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Tag Archives: Jonathan Williams

Putnam Sets April 15 Budget Meeting, Committee

Putnam County will begin its budget work with a first budget committee meeting April 15. Commissioners ratified County Mayor Randy Porter’s nine-person committee selection. The committee includes David Andrews, Grover Bennett, Ron Chaffin, Kathy Dunn, David Gentry, Adam Johnson, Dale Moss, Ben Rodgers, and Jonathan Williams. The state mandates commissioners’ approval of a budget calendar. Porter’s calendar has commissioners considering ... Read More »

Commissioners Express Concerns About Nabors’ Decision

A move by Putnam County Clerk Wayne Nabors to use collected fees for employee bonuses drew the ire of several Putnam County Commissioners. Nabors received commission approval to use some $20,000 in restricted money to provide bonuses to employees inside the County Clerk’s Office. Restricted funds are generated by the department and can only be used for certain purposes, based ... Read More »

Putnam To Front Senior Centers Grant Money For Kitchen Equipment

Putnam County Commissioners voted Monday night to purchase kitchen equipment for its senior centers that cannot afford to spend reimbursable grant money. Mayor Randy Porter said the state awarded $30,000 reimbursable grants to every senior citizen center across the state. He said the centers in Baxter, Algood, and Monterey have let him know that they can not afford to spend ... Read More »

Putnam Commissioners Approve Budget With 18.8 Cent Property Tax Increase

After about an hour of discussion Monday night, Putnam County Commissioners approved a new fiscal year budget with an 18.8 cent property tax increase. The county will use some $6.5 million in fund balance to make up the budget deficit, reducing the reserves to about $18 million. That’s still above the Comptroller’s request that a county maintains 20 percent of ... Read More »

Putnam Proposed Property Tax Increase Down To 18.8 Cents

The Putnam County Budget Committee voted Monday to reduce the property tax increase to 18.8 cents, sending the budget to Mayor Randy Porter to be finalized. The budget includes 91 new employees, the majority of which will serve the expanded County Justice Center. It also includes a marketplace adjustment to bring county salaries more in line with similar government and ... Read More »

27.5 Cent Property Tax Increase On Table For Putnam Budget

The Putnam County Budget Committee voted 6-1 Thursday to take the next step with a 27.5 cent property tax increase for county residents. The approved proposal includes fully funding a new pay scale plan for county employees and 91 new employees. Mayor Randy Porter and his team will bring more formal cost estimates to the next committee meeting Monday night. ... Read More »

Putnam Fire Wants 3 New Firefighters, Improve Western Coverage

The Putnam County Fire Department wants to add three new firefighters to help strengthen service in the western part of the county. Fire Chief Tom Brown said he wants to place fulltime firefighters at the Bloomington Springs Station. Currently, Brown said most of the nighttime service for that area comes from station 11 in Cookeville. “We have a part-time man ... Read More »

City Council Members Ask For Answers On Jail Expansion

Two Cookeville City Council members spoke against the expansion of the Putnam County Jail Monday night. Council members Mark Miller and Laurin Wheaton said the decision could cause irreversible effects on the downtown. The comments came some six months after commissioners first voted on moving forward with expansion. “We’re not going to get high-end development there, $300,000 or $400,000 town ... Read More »