When the Commission’s Budget Committee reconvenes on May 9 to consider the second draft of the 2024-25 general fund budget it will be looking at a deficit significantly higher than the $2.2 million shortfall it was presented on April 17.
On Tuesday the Budget Committee approved several funding increase requests “for calculation purposes only”.
That means the decisions made by the committee Tuesday aren’t final, and will be considered again at the May 9 meeting when the second draft of the budget is presented by budget director Eric Buchanan.
Although Sheriff Ronnie Lawson’s $1.8 million request mostly survived Tuesday to the second draft of the budget, big funding requests were denied for Hawkins EMS, Hawkins E-911, the Highway Department, the Church Hill Fire Dept. Persia VFD, and others.
Another big increase that moved on to the second draft was a proposed 5% cost of living adjustment for county employees paid from the general fund, excluding the HCSO. That would increase spending by more than $200,000.
When the committee meets again on May 9, Buchanan will have plugged the funding requests approved Tuesday into the budget draft, and the committee will begin making decisions on what gets funded, what gets cut, and if a tax increase will be needed to address the deficit.
Complete video coverage of the April 23 Budget Committee hearings can be seen in the online version of this article at www.therogersvillereview.com and/or on the Review’s Facebook page.
Sheriff’s request
The biggest new expense approved Tuesday for calculation purposes was most of Sheriff Ronnie Lawson’s $1.8 million request to improve salaries for his staff with a revised salary scale.
The Budget Committee approved Lawson’s new proposed salary scale with the exception of secretaries whose pay wouldn’t be changed.
Patrol deputies, corrections officers, courtroom security and secretaries are at the same level in the sheriff’s current salary scale, beginning at $17.12 per hour and topping out at $21.26 per hour.
Based on the proposed salary scale HCSO secretary pay would have increased to starting at $18.41 per hour, and topped out at $25.23 per hour.
Under the proposed HCSO salary scale patrol deputies, jail officers and courtroom staff would increase to $21.15 starting pay, and top out at $29.01.
Lawson told the committee that the main reason for the new higher salary scale is to help recruit and retain deputies. He currently has 10 vacancies including seven jailers, two road deputies and one courtroom officer.
Since 2010 the HCSO has lost 313 employees to higher paying jobs including 71 who left in the past two years. Lawson said the HCSO is a training center for other higher paying law enforcement agencies.
Over the past decade the HCSO has paid $2.3 million to train officers who eventually went elsewhere to work. During that time the HCSO sent 83 people to academy, of whom 39 still work for the HCSO.
As a compromise the committee also voted to eliminate education incentives from the sheriff’s proposed salary sale. As presented the scale gave officers a 3% pay hike for officers with an associate’s degree; 5% for a bachelor degree; and 7% for a masters degree.
The overall sheriff budget was approved 6-1 with commissioner Jason Roach opposed.
The following are other spending increases that were approved Tuesday for the second draft of the budget “for calculations purposes only”:
Budget Director staff
The committee vote 5-2 to fund an additional staff member for budget director Eric Buchanan. The position ranges on the salary scale between $49,723 and $64,817 depending on years of experience. Of that amount Buchanan will shift $30,000 from his part time budget, and the rest will be paid from the general fund. Buchanan noted that his staff are overworked, and there are concerns about financial ramifications if certain deadlines aren’t met.
The new budget staff position was approved 5-2 with commissioners Danny Alvis and Josh Gilliam opposed.
Senior Centers
The committee approved an additional $400 for the Church Hill and Mount Carmel senior centers to offset cuts that were made several years ago; $1,500 more for Surgoinsville which is expanding its breakfast program; $1,500 more for the Mooresburg Community Association which operates a senior center, meal deliver and food pantry program for seniors.
Cost of Living
The committee was presented with several options for an employee cost of living adjustment for the 2024-25 fiscal year, from 2% at a cost of $80,222; to 6% at a cost of $240,000.
This COLA affects employees paid from the general fund budget and the Solid Waste Department, but not the sheriff’s office, highway department, or school system.
The initial proposal was for 3.2%, which is the same COLA increase percentage given this year to people on Social Security. That would have increased spending by $128,356.
The committee eventually agreed on 5% for calculations purposes, which increases spending by $200,557.
LIBRARIES
The committee voted 7-0 to increase funding for the county library system by $10,500 to purchase security cameras, help offset utility bill increases, and employee pay increases.
YMCA
The committee voted 7-0 to increase funding for the YMCA’s Brighter Horizons Youth Center in Rogersville by $5,000 to assist a new program that begins with the 2024-25 school year for younger children.
Price Public School
The Price Public School Community Center contribution was increased by $540 to replace a funding cut imposed several years ago.
Second Harvest Food Bank
The Second Harvest Food Bank, which supports several local food banks in Hawkins County was increased by $2,500.
Chancery Court
The Committee approved $11,040 for two software upgrades.
ETSU Forensics
An increase of $6,519 increase for autopsy services at the Quillen College of Medicine was approved.
The following funding requests were denied or revised:
Highway Department
Church Hill Fire Department
The committee voted to reject the Church Hill Fire Department’s request for an additional $30,000 to offset additional expenses for providing fire protection to the Phipps Bend Industrial Park. CHFD has received $20,000 since 2008, but reported that their costs have risen due to an increase in false alarms at certain plants.
Commissioner John Gibson noted that much of the added cost was the result of the Church Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s decision to pay its city employees, who are required to serve on the fire department, a minimum of four overtime hours for ever call they answer at Phipps Bend.
Gibson said the county can’t be expected to pay overtime expenses which were a policy decision approved by the BMA.
Hawkins County EMS
Hawkins County EMS requested an increase of $400,000, from $200,000 to $600,000, mainly for the purpose of purchasing a new ambulance.
The committee denied that request and agreed to fund HCEMS at last year’s level. But, the motion to deny that request included a caveat that the commission will seek funding to purchase a new ambulance for HCEMS, which is estimated to cost $375,000.
Mayor Mark DeWitte noted that it’s better for the county to purchase the ambulance and hold the lien, rather than allocating funds for the EMS to purchase their own ambulance. If for some reason HCEMS was to fold, that ambulance would revert back to the county and could be used toward creating a new service.
Hawkins County E-911
A request of $51,188 for Hawkins County E-911 was rejected by a vote of 2-5, with commissioners Tom Kern and Danny Alvis in favor.
Hawkins County 911 director Lynn Campbell noted that last year his board implemented a new salary scale. The commission had previously agreed to fund 10 dispatcher positions. Campbell said the requested increase of $51,188 covers the cost of implementing the new salary scale for those 10 employees. Dispatcher pay currently starts at $18.75 per hour.
Emergency Management Agency
Hawkins County EMA director Jamie Miller had requested a second full time staff member due to his increased workload. Miller noted that aside from usual workload he is revising the county emergency plan, which will take up quite a bit of his time.
He was seeking an employee who would be placed on the salary scale ranging between $44,254 and $60,323 depending on experience.
Although the new employee was denied, the committee approved $19,000 for the purchase of a new 24’ mobile command center, which will replace the current 34’ command center. Miller said the sale of the current command center for $6,000 to $7,000 will offset that cost.
The smaller command center will require a smaller truck to pull, and will be easier to get into tight locations, Miller said. The command center was approved 5-2 with Commissioner Jason Roach and Danny Alvis opposed.
Persia VFD
A $50,000 one-time-only increase requested by the Persia Volunteer Fire Department to help pay for a 48’ x 48’ expansion to its fire station was denied.
Stanley Valley VFD
The Stanley Valley Volunteer Fire Department, which is now providing first responder medical services along with fire protection, requested an additional $30,000 for medical supplies and equipment. The committee voted to allocate an additional $10,000.
Church Hill Rescue Squad
The Church Hill Rescue Squad requested an extra $30,000 to help repair structural problems at its station, which was denied.
Habitat for Humanity
Hawkins County Habitat for Humanity’s request for an additional $33,000 was denied.
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