For about an hour and half before Thursday’s regular meeting at Carroll Bank & Trust’s community building, Tim
Joyce, regional outreach specialist with the Tennessee Department of Treasury, advised members of the Carroll
County Electric Department (CCED) Board and attending CCED employees regarding employee retirement options
through the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS).
And while the board did not make any decisions regarding the matter, board members generally agreed to
continue to examine the options and seek employee feedback as to what they think the best options would be for
them.
“We want to do what’s best for our employees, but also what is fair budget-wise,” said CCED general manager
Danny Brawner, who pointed out that if they decide to go with one of the TCRS options, employees would be able
to make some individual decisions regarding their retirement benefits, but some decisions would have to be made by
the board.
Brawner also said that current employees would have the option to participate in TCRS or not, but once (or if) the
board signs on with TCRS, new incoming employees will have to take part in it. And for those current employees
that chose to participate, they won’t be able to opt out later.
Joyce told the board that it would be later in the year before anything could be finalized between the CCED and
TCRS, and they had plenty of time to think about it.
“We’re not in a hurry to do this,” said Joyce.
Brawner said he would look into setting up a meeting between the board and employees to discuss TCRS before
the next board meeting on July 30.
• • •
In other business:
•The board voted to write off a total of $72,627.67 in bad debt from unpaid customer utility bills accumulated
over the past year.
•Board chairman Terry Howell advised the board that at total of $12,050 was donated by local individuals,
businesses, and organizations to help CCED customers having trouble paying their electric bills due to financial
hardships brought on by the pandemic. As part of the TVA Community Care Fund for COVID-19, TVA will be
putting in another $10,000 in matching funds.
•Brawner said he was looking into having plexiglass barriers installed in the CCED lobby to help prevent the
spread of COVID-19.
•Brawner advised the board that FEMA is covering 75 percent of the cost of repairing approximately $225,000 in
damage to the local electric grid caused by a recent tornado. Brawner added that they should be receiving a check
for $168,000 in coming weeks.
