Puckett re-elected Obion Co. Commission Chair

Ralph Puckett and Allen Nohsey were re-elected as Chairman and Chairman ProTem, respectively, of the Obion County Commission during the legislative body’s Sept. 20 meeting.

No other nominations were received for the offices, with the vote unanimous among County Commissioners in attendance, Puckett, Nohsey, Steve Goodrich, Ryan Ellegood, Rob Holman, Larry Sherwood, Jim Bondurant, Terry Roberts, Ricky Boyd, Donnie Braswell, Eugene Hudgins, Sam Sinclair, James Gray, Paul Albright, James Beasley, Dale Frazier, Blake Cheatham, Jerry Lamastus, Donnie Walton and Kenneth Barnes.

County Commissioner Dwayne Hensley was absent.

Budget Committee Chairman Sam Sinclair presented for the commission’s consideration, a correction to the Obion County Highway Commissioners’ request, regarding Tim Rice Road in South Fulton.

Sinclair reported previously, the length maintained by the county for that roadway, was listed at 0.03, however the actual length is 0.35. The correction was approved.

Sinclair proposed to the commissioners, for consideration and ultimate approval, two items related to the county’s Hot Mix Plant.

Sinclair said capital outlay notes are to be issued in an amount not to exceed $2,000,000, to be known as the Hot Mix Plant Interfund Capital Outlay Notes, to be financed over a 10 year period. The Hot Mix Plant, to be located east of the Obion County Nursing Home, on five acres of a 20 acre area, received a quote for construction in the amount of $1.7 million. When asked why the loan amount was for up to $2 million, Mayor McGuire explained site preparation, electricity and gas, as well as concrete pad work required, would be financed through the remainder of the $2 million, after the cost for construction, with no equipment to be funded through the loan.

Also relating to the county’s Hot Mix Plant, Sinclair shared a letter received from the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, constituting approval for the County to issue the Notes, as an interfund loan from the General Fund to the Debt Service Fund pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated.

A Grant Contract was approved, between the State of Tennessee, Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Criminal Justice Program and Obion County Government for the provision of administrating state funds to support increasing jail capacity to provide evidence based programming for offenders within the local jail.

The purpose of the Evidence Based Programming is to support local jail efforts to reduce the re-incarceration of offenders through evidence based and evidence informed programming and re-entry planning.

The grant funds, effective for 10 months, will fund $132,000 for jail guards, $5,834 for jail data processing, $12,400 for jail travel and $49,766 for Sheriff, motor vehicles.

An Incentive Pay Resolution for Essential County Employees was reviewed and approved by the commission, with Commissioner Holman abstaining.

The Budget Committee and the County Mayor recommended the allocation of $320,000 from American Rescue Plan Act money, from which premium/incentive payments may be made to full and part time county employees who were actively employed from April 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021 and who are otherwise qualified to receive payment under the guidelines of the Act.

Approval was given to provide current actively employed eligible full time county employees with a one time lump sum payment of $100, plus $200 per month for each month of active employment during said time period; and current actively employed eligible part time employees a one time lump sum of $50 plus $100 per month for each month of active employment during said time period.

The FY 2021/22 Budget was amended to allow the Trustee to transfer funds as follows: a debit from the General Fund, Government Special Revenue, ARPA grant, $320,000, and credits of $312,350, General Fund, Miscellaneous, bonus payment, and $7,650, Solid Waste, Recycling bonus payment.

Sinclair updated the officials as to the Annual Cash Flow, information he said would be provided periodically, which included General Fund, end balance, $9,188,489, one month’s average spending, $869,822, total cash outflows, $10,437,864; Debt Service, end balance, $2,570,460, one month’s average spending, $225,017, total cash outflows, $2,700,200; Solid Waste, end balance, $263,296, total cash outflow, $279,262, average monthly spending, $23,272; Highway Department, end balance, $5,616,471, total cash outflows, $4,039,037, average monthly spending $336,586; and General Purpose School Fund end balance $4,572,936, total cash outflows, $28,784,088, average one month spending, $2,398,674.

Obion County Mayor Benny McGuire announced committee appointments for the Legislative Committee, one year terms, Allen Nohsey, Terry Roberts, Ricky Boyd, Ralph Puckett, Eugene Hudgins and James Gray; as well as the Finance Committee, one year terms for Jim Bondurant, Tracey Westbrooks, Steve Goodrich, Ryan Ellegood, Allen Nohsey, Donnie Braswell and Sam Sinclair, Jr. Mayor McGuire also serves on the Finance Committee.

Eugene Hudgins was appointed to the Emergency Communication Board, and appointees to the Redistricting Committee included Dale Frazier, Ryan Ellegood, Rob Holman, James Gray, Paul Albright, Terry Roberts, Jim Bondurant and Leigh Schlager.

Appointments to the Ambulance Board included Gladys Bowman, Sherry Hannah, Larry Sherwood, Ryan Ellegood, James Gray, Skipper Bondurant, John Copeland, and Rodney Underwood.

In the County Attorney’s report, Steve Conley updated the commission regarding the “Opiod” litigation, explaining the case had been finalized, with $22.8 billion set aside for state and local governments. Conley said he was not sure how much of that settlement would be netted by Obion County, however payout should begin in April of 2022.

Conley also reported the receipt of funds earmarked from the estate of the late Ralph Smith, who was a resident of South Fulton. Conley stated approximately $500 per year should go toward the awarding of a scholarship to a South Fulton High School graduate, to be administered through the Union City Rotary Club.

Commissioner James Beasley introduced Brent Work, a resident of Samburg, who asked to address the Commission regarding proposed closure of a roadway, Lake Drive, adjacent to Blue Bank, in Samburg.

Work asked the Commission, instead of closing the street, which had reportedly been proposed and approved by the Highway Department for “safety” issues, to allow those visiting Blue Bank access a safer crossing from the business parking lot, to the location of the restaurant, that other options be considered.

He suggested the possibility of erecting signage, to yield to pedestrians, as well as speed bumps at each end of the one-tenth to two-tenths mile section of the street.

He also requested a public meeting be held in order to allow for public comments regarding the proposed street closure.

Mayor McGuire said the road had previously been approved for closure, with plans to construct a new, relocated roadway, and “lose a bridge.”

Commissioner Donnie Braswell suggested the consideration of placing some responsibility to pedestrians crossing the roadway.

“No one is opposed to safety,” he said, adding he would like to see other options considered without spending a large sum of money, such as the suggestion for the installation of speed bumps.

The motion was made, seconded and approved to ask the highway department to reconsider the street closure and take no action at this time on the closure.