Loading ...
The Hamblen County Commission filled a vacant seat on the Board of Equalization at its meeting Thursday.
Jim Step was appointed to the seat — which was recently vacated by Wayne NeSmith when he was appointed to serve District 4 on the commission and will fill the position for the remainder of the current term.
The commission appoints all members of the Board of Equalization, which hears the appraisal appeals of county residents and property owners regarding assessed value of land and buildings for tax purposes.
The commission approved a request made by Hamblen County Mayor Bill Brittain to waive a requirement under a resolution made by the commission in 2006 for two specific roofing projects.
The resolution requires the submission of a statement of interest and qualification when hiring licensed architects or engineers on county projects.
The projects are the replacement of the roof of the Hamblen County Health Department building and a repair project for the eastern portion of the Hamblen County Courthouse roof.
The request approved also granted Brittain the authority to contract with an architect. Brittain said he has asked the Hamblen County School System to include the county roofing project in an RFP it has issued for a roofing project.
The commission also approved a private act, which was returned to the commission from Nashville.
A request for the act was sent to the state legislature after the commission’s February meeting.
The private act eliminates private acts that created the part-time General Sessions judge and the Juvenile Court judge positions and creates a full-time judicial position.
A one-year contract renewal for a health services agreement with CorrectHealth, which provides inmate medical services for the county jail, was approved by the commission, as was a contract renewal with Justice Benefits, Inc.
Justice Benefits, Inc. assists the county in collecting federal grant funds it receives for incarcerating illegal immigrants. The extended contract ends Jan. 31, 2014.
The commission approved a financial advisor agreement with Cumberland Securities Company, Inc.
Brittain told the commissioners that Hamblen County Finance Department Director Joey Barnard had negotiated for a lower fee for the agreement.
“It was not to exceed 1 percent, it is now not to exceed three fourths of a percent,” Brittain said.
The mayor added that the agreement provides that no fee the advisor would charge the county for a bond issue will be issued without commission approval.
The commission approved a life insurance bid as well, choosing to continue piggybacking on the Hamblen County School System’s bid.
The commission accepted the Hamblen County Audit for the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2012 and approved a revenue increase to the Hamblen County Department of Education budget of $330,864.59.
- By Leanne Fuller, Tribune Staff Writer
Loading ...
In the midst of a joyous celebration 10 years ago on the
A season of firsts came to an end late Thursday night for