Ebey Updates Civic Association on County Budget Process

At the Sept. 5 dinner meeting, Franklin County commissioner Sherwood Ebey updated members and guests at the Sewanee Civic Association on recent budget decisions made by the county commission. Professor emeritus of mathematics, Ebey assumed the office of commissioner for the Sewanee area on an interim basis after the death of Arthur Knoll and was subsequently elected to the position.

Offering a behind-the-scenes view of the commission’s work, Ebey said the commissioners voted 15 to 1 to approve the $44 million school budget at a summer workshop, but at the Aug. 20 commissioner’s meeting, the in-favor votes dropped to eight. Nine votes were required to pass the budget. The commission has no authority in creating the school budget, Ebey said, only the power to approve or reject it. In order for the county to receive state funding for the schools, however, the commission must approve the school system budget. The school budget passed with a vote of 10 to 6 at a Special Called Meeting on Sept. 4.

Discussing property taxes, the county’s primary source of income, Ebey said the commissioners finally agreed to a slight increase in the property tax rate at the Sept. 4 meeting. Property tax has two components, Ebey explained: the assessed value and the rate. At the time of the last assessment five years ago, property values were at a peak. In the recent assessment, the trend countywide was for a lower assessed value, except for a few areas in the county (including Sewanee) where the assessed value for many properties increased.Taking both the new assessment and new rate into account, Ebey said some property owners will receive a lower tax bill, some a higher tax bill, and for some there will be no change.

Ebey expressed regret that the county budget would not sustain a substantial raise for county employees, who will receive a $200 year-end bonus.

“The most important thing county money does for us is fund the schools,” Ebey stressed. In response to the recommendation of an architect hired by the school board, Sewanee Elementary will undergo repairs and renovation estimated to cost $750,000. Funds that the commission owed the school system will be repaid over the next three consecutive years to finance the project.

In the business portion of the meeting, the members voted to elect Kiki Beavers to the member-at-large position on the executive committee.

The next Civic Association meeting is scheduled for Oct. 3.