Annual payments on the ten year note will be $89,000, while a five year note would have required payments of $158,000 per year. Commissioner Vernon Biggs had argued for the shorter term note, urging his fellow commissioners to “pay it off” on a quicker schedule and save a little on the interest payments. However, Gammons motion prevailed after it was noted that there was no penalty for paying off the longer note early, if surplus county funds were available to do so.
Voting against the proposal were Jerry Ray, Anna Dean Carter and Melburn Cothron. Cothron had stated at an earlier meeting this month that his wish was for the school board to pay for the new school roof out of their own fund balance. However, this suggestion apparently met with little other support.
For more details of the Central School roof project see this week's story reporting last Thursday's county School Board meeting at which the bid by a Kansas-based contractor was accepted.
On questioning by commissioners, Schools Director Mike Prock agreed that a new roof on Fairlane School would be necessary in another year or two, and Prock also advised commissioners on the possibility that the county might have to provide a facility for vocational school classrooms should the current arrangement with Jackson and Clay counties concerning joint maintenance of the Tri-County Vocational School be subject to change.
The County Road Department will get a new $167,000 track loader next year on a motion by Melburn Cothron, seconded by Lindbergh Dennis. A 10-10 tie vote on the proposal was broken by County Mayor Shelvy Linville, who... voted in the affirmative.
Voting against the measure... were commissioners Bransford, Driver, Crowder, Biggs, Snow, East, Anna Dean Cothron, Hesson, Spears and Malo.
Discussion had preceeded the motion on whether to fund the purchase out of the county General Fund Balance, or to borrow the money for a short term (one year) and pay it out of the county's Debt Service fund. The later method was approved as stated in Melburn Cothron's motion.
In other end of the year business, commissioners approved a number of budget amendments and finalized action making the hiring of Randall Kirby to be county Emergency Medical Services (ambulance service) director a matter of record. Kirby was selected by a vote of 11-8 over applicant William Moss and hired effective December 5 to fill the position vacated by Steve Jones resignation the previous month.
Commisioners also approved the addition of Kirby to the county's E-911 Board to replace Jones, who will continue to serve as director of the E-911 mapping and maintenance operation.
County Mayor Shelvy Linville informed commissioners that Codes Officer Mike Rogers reports collection of a total of $285,294 in Impact Fees for the year through the second week of December.
Linville also noted that the UCHRA building roof “is in bad shape,” and that commissioners should look at the necessity of putting a new roof on that building in the coming year. The county ownes the building which is rented and used currently by four agencies, including UCHRA, the Senior Citizens Center, the state Job Center, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. A motion by Hughes, seconded by Gammons, authorized the county mayor to advertise for bids for a new roof for the building.
A CHRISTMAS DINNER for county employees is set for this Thursday, December 21 at 12 noon in the county Courthouse upstairs courtroom.
January meetings of the Macon County Commission will be held on Monday, January 8 and Monday, January 22, instead of on the first and third Mondays, which both fall this year on “red letter” holidays.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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