Carter County commission rejects General-Purpose School Fund Amendment 12A after split votes

The Carter County Board of Commissioners voted down General-Purpose School Fund Amendment 12A on June 20, 2022, after two separate motions to approve parts of or the full amendment failed.

Richard Church, representing Carter County Schools, presented the amendment and told commissioners the school board had already approved the listed expenditures. Attorney Josh Hardin reminded the commission that state law allows budget amendment requests denied by the budget committee to be brought to the full commission, but said a separate concern was that some funds had been moved without prior authorization and that he would investigate whether anyone should be held responsible.

Commissioner Aaron Frazier moved to approve amendments 1–3 and 5 of Amendment 12A; that motion resulted in a 10–10 tie and failed. Later, Commissioner Sonja Culler moved to approve Amendment 12A as written; the electronic vote was nine in favor and eleven opposed, and the motion failed.

Several commissioners raised questions about internal controls after Attorney Hardin said money had been moved without permission. Commissioner Mark Blevins asked whether an individual should be held accountable; Hardin said he would look into the matter. The commission recorded both failed votes in the meeting's electronic roll-call.

The defeat leaves the listed school expenditures unapproved by the county commission; Richard Church told the commission the consequence of nonapproval could be an audit finding. There was no formal action recorded to remand the items back to the budget committee at the meeting's close.

The commission took no final disciplinary action during the session; Hardin’s promised inquiry and any follow-up were not scheduled on the record. The meeting adjourned after other business concluded.