Lots of business took place at the March 14 meeting of the Carroll County Legislative Body. Fourteen resolutions were on the night’s agenda. Commissioners learned about services that the Carroll County Library offers from board chairman Lori Dillahunty and other members of the board who were present.
During the session, commissioners approved the early retirement of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) note and the courthouse and jail renovation bond. The amount of $910,000 was taken from an unassigned fund balance (General Debt Service Fund Budget) and placed in the General Government fund for the payoff. The Center sits near the jail and serves as the E911 dispatch center.
A resolution was passed that authorized Carroll County Sheriff Andy Dickson to present the service weapon of Capt. Frank Rezac to his wife Kim and daughters Lindsey Crouch and Kayci Rezac to honor his faithful service to Carroll County. He was Jail Administrator from July 5, 2011 to his unexpected death on Feb. 16.
He led Carroll County through the transition from the old jail to the current jail, including rewriting policy and procedures for the jail and corrections staff. He was honored in 2018 by the Tennessee Corrections Institute as the Jail Administrator of the Year. On March 24, the Tennessee Corrections Institute will honor Capt. Rezac’s legacy and impact on the county by presenting his family a Lifetime Legacy Award at their annual conference.
Carroll County’s eight municipalities and two water utility districts will benefit by $50,000 each from the county’s Tenn. Dept. of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) funding from the passage of an amended resolution. These funds are to assist with administering water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure. Together with other grants the towns will be receiving for these infrastructure improvements, the total amounts are: Atwood, $797,723.78; Bruceton, $902,528.83; Clarksburg, $693,551.11; Hollow Rock, $769,536.43; Huntingdon, $1,528,418.75; McKenzie, $1,559,136.15; McLemoresville, $685,970.19; Trezevant, $785,935.84; Cedar Grove utility District, $1,150,000; and South Carroll Utility District, $1,150,000.
A resolution passed that added four roads to the Carroll County Highway road system that included Sportsman Cove, Shore Line Drive, Lake Point Drive and Beech Bluff Lane. Citizen Cyril Ostiguy spoke briefly on the matter, saying that Sportsman Cove had been taken off this list by commissioners previously. However, he later acknowledged that it was Fisherman’s Cove that was taken off.
Other resolutions that passed included:
• Reappointment of Eli Ford, Casey Drewry, Carl Nolen and Bradley C. Smith and to appoint Jerry Holland to the Carroll County Board of Equalization with terms ending March 2024.
• Amended the Circuit Court budget for 2021-2022 by $3,085.64 for a deputy clerk payout.
• Amended the Highway Dept. budget for 2021-2022 by $8,153 tor the purchase of upgraded internet service, new phones and maintenance and repair on office equipment.
• Amended the Highway Dept. budget for 2021-2022 by $33,804 for chemicals and highway equipment.
• Amended the General Purpose School Fund budget for 2021-2022 by $124,703 for vocational instruction equipment and instructional supplies and materials.
* Amended the General Purpose School Fund budget for 2021-2022 by $25,596 for other equipment.
* Approved revisions to the Carroll County Personnel Policy which state law established state employment protections for members of the National Guard, State Guard and Civil Air Patrol called to active state duty. Also 36 hours of yearly leave for an employee who is a veteran with a service-connected disability of 30 percent or more to be used to attend appointments related to the service -connected disability.
• Approved revisions to the Carroll County Personnel Policy requested by the Carroll County Health Department that their leave accrual be revised and updated to match the state so that they are accruing leave at the same rate and the employee leave time be fully reimbursed to the county by the state. Employees with less than five years of full-time service earn 11.3 hours of annual leave per month, employees with ten years and less than twenty years of full-time service earn 13.1 hours of annual leave per month, and employees with 20 years or more of full time service accrued annual leave at the rate of 15 hours per month.
• Recognized the retirement of Sheriff K-9 unit Max and transferred ownership to Agent Kris Byrd. Max and agent Byrd were responsible for the seizure of over 200 pounds of marijuana, 30 pounds of meth and over two kilograms of cocaine.
• Pledged $500,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds for broadband infrastructure.
