News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
After deciding Monday night to get into the budget and look for ways to cut expenses, Overton County Commissioners simply went through the budget line-by-line again Tuesday, saving the questions for Stephen Barlow.
The questions focused on two issues: the ongoing debate about Barlow’s mileage and the lack of movement on a new ambulance director. No budget changes were made. Commissioner Lee Richards said the $16,500 budgeted for County Executive travel is a lot to put on taxpayers.
“If we’re going to pay you mileage, it needs to be something we can all live with,” Richards said. “Every week going out of town to this seminar, that seminar, that seminar, instead of being here running the county. It’s every week it’s something. Every week has been something.”
Richards said if the county budgets for a car to be used in all of Barlow’s county business traveling, there might be less dissension. Barlow said he has been in contact with fleet companies discussing whether a new county vehicle is feasible. This comes as the county works through a new travel policy in light of concerns over Barlow’s mileage over the past year.
“I’m good until somebody calls me a crook, and I ain’t one of those,” Barlow said.
Barlow said the travel line item includes conference fees and hotels, all of which have increased in price. The county budgeted $5,500 for the previous fiscal year and decided to cut this year’s budget to the same price and amend it later in the year if needed, all while looking for a county executive vehicle. The county currently has a vehicle Barlow has used in the past, but it has needed repairs for some time.
“It’ll have to work,” Barlow said. “I mean, I don’t have any other choice, really. Anything I say, it’s just going to get turned around and used against me.”
With Overton County 9-1-1 Director Chris Massiongale serving as Interim Director of the Ambulance Service, the commissioners grew concerned over how the Ambulance Service Director position would be permanently filled. The proposed budget includes some $98,000 in Director salary based on Massiongale’s years of experience.
Co-Chair Gregg Nivens said he does not want the county to lose a full-time director position by trying to combine the departments
“We don’t need to lose a position and 9-1-1 can’t run part-time over there and the ambulance sure can’t,” Nivens said. “And he does a great job at either one and I’d hate to lose him in either spot, but you can’t encompass.”
The board eventually decided it would be wise to begin interviewing for a full-time Ambulance Service Director. The board agreed that Massiongale does a great job. Nivens said both the search for a long-term solution at the Ambulance Service and the discussions over Barlow’s mileage, and county vehicles have both gone on too long.
“This is dragged out, Steven,” Nivens said. “You keep saying, ‘Wait until he gets it fixed, wait until he gets it fixed, I’m working on it, it’s going to get fixed.’ It needs to get fixed and if you can’t hurry up with it, we’re going to put a deadline on it for you.”
A third budget meeting scheduled for Wednesday night, cancelled at the end of Tuesday night’s meeting. That meeting would have focused on the school budget.
