Commissioners Present: Jeffrey Brantley, Danny Cooke, Bill Cox, Earl Cox, Gary England, Dawn Flatford, Kenny Hill, Janet Holloway, Sidney Jessee, Jr., R. L. Jones, Larry Lay, and Becky Munsey
Commissioners Absent: Jeff Chesney, Debra Keck, Joyce Meltabarger and Jody Smith
- Notaries approved: Shannon Brooks, Elbra Davis, Jennifer Helms, Travis Patterson, Sheila Ann Rice, Carrie Elizabeth Rule, Teresa Lynn Satterfield, Barbara J. Williams
- County Sheriff's Report by Sheriff Breeding: 826 total calls for service, 9 vehicle accidents with injury, 29 vehicle accidents without injury, total inmates booked 123, released 122, current jail population 100. Breeding shared that regarding the robbery on January 26th at Tollivers Market, suspects are in custody: William Gary Morgan and son Benjamin Gary Morgan, both of Knox County.
- David Cox, Union County Highway Superintendent: Tennessee Road Report for the Year 2020; Motion to approve by England, second by Jessee, approved.
- Ann Dyer, Finance Director:
a. Monthly Finance Report: All departments within the parameters of normal spending, no questions.
b. Budget Amendments & Transfers: General Fund 101 primarily contributions from United Way for the Luttrell and Maynardville libraries, entering from restricted funds into the jail budget, and insurance recovery into the sheriff's budget. Motion to approve by Flatford, second by England, approved.
c. Surplus Fund 118: Ambulance service, and insurance recovery and anticipated increase in patient care charges. Motion to approve by Jones, second by Bill Cox, approved.
d. Annual Debt Report: Fund 122 Drug Fund receiving assets forfeitures from seizures; Motion to approve by Jessee, second by Lay, approved.
e. Fund 131 Highway Fund: Entering insurance recovery funds and transferring funds within the appropriated budget. Motion to approve Holloway, second by Flatford, approved.
f. Fund 141 General Purpose School Fund: Entering insurance recovery funds and miscellaneous refunds from workers’ comp, Walters State dual enrollment funds, and moving money into Pre-K and Gear Up grants to maximize those grants. Motion to approve by Bill Cox, second by Earl Cox, approved.
g. Fund 142 Federal Programs Fund: Moving sums of money around, re-budgeting to cover Title II expenditures, a carryover from FY19 budget, and sub-fund 901 transferring to increase speech pathologist hours. Motion to approve by Holloway, second by Hill, approved.
h. Surplus Equipment: Election registrar's non-operable printer, Luttrell library 1 printer and 5 computer desks, and jail 5 office chairs. Motion to approve by Lay, second by Jessee, approved.
i. 2020 Annual Debt Report: Net debt 5.5 million, 292 per capita. 2020 is the last year of high school and ambulance service debts. UC sales tax rate is higher than Knox County's, receipts are approximately 10% of Knox.
- Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program Resolution: The essence of this resolution is that Union County will take advantage of 3-star status and apply for up to $420,000 in federal funding with local matching 11% for a total project total not to exceed $471,910. This grant request is for fire service improvements. Mayor Bailey shared that although we did not receive the last CDBG grant we applied for, we did learn how close we came. Grant funding is done on a scoring basis, and the top ten scores receive funding. Union County's score placed UC at 11. The fire chiefs voted to determine which department would get the new fire truck and decided on Northeast Union, with the remaining funds being divided among all fire departments. Motion to approve by Holloway, second by Jessee, approved.
- Resolution Concerning Refugee Resettlement – Sponsored by Commissioner Brantley: Per Brantley, this is based on the framework of a similar resolution proposed and passed by Loudon County. The essence of this letter to the governor is that Union County is unable to meet the needs of the refugees due to our citizens already struggling financially. The premise is that accepting unskilled, non-English speaking refugees will cost the county in many ways: SNAP (food stamps), Cash benefits, increased need for jails, and second language teachers. There is also the concern that incoming refugees would carry TB. Citing Germany's experience, Brantley asserts that these refugees could be more successfully resettled in neighboring Middle Eastern countries. Brantley proposes that the county commissioners request that the governor either:
1. Retract his consent for resettlement in Tennessee, or
2. Declare Union County exempt from the resettlement area.
Brantley stated that under Governor Lee in 2019, refugees have increased by 46%, despite President Trump's emergency executive order to stop refugee resettlement in January 2017. Brantley also cited issues in Venezuela due to refugees and shared that these refugees have already been vetted and rejected by Australia.
Public Comments: Jim Johnson agrees with resolution and urges commissioners to vote in favor of resolution due to the vetting being done by the United Nations instead of by Americans. Johnson supports Governor Lee in many ways and looks forward to great things from him, but disagrees with the governor on this issue. Johnson states that this is not a question of Christianity or sharing our wealth, it's about keeping us safe and our community moving forward. Johnson moved to Union County from Ohio and appreciates his kind welcome here. He cautions that Columbus, Ohio, now has between 45,000 to 60,000 refugees from Somalia and they depend on handouts from the community that cost the community greatly. If the governor wants to help these refugees, he needs to contact the larger counties with greater incomes. Johnson urges commissioners not to think of this as a litmus test for the goodness of your heart, but what is best for our county.
Per an email read by Danny Cooke, Union County is already exempt, the resettlement only applies to the four largest counties in Tennessee. Per David Myers' knowledge, Union County has not received any refugees. Motion to reject by commissioner Lay, seconded by Jessee, approved. Brantley was the only dissenting vote, having cited concerns about being within 50 miles of the resettlement area.
- Resolution Concerning Salary Increase for County Highway Commissioners: which is already within the budget to "…increase the monthly compensation paid to each county highway commissioner by the sum of $250.00…" Motion to approve by England, second by Hill, approved.
- Andrew Reed, Union County EMS Director, shared that the resolutions he is proposing have been reviewed by attorney David Myers. Reed's department tried to do the billing in-house, but it proved to be more than could be done by one person in the EMS office. When his office was previously contracted with EMS Consultants, Union County saw an increase in revenues.
a. Billing Service Agreement between Union County EMS and EMS Consultants, Ltd. Motion to approve by Jones, second by Jessee, approved.
b. Resolution Encouraging the Support of Legislation Which Directs TennCare to Reimburse Ground Ambulance Providers at a Rate Not Less than the Current Medicare Fee Schedule and Adding Funding to the 2020-2021 State Budget: Meaning approximately $200,000 increase in revenue for Union County. Motion to approve by Flatford, second by England, approved.
- Addendums:
a. Resolution for Delinquent Property Tax Sale/Epperson "…239 Hogskin Road, Washburn, Tennessee 37888, at the price of $10,100.00, with closing and payment in full to Union County on or before February 29, 2020…" Of approximately 10 properties identified for sale due to delinquent taxes, the county only received 2 bids on this one piece of property, and the amount listed represents the winning bid. Motion to approve by Cox, second by Hill, approved.
b. Sheriff Breeding sought permission to apply for the Cops Grant, a community-oriented policing grant for two new officers’ salaries and their benefits. This would be a 75/25 split requiring the county to provide 25% of the funding. Currently, Union County has 15 deputies. Motion to approve by Jessee, second by Holloway, approved.
- County Mayor's Report – Mayor Jason Bailey presented three requests to the budget committee:
1. Repairs to the 47-year-old jail, identified by the new jail administrator Steve Rouse. The mayor recommends that the work be bid out, and then maintained by the county maintenance department. The total estimated cost is $80,000.
2. Need to hire two part-time officers (with no benefits, <28 hours per week) to provide security for the courthouse. Union County has three courts but only two courtrooms, sometimes requiring the use of the jury room for the third court. Last month, after court, needles were found in the bathroom. Motion to approve by Holloway, second by Bill Cox, approved.
3. Funding for the Union County Farmers Market to construct a permanent location. The farmers market is currently located at Wilson Park, which is technically on school property. Mayor Bailey suggested applying for a grant for a permanent open-air building on county-owned property. Fund 172 for Industrial and Community Development had existing funds but Union County has this week sold part of the Luttrell Industrial Park to the one business there, for an additional $67,790 for a total in this fund of $142,300.59. In addition to the farmers market, the structure could also be used for open shows, etc. Union County is the only county in our area that doesn't have a permanent location for their farmers market. David Myers advised that we need to do a current survey on this approximately 3-acre lot, and also need to get title insurance on the property, both of which are easy to do. Motion to approve by Jessee, second by Earl Cox, approved. Dawn Flatford and Larry Lay voted against.
- Mayor Bailey added a jail committee meeting on February 25th to the calendar.
- The mayor explained the grant received for a dog park states that if the money is not utilized for its stated purpose by 2021, it will go to the animal shelter. Funds allocated are insufficient to adequately develop the dog park, so at the end of the grant cycle $25,000 grant money will be given to the animal shelter.
- Tennessee Department of Health has a grant UC can apply for recreational fields.
- Capital upgrades for the roof of the finance/library/senior center will begin soon.
- Courthouse interior painting will begin soon.
- Courthouse parking lot and signage to be installed in the spring.
- The community center and park renovations to continue through this summer.
- Union County has recently brought in quite a bit of money through delinquent tax property sales.
- Clearing property on Durham Drive for future use such as the farmers market. The remainder of the property to be developed for sports fields, etc.
- Reminded the county that as mayor, Bailey has the prerogative to declare how the community buildings will be used. He has talked to several people and established rules for the use of community centers. $50/event rental fee, although departments can use the facilities at no charge (for example, neighborhood watch meetings, etc). Bailey presented two special provisions effective February 1, 2020:
a. Use of Cedar Grove Community center for the food pantry will be allowed to continue for $80/month through the end of the fiscal year. Union County will consider allowing the Union County Food Pantry to apply for an in-kind contribution after the food pantry obtains its 501c3 without attachment to a religious organization.
b. Use of Sharps Chapel Senior Center for the Lutheran church will be allowed to continue for $40/week for 2 half days per week, through the end of this fiscal year.
- In the news: Keep Union County Beautiful featured on Channel 10, and Sheriff Billy Breeding on WVLT for work he's done with security in local churches.
- Finance Departments audit with no findings
- Mayor Bailey's top three goals for Union County:
1. Workforce Development: We've been trying for years to get big companies to come here; but first, we need to train our current workforce and the jobs will come. Our citizens need access to secondary education such as TCAT, which currently has a 2-year waiting list. Community colleges would come here if we had a place for them. CTE (Career and Technical Education) Partnership, received a $50,000 grant to help with nursing and automotive classes after school.
2. Community Development: New middle school, and re-purpose old middle school into a community center. Develop Park Road Park in Luttrell to add ball fields and considered as a possible location of the farmers market.
3. Tourism: Need to increase visibility as a tourist destination. Thomas Skibinski, current president of the Chamber of Commerce, has done a great job, and is an out of the box thinker. Ohio is a huge source of visitors to our area. We need to work harder to promote both the lake and our heritage. The Union County Opry is doing a great job. Signage coming from the state for Roy Acuff, Chet Atkins, and Lois Johnson; all on the Tennessee Musical Pathways, driving tourists to our area. Baily also wants to use part of our hotel/motel funds for new welcome signs at the four main entrances to the county. Thunder in the Park is a huge success, as is the Heritage Festival; need to add something different for spring and summer. Have a committee of both commissioners and representatives from the school system working together. Also shared Union County vision for the repurposing of the middle school, which could be moved to be utilized by several departments.
The mayor encourages us to be informed, be involved, to be open-minded, and to work together and get things done.
Commissioner Larry Lay requested that we draw up a letter of resolution about Hwy 33, for David Myers to review. Union County is #1 on the list, just waiting for funding.
All reports can be reviewed on the Historic Union County website; they are attached under the live streaming of this meeting.