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The question of whether or not Sequatchie County will help the City of Dunlap with the East Valley Water Project. The vote has been held off for another month. Commissioner Paul Powell made the motion to postpone the vote until next month’s meeting so commissioners could get more information on the proposed project.
County Executive Michael Hudson said, he supports the decision to hold off on voting, and noted the county may be able to couple the $500,000 federal grant the city municipality is trying to get with a federal grant the county will be eligible for in February.
“We’re looking at it, but we’re not sure if we can or cannot use these two grants on the project,” said Hudson. “But, with a project of this magnitude, we need to look at all the angles.”
The proposed project would start Phase II of the project, with several building routes to choose from if the county agrees to help. The project will provide city water to residents in the East Valley area, who otherwise would have no access. Mayor Dwain Land, in a previous meeting, explained the city needs help securing the $500,000 federal grant for the project and simply cannot earn the grant without help.
In other business, Assistant School Superintendent Pete Swafford represented the Sequatchie County School System, presenting a resolution to transfer funds from the general purpose school funds budget to federal projects funds, which was approved. He explained, the transfer of $100,000 to cover reimbursements through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act or “stimulus” funding.
“Hopefully, near the end of the year, the money will be replaced in the general purpose funds,” he said.
Budget Committee Chairman Paul Powell presented a recommendation from the committee, which was approved unanimously. It was to transfer $30,485.66 for the reconstruction of the courthouse roof.
County Trustee Larry Lockhart reported, tax collections are slightly down but in an economic time like this, “the county isn’t doing too bad.”
Sales tax has slightly decreased, dropping just over $22,500 since the same time last year. From July to October, the county collected $707,312.58 in sales tax, while last year the county collected $729,876.31.
Property tax collections have fallen approximately $21,000, from over $454,000 last year to approximately $433,000 this year, Lockhart said.
Sheriff Ronnie Hitchcock reported, his department booked 86 people, answered 235 calls for service and filed 49 civil papers since the last commission meeting. The daily average of inmates at the Sequatchie County Justice Center is 99 people, with an average of 50 state inmates, he said.
From July to September, the county has been able to collect $265,545 from housing state inmates, according to Hitchcock.
The next regularly scheduled Sequatchie County Commission meeting will be held Monday, December 21 at 7:00 p.m. at the Sequatchie County Courthouse on Cherry Street in downtown Dunlap.
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