The Cannon County Budget Committee worked hard over the past three months to bring a 2016-2017 fiscal year budget proposal to the full Cannon County Commission that would not only show the Commission but also the State that it is improving it’s General Fund Balance and getting it closer to where it needs to be according to State Standards. Saturday, the Committee presented their recommendations to the Commission at the Commission’s regular monthly meeting at the Cannon County Courthouse.
The recommendation at first showed an unbalanced ending budget for the fiscal year 2016-2017. Ending fund balance at the end of this fiscal year was $280,746.00 while the projected ending fund balance for 2016-2017 showed $269,766.00 which was a difference of $10,980.00.
This means the budget is estimated to fund the various departments $10,000 more dollars than what the revenues will bring in. However before the end of the meeting the commissioners decided to take that $10,000 off the insurance line item of the Sheriff’s department to balance the budget out. The main additions to the budget this year will be $90,000 to fund the purchase of four newer fire trucks from Rutherford County. $70,000 will be used to help buy a newer truck for the Rescue Squad. The purchase of the fire trucks is a priority as they will replace four fire trucks from the 70s including a totalled fire truck of the Gassaway Volunteer Fire Department. Motion was made by Commissioner Mark Barker to accept the appropriations as updated and won by a 6-3 vote. Commissioners voting against the appropriations recommendation were Russell Reed, Glenn Steakley and Karen Ashford.
Absent from the meeting was Commissioner James Holloway
After the appropriations passed, it was time to approve the tax levy to fund the appropriations. The Budget Committee recommended raising the property tax 7 cents to fund the appropriations of the budget. The breakdown of the $2.75 recommendation was as follows:
General Fund-$1.40
Solid Waste-$.15
General Purpose School Fund-$.85
General Debt Service-$.18
Ambulance Service-$.17
It is noted that a penny brings in approximately $20,000 of revenue to the county
Each department except the General Debt Service department saw a decrease in their property tax appropriation. The committee took 3 cents off last years rate of the Ambulance Service, and Schools, 1 cent away from Solid Waste and 2 cents off of the General Fund.
The motion was made and passed by a 6-3 vote. Voting against the recommendation and motion was Todd Hollandsworth, Karen Ashford and Glenn Steakley.
