News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office pleased with Van Buren County’s progress, taking them off of the heightened supervision list.
Comptroller Communications Director John Dunn said Van Buren originally went under heightened supervision in 2020 when concerns arose about the county’s spending. He said it appeared that the county was letting its cash reserves fall to a risky level and had failed to make debt payments.
“They’ve been able to build their cash reserves, they’ve been able to operate under a balanced budget, they’ve been able to do the things that are going to set up Van Buren County for success going forward,” Dunn said. “And we’re certainly glad to see them in a much better position today than they were a few years ago.”
Dunn said moving forward, the Comptroller will treat Van Buren County in the same way it treats other local governments across the state. He said just like with all counties, the office will make sure Van Buren County is operating in a way that is financially responsible.
Dunn said that includes the annual audit to make sure their numbers are presented fairly and they are living within their means. He said the Comptroller will also approve their annual budget as per protocol.
“So we’re going to continue to watch Van Buren County as we watch other counties,” Dunn said. “But we’re very pleased to see the progress they made which allowed us to make the decision to remove that extra level of supervision.”
