News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
White County Commissioners approved reappropriating funds for two capital projects Monday.
The grant money involved $6.4 million for the Health Department and some $1.1 million for the Robert Matthews Bridge project. County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson said that even though the projects are paid with grant funding the county has to reappropriate the funds every year.
“When any money that comes into the county or is spent by the county has to go through the budget process,” Robinson said. “So we have to recognize that revenue coming in and then approve the expenditure coin out and so it’s just a legal process we have to go through.”
Other budget amendments consisted of uplifting an EMA vehicle, purchasing insurance premiums and two mowing tractors for the Highway Department, and Drug Task Force overtime. Robinson said bulletproof vests for the Sheriff’s Department, voting equipment, and funding for the special education preschool program are all being paid for with grant funding.
“The grants are very crucial to getting this stuff done,” Robinson said. “We wouldn’t be able to operate without them. Grants make up a vast majority of what we get to do here for our employees and for the county.”
The county approved the allocation of grant funding for the second year of the Justice Assistance Grant Re-entry Program. The program helps local and state governments counter violent crime and provides assistance to inmates so they will be less likely to recommit crimes. County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson said the program has been successful but is still looking to make the program better.
“It seems like a lot of times people are not incarcerated long enough to complete a program,” Robinson said. “So we are trying to find a way to manipulate that where they can actually complete a program and get some sort of resources coming out.”
In other business, Commissioners approved surplus property for the Sheriff and Solid Waste Departments. Commissioners approved a lease agreement with the Jackson Kayak. Commissioner T.K. Austin said the lease is to give the county a temporary place to work on garbage trucks and store parts.
White County Commissioners elected Derrick Hutchings as the new Commission Chair Monday night.
Hutchings takes over for Kyle Goff. Commissioner David Cranford was re-elected as Vice Chairman. The commissioners appointed members for sub-committees including the Budget Committee, Financial Management Committee, Audit Committee, Purchasing Committee, Steering A & B Committee, Solid Waste Committee, White County Fair Board, Agricultural Committee, White County Library Board, and Beer Board.
Five commissioners were absent with only nine being present. All commissioners present voted in favor of approving members for committees.
