tennessee and adjourned at 6:25 P.M. The minutes were later approved for entry on April 20, 2026.

Meeting procedures: motions and seconds as recorded in the minutes were used to move and adopt the listed resolutions; where the minutes record a "unanimous roll call vote" the article reports that outcome as stated in the minutes rather than enumerating individual votes.