The Bradley County Commission will vote on the 2012-2013 fiscal year budget and tax rate during its next voting session.
The entire proposed budget for the 2012-13 fiscal year is $32 million, compared to a $36 million budget in the 2011-12 fiscal year. The proposed property tax rate remains at $1.79 per $100 of assessed value. The Commission will also vote on the budget for the Bradley County Schools and contributions to area nonprofit programs.
Commissioner J. Adam Lowe placed a resolution on the agenda for next week asking if a nonprofit agency receives a contribution from the county that the benefiting organization will give a short presentation during a work session sometime in the fiscal year.
“I would like the commissioners to hear what they do, and be aware of what they do,” Lowe said.
Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis said many of the nonprofit agencies have presented to the Commission in the past. He also pointed out that any nonprofit could have been asked to give presentations to the finance committee during the budget hearings. None of the organizations were asked to present before the finance committee during the budget process.
Lowe said he would like more concrete information on how the organizations use contributions from the county. He said he is not equally familiar with all the community programs getting county assistance.
A proposed rezoning for a piece of land at the intersection of Waterlevel Highway and Cherokee Drive was also placed on the agenda. The site is currently empty and is zoned for residential use. The request is to rezone the site to Rural/Commercial, so it can be used for a retail store.
During the short meeting, in which half the Commission was absent, Commissioner Ed Elkins asked if the Commission had an attendance policy.
“Not to my knowledge. The only person, I guess, they answer to right now is their own constituents,” Commission Chairman Louie Alford said.
Davis said in the past the commissioners had been paid based on attendance. He said policy had since changed, and now attendance at Commission meetings does not impact compensation.
