County OKs budget, property tax stays same

The new budget goes into effect on Wednesday, July 1.

Landowners may expect to receive property tax notices later this fall with the same tax rate as last year: $2.35 for every $100 of assessed property value.

The budget includes no cost-of-living raises for county employees other than the fifth and final year of salary adjustments authorized in the sheriff's department. County officials tried to keep their budget requests below or equal to 2008-09 spending levels, despite rising utility costs.

The budget authorizes:

* A General Fund of $10,678,494. The General Fund covers most county governmental offices and functions.

* A Highway/Public Works Fund of $5,379.907.

* A General Purpose School Fund of $23,685,431.

* A Central Cafeteria Fund of $1,895,401 for schools.

* A School Transportation Fund of $2,162,711.

* A General Debt Service Fund of $3,795,580.

* A Law Library Fund of $5,535.

* An On The Job Injury Fund of $255,000.

* A Solid Waste/Sanitation Fund of $101,213.

* A Drug Fund of $55,200 for drug enforcement activities.

The appropriations resolution was pass unanimously and without comment.

The commission also approved a resolution authorizing $458,075 in contributions to non-profit charitable organizations during the 2009-10 budget year. A detailed listing of these contributions is shown below.

Additional resolutions authorized the federal projects fund for county schools and authorized participation in the Tennessee Department of Transportation's Litter Grant program in the amount of $39,666. The commission also approved a resolution allowing the county to temporarily use money from the county's Debt Service Fund for cash flow until the property tax revenues start coming in.

In other business, the commission:

√ Approved $208,189 worth of budget transfers to balance various accounts in the 2008-09 budget at the end of the year. All of these were approved in budget committee meetings and were listed in previous State Gazette articles. The budget committee approved two additional budget amendments on Monday morning. One moved $22,194 from "Refunding Debt Issue" to "County Attorney - Legal Fees" and the other added $22,000 to a revenue account from the state for the Summer Feeding Program and the Summer Feeding Food Supplies expenditure account.

√ Approved a resolution appointing Road Supervisor Jeff Jones as a Title VI coordinator. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal nondiscrimination statutes prohibit discrimination based on race, color, national origin and gender in the provision of benefits and services in federally funded programs and activities.

√ Approved a resolution accepting a Tennessee Department of Transportation proposal to resurface Upper Finley Road from Highway 104 to State Route 3. The county highway department expects to receive $356,000 and will match it with about $70,000 in local funds.

√ Heard a presentation from Ken Travis, a Newbern area resident who is concerned about the county school board's intention to buy about 53 acres on Millsfield Highway. The school board plans to establish a new campus for Fifth Consolidated School. "It appears to me that the purchase of land with no plan is not a wise investment," he told the commission. He suggested the county add on to the current school and connect to the city's sewer line, which he believes could be extended to the current school site.

Dyer County plans to contribute $458,075 to non-profit charitable organizations during the 2009-10 budget year, which begins Wednesday.

The Dyer County Commission approved a resolution authorizing the donations Monday night.

The donations include the following:

* $30,600 to the Finley, Lenox, Fowlkes, Tigrett, Tatumville, Bonicord, Bruceville, Bogota and Millsfield fire departments.

* $79,750 to the Dyersburg/Dyer County Humane Society for animal control.

* $2,027 to Children's Special Service.

* $1,000 to West Tennessee Speech and Hearing Center.

* $15,840 to Developmental Skills Center of Dyer County.

* $94,810 to McIver's Grant Public Library.

* $30,246 to Newbern City Library.

* $5,839 to Trimble City Library.

* $31,699 to the West Tennessee River Basin Authority.

* $45,000 to the Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce.

* $6,720 to Crime Stoppers.

* $3,750 to the Dyer County Fair Association.

* $27,840 to Tennessee Vocational Technical School.

* $30,936 to be disbursed among the Dixie Youth, Dyersburg Junior Dixie Youth, Dyersburg Senior Dixie Youth, Dyersburg Activity Center Basketball, DAC Youth Softball, DAC Soccer, Future City Recreation Center, Bruce Recreation Center, Newbern Babe Ruth, Cal Ripkin, Newbern/Trimble ball field utilities, Dyersburg ball field utilities, Tackle Football, Dixie Girls Softball and the YMCA.

* $2,000 to the Interstate 69 Coalition.

* $4,608 to the Dyer County Rescue Squad.

* $960 to the American Red Cross.

* $44,450 to the Dyersburg State Community College Scholarship Program.

Each group receiving funds must provide the county with an annual report and may use the funds only to further the non-profit's charitable purposes benefiting the general welfare of the county's citizens.