thedailytimes.com : Your 24/7 news source

Blount County's property tax rate will remain unchanged for the next fiscal year.

County Commission voted Thursday night to keep the property tax rate at the current $2.23 per $100 of assessed value.

The commission approved a $41.3 million county general fund budget and a $75.2 million general purpose school fund budget for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.

Linda King of Citizens for Blount County's Future thanked the commission for producing a budget that does not increase taxes on property owners.

"In this tough economy, we're struggling to survive," she said.

Only Commissioner David Graham voted against the budget although he did vote to leave the property tax unchanged.

Commissioners had fine-tuned the budget at their June 9 work session, adding $5,000 to continue high-quality filming of commission meetings for cable television.

The commission had also stripping $15,000 in funding from four nonprofit charitable organizations -- Tennessee Department of Children's Services, Johnson Group Home, Child and Family Tennessee and Blount County Boys Home. The commission split the savings to increase the funding of A Secret Safe Place, Blount County Community Action Agency, Douglas Cooperative, Disabled American Veterans and New Hope-Blount County Children's Advocacy Center.

Kate O'Day, CEO of Child and Family Tennessee, which administers the juvenile diversion program, appeared at the meeting and asked the commissioners to consider restoring the funding.

"I want to make one thing clear -- Child and Family has nothing to hide," she said. "We have not discontinued the juvenile diversion program at any time. Last year, we served 24 children and their families."

Commissioner David Ballard moved to restore the funding. Commissioner Wendy Pitts Reeves seconded the amendment, which failed 9-11.

"Really what is lacking here is there really is no process for this other than we are wanting this money down until the point it is gone," Ballard said.

"My concern is (the cuts) happened so fast," Reeves said.

Commissioner Scott Helton had made the motion to cut the dollars at the work session. He had a question for the other commissioners.

"Are you going to send Blount County tax dollars ... to the state of Tennessee for state programs for out-of-county residents or are we going to keep the money in Blount County?" Helton said.

County Commission voted last year to begin reducing funding for nonprofits by 25 percent per year until the contributions are zeroed out.

Ethics policy amended

In other business, the commission, voting 12-8, approved a resolution amending the ethics policy of Blount County to allow the county's Human Resources Department to serve as a "conduit" for a determination by a private attorney on the merits of ethics complaints to appropriate county bodies. The move bypasses the current Ethics Committee, leaving it without a role in the process.

Commissioners Tonya Burchfield, Gary Farmer, Steve Hargis, Brad Harrison, Scott Helton, John Keeble, Gerald Kirby, Holden Lail, Peggy Lambert, Mike Lewis, Kenneth Melton and Steve Samples voted yes. Commissioners David Ballard, David Graham, Mark Hasty, Joe McCulley, Monika Murrell, Bob Proffit, Wendy Pitts Reeves and Mike Walker voted no.

The commission also honored retiring Director of Schools Alvin Hord and Clerk and Master Brenda Flowers.