These actions taken this morning by the Finance Committee still must be approved by the Full Commission on 20 January 2009.
ITEM 1 It was agreed that the fifteen members, five county commissioners and ten non-commissioners, of the Planning Commission would be paid $30.00 per meeting retroactive to July 2008. The total would amount to $5,400.00 per year for this committee to hold its twelve meetings each year.
ITEM 2 Was a bookkeeping maneuver where approximately $23,000.00 would be paid to the tax office for the county's share of property tax on the Suntrust/Courthouse Annex Building this money would then be transferred back to the county general fund.
ITEM 3 $4000.00 was approved to remount two older ambulance boxes onto new chassis.
ITEM 4 Thanks to TIMKIN a grant was given to fully fund the purchase of a rescue squad vehicle but another $8,400.00 was approved to match a partial grant from another source to purchase a separate vehicle for the Rescue Squad.
ITEM 5 $125,000.00 was allocated to study the Campbellsville Spring.
ITEM 6 Up to $5,000.00 was allocated to the Highway Department to tear down two buildings at the Agriculture Park.
ITEM 7 $3,000.00 was added to Judge Damrons budget. Last year the state mandated an unfunded raise for him that was taken out of his budget. This three thousand dollars was a replacement, as stated by the Financial Director this $3,000.00 is for travel expenses to two conferences he attends each year. This expenditure was not mandated by the state only the salary increase that had already been paid. This was approved reluctantly with a one vote margin after at least three commissioners stated they didn't want to approve it but felt they had to.
ITEM 8 $898.00 was approved for the purchase of CTAS Manuals. The suggestion was made that there only be one hard copy kept in the County Executives Office and other offices either use that one or simply use the free copy on the internet. It was agreed by the County Executive to investigate that possibility.
ITEM 9 A request for $30,000.00 to finish the skateboard park was presented and postponed until the next fiscal budget is presented.
ITEM 10 $10,000.00 was requested and approved for the Economic Development Board.
This is supposedly to prepare the county for a "huge" influx of military personnel to be transferred to Redstone Arsenal.
The last time there was a "huge" influx of military at Redstone the number of military families who moved to Giles County could be counted on one finger. With the new administration about to take control in Washington and the many promises made to cut the military budget can anyone really depend on this "huge" influx of families? This $10,000.00 amounts to nothing more than the equivalent of another empty speculation building for the industrial park. Since Mayor Speer has done such an outstanding job recruiting industry to the county what's another ten thousand dollars for him to spend. This is the most absurd expenditure approved this morning.
As was stated in the meeting in response to the direct question, "How much is in the General Fund that is not committed for anything". The answer was approximately four million dollars. When this question was asked twice more and the Financial Management Director was told "I do not believe there is that much uncommitted money in the general fund balance" it was revealed that $2,700,000.00 had to be kept in reserve and could not be used, it became clear that the fund balance is only about a million dollars to operate the county on until July, yet those in charge still can not say no to additional spending. Allen Barrett
