Jackson Budget Committee Finalizes County Budget

Jackson County’s Budget Committee has finalized the county’s budget to be presented to the County Commission.

County Mayor Randy Heady said that the county is expecting more than $8 million in expenditures. The budget includes several capital projects.

“The projects we’ve been working on from the facilities over here where we’re trying to move the elections to, that should be let out to bid very soon,” Heady said. “And the fairgrounds project we’ve been working on for two years, we’re finally going to get the go on it.”

Heady said the budget also includes grant funding for projects like new HVACs at the jail, a new pumper tanker engine, and water line replacement.

Heady said that they are not proposing a tax rate increase for this year’s budget. He said the county’s tax revenues have come in strong this year, but they still have catching up to do with its jail fund, much like other counties in the Upper Cumberland.

“Of course due to COVID, you can’t blame it on anything other than COVID,” Heady said. “So it’s still not recovered and we’re hoping in the next year that’ll recover back to that number we need it to be at to sustain giving benefits.”

The county commission will vote on the budget at its August meeting.