The Morristown City Council passed its 2026-2027 year budget on Tuesday evening at their meeting. It includes no new taxes, though a revenue increase may be necessary in the future to cover the cost of new firefighter hires intended to maintain the high standard of coverage and ratings currently in place.

Because not all of the new firefighters will be hired during this fiscal period, the decision was made by council to cover early associated costs from the healthy general fund the city maintains to prevent any more “system shock” to taxpayers, some of whom have experienced increases in their property tax after tax reappraisals last year caught up to and confirmed skyrocketing home prices/value.

Capital purchases this year include Vactor Truck for Public Works, patrol vehicles for the police department, a safety rigging system for Public Works, two side-arm loaders for Sanitation and a new fire truck.

City Administrator Andrew Ellard explained the 9 new firefighters will are going to help keep insurance rates low and officials have said the good fire ratings are one of the things that makes Morristown attractive for industry.

“Our Fire Department has done a tremendous job in recent years in stretching resources and providing coverage for our six stations with less-than-ideal staffing numbers,” Ellard said in a statement released by the city. “However, thin staffing in the department stands to threaten the Class 2 ISO rating that the department has worked so hard to maintain. While any (future) tax increase would be unwelcome, we believe that the increase to support fire department service and response is more than justified to protect insurance rates throughout the city, not to mention improved protection of life and property.”

The City Council passed the budget unanimously.

“I want to compliment our city administration and our financial department and all the department heads,” Council Member Tommy Pedigo said. “I know this budget process is difficult. You’ve got to squeeze money as best you can. Budgeting is a science and I want to express personal appreciation to your staff for the job they’ve done.”

Work continues along the East Morris Boulevard resurfacing project, but the majority of the work has been accomplished barring some final items.

“We still lack the (traffic) signal heads, some painting at some intersections and a guardrail,” Ellard said.

He added that the city was working with TDOT to secure more funding sources to reduce the local share of the cost of the project, currently standing at $1 million out of the $4.6 million dollar total.

A new section of the Morristown Greenway, Phase 5, had some right-ofway work and acquisition approved. The new multimodal pathway should cover the section from the trailhead off of N. Cumberland Avenue to Davis Street. Some parts of 16 different properties will be acquired at the projected cost of $147,000.

The Council approved an agreement with Tennessee’s Community Assistance Corporation to administer CDBG-funded emergency home repairs. Prior years’ home repairs have been significant and dramatic for several Morristown residents.

In his Administrator’s report, Ellard said the new kitchen at Morristown Landing should be complete in July and the large Frank Lorino Park renovation is headed for completion in October. The park is undergoing extensive work with upgrades to fields/ surfaces, infrastructure and traffic controls.

“Paving work and irrigation work could begin this week,” he said.