Fentress County Commissioners passed a budget on first reading that will keep the property rate at $1.35.
The commission discussed how best to make that tax rate work with growing priorities. The commission approved to distribute $1.14 to the general fund, eight cents to solid waste, six cents to the general purpose school fund, four cents to the highway department, two cents to debt service, and one cent for capital projects. Commissioner Kim Davidson said distributing the pennies is the hardest part.
“Budget season has been going on for months and months, and we have cut and whittled and done everything we can, and this is where we are,” Davidson said. “So when we start looking at allotting pennies, we have to look at where the budgets, like what budget is hurting.”
Director of Schools Kristi Hall said she was not comfortable with the school system losing three pennies, as the county has taken pennies away from the school system over the past couple of years.
Commissioner Larry Cooper said the distribution will still allow the county to exceed its funding requirement to the School System by an estimated $185,000.
“I know that doesn’t sound like much,” Cooper said. “I spoke with a board member from Putnam County. Putnam County has not allowed their board of education to have any growth from property tax since 2009. This is the first time in 16 years they are gonna allow them to have some growth. Like Jimmy said, we have exceeded by $600,000, you know, we’ve done some odd $600,000. So I think we are trying to meet part of the way and probably not meeting you all of the way Kristi, and I apologize.”
Some commissioners expressed a desire to raise property taxes, as it would allow the county to allocate more funding to each budget. Davidson said most people are against tax increases, but it will be something the commissioners need to consider.
“We cannot maintain and be stagnant at the same tax rate, that’s unrealistic,” Davidson said. “And so again, that’s reality, I’m sorry, I mean that’s just it. So we gotta figure out what we can do with what we got right now.”
Commissioner Justin Miller said he would like to host a public hearing to see if the county could look at other options to help with the county’s budget.
The commission approved a nutrition bid for the Senior Center.
The commission approved to apply for the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging 2025 grant.
The commission approved to remove .36 miles of Old Davidson Road from the county road list and deem it as a public access road.