Henry County Commission approves budget transfers, appointments and county road list; accepts opioid funds

The Henry County Commission convened Jan. 20 in the county courthouse courtroom in Paris and approved a package of measures affecting the county budget, committees, appointments and property sales. The meeting also included approval to accept opioid-abatement funding from the state and steps to evaluate repairs to the courthouse bell tower.

The commission approved Resolution 1-1-26, a set of targeted budget amendments to the Henry County General Fund for fiscal 2025–2026 that reallocated unappropriated fund balance to specific line items including travel and outside legal services and increased several sheriff's office accounts; the motion to adopt the resolution was made by Commissioner Kenneth Humphreys and seconded by Commissioner James Higgins and passed on a 15–0 roll call. The consent agenda (minutes, financial reports and notary designations) was approved earlier by motion of Commissioner Monte Starks.

Commissioners also dissolved obsolete committees (Resolution 2-1-26) and approved Resolution 3-1-26, which filled vacancies on multiple county boards and committees including the Agriculture Committee, Beer Board, Budget & Finance Committee, Board of Health and others; Patrick Burns moved and Kenneth Humphreys seconded approval of the appointments, which passed on a voice vote.

In one contested local appointment, Emory Bradley was elected to fill the unexpired District 5 Road Board seat by a 9–6 vote after nominations from Commissioner Charles Elizondo and Commissioner Paul Neal; the election was memorialized in Resolution 4-1-26.

The commission adopted Resolution 5-1-26 to approve the official Henry County road listing for 2026 (the full list was entered into the record). It also approved Resolution 6-1-26, authorizing the county to accept two offers for quitclaim deeds to delinquent-tax parcels at reduced sales prices (the recorded offers were both for $500, plus closing and publication costs). Commissioner Paul Neal moved the resolution; the motion carried 15–0.

An attempted amendment to Resolution 3a-12-02 that would have authorized the Budget & Finance Committee to appoint an assistant secretary (and to allow stipend replacement during the assistant's service) failed on roll call (4 in favor, 11 opposed).

Commissioner Marty Visser moved and the commission approved an authorization for the County Mayor to enter into an agreement with Allen Searcy Builder Contractors for the county services center construction phase (Resolution 8-1-26). The minutes record a recorded vote of 13–2 in favor.

On financing matters the commission approved an initial bond resolution (Resolution 9-1-26) and then a follow-up authorization (Resolution 10-1-26) to issue not-to-exceed $9 million in general obligation public improvement bonds to finance county administration facilities and related costs. Commissioner David Hayes moved the bond measures with a recorded vote of 14–1 on the authorization (see separate article for details on the bond plan and next steps).

On the historic courthouse bell tower, the commission accepted a proposal record from Renaissance Historic Exteriors and authorized an engineering study not to exceed $15,000 to assess the feasibility and more precise cost estimates for reconstruction of the bell tower and clock. Commissioner Patrick Burns moved the amendment and study authorization and Commissioner James Higgins seconded; the motion carried. Renaissance submitted a rough order-of-magnitude restoration estimate of about $1.55 million for full cupola restoration, with a clock restoration option of approximately $100,000 and a bell-reset option of about $42,500. A separate resolution to authorize removal of the bell tower (Resolution 12-1-26) was presented but received no action.

The commission also accepted a Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council disbursement of $75,501.41 to Henry County and authorized the County Mayor to sign the Council’s letter agreement. The agreement requires the county to spend the money only on Council-approved opioid abatement or remediation activities, to report annually on uses and amounts, and to return any unspent funds (plus interest) after the four-year period if the Council’s conditions are not met.

The meeting concluded after routine announcements and an adjournment motion. The commission set its next regular meeting for Feb. 17, 2026 (date adjustment noted on the agenda for Presidents Day).

Votes at a glance: Resolution 1-1-26 (budget amendments) — approved, roll call 15–0; Resolution 2-1-26 (dissolve committees) — approved (voice vote); Resolution 3-1-26 (appointments) — approved (voice vote); Resolution 4-1-26 (appoint Road Board Dist. 5) — approved, Emory Bradley elected 9–6; Resolution 5-1-26 (roads list) — approved (voice vote); Resolution 6-1-26 (resale of delinquent tax parcels) — approved, 15–0; Resolution 7-1-26 (assistant secretary to Budget & Finance) — failed, 4–11; Resolution 8-1-26 (authorize agreement with Allen Searcy) — approved, 13–2; Resolution 9-1-26 (initial bond resolution) — approved; Resolution 10-1-26 (authorize bond issuance) — approved, 14–1; Resolution 11-1-26 (engineering study for bell tower) — approved (as amended); Resolution 12-1-26 (authorize removal of bell tower) — no action; Opioid Abatement acceptance — approved, voice vote.

What’s next: the County Mayor is authorized to negotiate the construction agreement, to proceed with the engineering study for the bell tower, and to execute the opioid letter of agreement. The county will publish the statutory notice required by the bond resolution and proceed with the steps necessary to sell the bonds in coming weeks if market conditions are favorable and legal deadlines are met.