Rhea County approves year-end budget amendments and passes first reading of 202627 budget at 1.3486 tax rate

The Rhea County Commission on June 30, 2026 approved a set of year-end budget amendments across multiple funds and carried the first reading of the countys fiscal 202627 budget, setting the property tax rate at 1.3486.

The motion to approve a grouped package of Amendments #115 through #121 for Fund 101 (county general) was moved by Commissioner Thedford and seconded by Commissioner Stephens; the record shows the motion carried with all present voting in favor and Commissioner Fisher recorded as absent. The amendment documents in the packet are labeled as "Year End Clean Up" and list line-item reallocations. Those attached documents list Ralph Beck as the preparer/explanatory contact for the amendments.

Commissioners also approved separate year-end amendments affecting the highway and school funds. In the same session Commissioner Thedford moved and Commissioner Dunn seconded approval of Amendment #15 for Fund 131 (highway); Commissioner Thedford moved and Commissioner Francisco seconded approval of Amendment #22 for Fund 141 (schools); Commissioner Thedford moved and Commissioner Cashman seconded approval of Amendment #1 for Fund 143 (school food service); Commissioner Thedford moved and Commissioner Dunn seconded approval of Amendment #5 for Fund 144 (school transportation); and Commissioner Thedford moved and Commissioner Ellis seconded approval of Amendment #2 for Fund 177 (education capital projects). The motions carried as recorded with all present voting aye and Commissioner Fisher absent.

The amendment documents provide line-item detail: for example, Amendment #116 (Fund 101) shows reallocations totaling $64,566.50; Amendment #117 (Fund 101) lists total debits of $170,635.67 largely affecting jail and juvenile services accounts; Amendment #120 reflects $46,300 in proceeds from the sale of seized property credited to a sheriffs reserve; and Fund 143 Amendment #1 records $300,000 in additional USDA school meal revenues matched to increased food-service spending. Each amendment document is included in the meeting packet as part of the official record.

On the budget ordinance, Commissioner Thedford moved and Commissioner Ellis seconded approval of the first reading of the county budget for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, and to set the county property tax rate at 1.3486. That motion also carried with all present voting in favor and Commissioner Fisher absent. The budget packet provided in the record shows proposed Fund 101 revenues of $21,907,830 and total expenditures and other uses of $23,598,543, producing a reported shortfall of $1,690,713 in the documents included with the first-reading motion.

The meeting record lists meeting attendees and records votes as "VOTED AYE: ALL NAY: NONE ABSENT: FISHER." The session concluded when Commissioner Cashman moved to adjourn, Commissioner Welch seconded, and Chairman Jim Reed approved the rising vote.

The documents submitted to the Commission are part of the official meeting packet and remain the countys public record for the actions taken at the June 30, 2026 special called meeting.