County Commission allocates COVID Funds

Commission meeting from Monday, September 21

Budget Amendments

COVID-19 Grant Money

The County received $181,290 in COVIID Grant-Cares Act money and $20,000 for a Jail COVID Grant. The funds are provided by the state with no match required from Lewis County.

The money has to be used for something directly affected by the pandemic. The Commission unanimously voted to move the COVID funding into the following accounts:

$25,000 to Contracts with Private Agencies

$20,000 to Maintenance and Repair Buildings

$40,000 to Custodial Supplies

$30,000 to Drugs and Medical Supplies

$10,000 to Duplicating Supplies

$20,000 to Office Supplies

$16,290 to Other Supplies

$5,000 to Jail Duplicating Supplies

$10,000 to Jail Office Supplies

$5,000 to Jail Other Supplies

Other State Grants

The Parks and Recreation Master Plan Grant - This amendment is necessary to pay the company “Lose Design” to complete the Comprehensive 10-Year Master Parks and Recreation System Wide Plan for Lewis County.

The grant is an 80/20 match, meaning that the state will fund eighty percent ($36,000) and the County will match at twenty percent ($9,000) from the County General Fund.

All commissioners voted for the amendment during a roll call vote except for Commissioner Timmie Hinson, who passed.

Authorizations

Authorizing County Mayor to enter into contract for 10-Year Master Parks and Recreation System Wide Plan for Lewis County

The aim of the plan is to improve Lewis County’s parks and areas of recreation in the course of ten years.

Mayor Jonah Keltner and Commissioner Patrick Halfacre attended a TDEC Workshop in Decaturville where multiple firms presented their experience with Parks and Recreation projects, and “Lose Design” seemed to be the best.

The firm Lose Design has worked on and with Ridley Park in Columbia, Stones River Greenway in Nashville, Siegel Park in Mufreesboro, Pleasant View Sidewalks in Pleasant View, Renaissance Ashland City in Ashland City, and more.

The resolution was sponsored by Commissioners Brian Peery and Kyle Bobo. The roll call vote ended in all “Ayes” except for Timmie Hinson who passed.

Authorizing Surplus

Three retired Sheriff’s Department Patrol Vehicles were declared Surplus so they may be auctioned off and have the proceeds go into the County General Fund by a unanimous vote.

Four items of Highway Department equipment were declared as Surplus so they may be auctioned or transferred to another government department at a negotiated price in a unanimous vote.

Authorizing Solid Waste Director to Advertise and Accept Bids for Scrap Metal

The Commission voted unanimously in favor of the Transfer Station advertising and accepting bids for scrap metal with bid rates being good for three months, or one quarter.

Advertisements will be run in the Lewis County Herald for seven days and the winning bid will be accepted and approved by the Lewis County Solid Waste Committee.

Old Sentinel Building

Resolution and Budget Amendments

The Lewis County Board of Commissioners voted to establish Reserve Funds for Drug Court and the Clerk & Master and General Sessions/Circuit Court Clerk in March and April of 2004.

In order for the Lewis County court system to be moved from the Courthouse to the Old Sentinel Building, an estimated $65,000 is needed to go towards the final stages of the project. With the blessing of Circuit Court Clerk Barbara Hinson and Clerk & Master Kaitlin Bates, the County requested to utilize some of the funds left over for the building.

Commissioners Patrick Halfacre and Austin Carroll sponsored the amendment to the resolution, allowing the funds to be utilized “for any costs associated with the court system, including the courtrooms and offices of the court, as long as there is no objection from the Court Clerk or Clerk & Master.” The resolution was unanimously passed.

Commissioners Timmie Hinson and Austin Carroll sponsored the budget amendment to move the funds. The amendment was unanimously passed.

Accepting Bids

The Lewis County Government recently sought bids for the installation of a security camera system and phone/Internet lines.

The lowest bids were both placed by GU3D Printing at $5,365 for the security camera system and $7,406 for the phone/Internet lines. Both bids were accepted with unanimous “Ayes.”