The Union County Budget Committee considered several items on January 29, 2024. The recent snow.caused the regular meeting to be rescheduled and held prior to the Union County Commission Meeting. The committee approved the purchase of ankle monitors for work release inmates to comply with a new state law at a cost of approximately $10,000. The committee took no action on the sheriff's proposal to spend $97,000 for a new camera system. Discussion centered around the cost and the fact that the request was not in the current budget nor did the sheriff have surplus money to fund the system. American Rescue Plan federal money may be available since the Luttrell Sports Complex money could be repurposed. The committee approved the budget calendar for FY 2026. Mayor bailey explained that the county would receive approximately $300,000 from the opioid lawsuit. The money must be used to rehabilitate or prevent drug abuse. The committee approved a contract with Samantha Brantley as an independent contractor to set up the programs for the Drug Court that Judge Travis Patterson is initiating. Ms. Brantley will be compensated at $18 per hour and will no longer be a county employee. The rest of the agenda was postponed to the next meeting on February 20 at 6:00.