Fourteen of 16 county commissioners attended the called Union County Commission meeting on June 14 to approve a budget for FY 22.
Following the lead of the Budget Committee, Commissioner Jody Smith offered a motion to accept the FY22 Budget as recommended by the Budget Committee, and Larry Lay provided a second.
Several commissioners commented on various aspects of the budget. Debra Keck, Janet Holloway, Earl Cox, Bill Cox, Sidney Jessee Jr. and Kenny Hill voiced concerns about cutting the funding for the Union County Historical Society as well as some fire protection.
Keck also had some comments on the sheriff's budget regarding maintenance of effort and the large increase. Smith spoke in favor of the cuts made by the Budget Committee.
In a bit of unexpected drama, the vote was tied 7 to 7 as follows: Voting for: Jeff Chesney, Dawn Flatford, Kenny Hill, R. L. Jones, Larry Lay, Becky Munsey, Jody Smith; Voting against: Danny Cooke, Bill Cox, Earl Cox, Gary England, Janet Holloway, Sidney Jessee Jr. and Debra Keck.
When the clerk asked Mayor Jason Bailey if he wished to vote, the mayor voted against and said that clearly the motion needed more discussion. The motion failed.
Some questions as to the number of votes needed to approve the budget erupted during the voting. Bailey contacted attorney David Myers, who was on vacation, by phone. According to Myers at least nine votes are needed to approve the budget.
Danny Cooke made a motion seconded by Bill Cox to approve and pass the Fiscal Year 2022 Budget as approved by the Budget Committee to include funding of $7,000 to the Union County Historical Society and to include funding of $10,000 to the Maynardville Volunteer Fire Department.
Cox questioned the giving of money to a department if the trucks in Maynardville could not go outside the city limits.
Marty Smith, who is on the Maynardville City Council, stated that one truck needed to stay in Maynardville, but others can go where needed. The vote on this motion was voting for: Chesney, Cooke, Bill Cox, Earl Cox, England, Hill and Jessee; and voting against were Flatford, Holloway, Jones, Keck, Lay, Munsey, and Smith. Again the vote was 7-7. The motion failed.
So maybe a third motion would prevail. Lay's motion with a second by Holloway to restore the $7,000 in funding to Union County Historical Society in FY 22 Budget and leave the remainder as recommended by the Budget Committee also failed. Voting for: Bill Cox, Earl Cox, Flatford, Hill, Holloway, Jones, Keck, and Lay. Voting against: Chesney, Cooke, England, Jessee, Munsey and Smith. Motion failed for lack of nine affirmative votes.
Out of the desire to approve a budget, Smith changed his position and offered another motion with a second by Jessee to approve and pass the FY2022 Budget as approved by the Budget Committee; to include $7,000 to the Union County Historical Society, $10,000 to the Maynardville Volunteer Fire Department, and $3,000 to the Northeast Volunteer Fire Department. The motion was successful. Voting for were Chesney, Cooke, Bill Cox, Earl Cox, England, Hill, Jessee, Keck, Munsey and Smith. Voting against were Flatford, Holloway, Jones and Lay.
With the budget approved, a motion by Keck and seconded by Jessee set the FY22 Tax Levy passed unanimously. The tax rate will be the same as last year with the following fund rates: General Fund 0.9775, Ambulance 0.1331, Highway/Public Works 0.0888, General Purpose School 0.7096, General Debt Service 0.0715, Capital Projects 0.1594 for a total tax rate of 2.1399, one of the lowest in Tennessee.
The FY22 Appropriations Resolution, which is essentially the budget or guide for where the monies collected will be placed for spending, was approved on a vote of 15 -1 with Earl Cox casting the negative vote with no comment.
England made the motion and Keck provided the second. The following are major areas of appropriation: General Fund $8,429,402, Ambulance $1,635,330, Highway and Public works including state and federal money $3,212,604, General Purpose Schools including local and state $25,895,961, TNVA $14,564,326 all state money, Debt Service, mostly for Paulette Elementary debt and the education energy upgrade, $965,687, Capital Projects for County $1,098,847, Education Capital Projects including state and local money $1,000,000.
Finally on a motion by Keck and a second by England, FY22 Non-Profit Resolution to fund $142,272 in contributions made possible by grants, the hotel/motel tax, or the property tax passed with no dissenting votes. The budget struggle was over. FY22 is off to a good start and Union County finances continue to be on a solid foundation.