August County Meetings, Speed Limits Change

Smith News

The White County Committees met this past Monday, August 3, and it was a relatively short set of meetings compared to the usual affair. As the budget cycle wound down, it left a meeting with far fewer specific items to address, but among them were another discussion on school property and fire departments, budget amendments, and new speed limits for multiple streets.

During Steering Committee A, there were three proposed speed limits on various streets that were signed off on by Road Superintendent Jerry Sawyer. The three that were adjusted were South Fork Rd, Jolley Rd, and Scotts Gulf Rd. The first two were being set to 25 as they did not have a limit, and Scotts Gulf Rd is being reduced to 25 as well.

Commissioner Dakota White said that park rangers with Scotts Gulf reached out to try and get that speed limit reduced, as well as more signage, to try and help enforce the speed limit a bit more since it is a very popular location.

In the past, some volunteer fire departments have had issues getting grants due to being on School Board property rather than county-owned property. Finance Director Chad Marcum presented the discussion to Steering Committee B during this meeting. Cassville Elementary, BonDeCroft Elementary, and then Central View are all properties where the School Board has ownership of the land, but there is a volunteer fire department that operates there as well.

“If the School Board agrees to this,” started Marcum, “and moves forward, then it would go to Planning Commission. And then, it would become county property.”

The Committee approved sending the plan to Full Court, contingent, of course, on School Board approval. The School Board meets on August 13.

Commissioner Chris Brewington also brought up the topic of commissioner pay raises. He brought up the number of special call, or extra meetings, that commissioners do not get paid for, and as such see less attendance often.

During the Budget Committee later on, Commissioner Brewington said, “We have $250 for two meetings is what’s in our bylaws. When we have special call meetings, we don’t have to show up for them at all. You know, really because we’re not getting paid for it.”

Commissioner Derrick Hutchings clarified that anything they passed would only affect the next set of commissioners coming up, not themselves. Nothing was proposed or set forward as a motion, but it was also mentioned that the next set of commissioners will have to address the attendance policy.

The attendance policy that the Commissioner adopted reduces the pay of commissioners, percentage-wise, based on the meetings they attend. However, that policy expires once the new commissioners are sworn in. As such, it will likely be placed on their very first agendas once elections are over and the new commissioners are sworn in the coming months.

Steering Committee A also had to table a discussion regarding a special tax district for Coal Bank Rd, as Executive Denny Wayne Robinson was absent due to illness for the meeting.

The Budget Committee had one major budget amendment within the committee. The amendment was a CTE Carl Perkins basic amendment, reallocating funds to equipment purchases for $3,143. The amendment was passed, contingent on School Board approval. There was another passed motion to hire two registered behavior technicians, again contingent on School Board approval. It was a $90,836.28 budget item, paid for by a state grant.

Full Court is scheduled for August 17. All Full Courts and County Committees are open to the public on the third floor of the Courthouse, as well as streamed on the county’s YouTube at White County TN Commission.