| |
|
Ottinger vetoes the Cocke County Budget
Cocke County Mayor Crystal Ottinger announced Thursday that she has vetoed a new county budget. The Finance Committee had worked on a proposal for months before the budget was approved Monday evening by the Cocke County Legislative Body. The document includes a four percent raise for employees, funding for ten new employees, an increase in the starting salaries for deputies, jailers and bailiffs, and an anticipated ending General Fund balance of more than $200,000. Mayor Ottinger had been very vocal in her opposition to the two new firefighters funded in the budget saying they are not needed. She previously talked about surrounding communities and the fact that none has a fire department with 16 paid firefighters, as does Cocke County currently. The mayor said she will offer the legislative body an alternative budget which eliminates the two new firefighters, saving $35,000, cuts the raise to three percent and provides $200,000 for paving. Although Highway Superintendent Kenneth Ford removed the $400,000 from the budget which was earmarked for paving, Ottinger says some commissioners and members of the general public want more money for roads. The proposal would also remove $50,000 from equipment for the highway Department, leaving $150,000. A small amount also would come from the unassigned fund balance to provide the funding for asphalt. "According to Superintendent Ford, that funding would pave about 3.5 miles of roadway. We have alot of roads around the county that are just a-tenth of a mile in length, so that would allow paving of 35 short roads, or five such roads in each civil district," Ottinger says. Saying she understands that level of funding won't provide much paving money, the mayor argues "if we don't start somewhere with the roads in our county, we aren't going to get anywhere." The Cocke County Legislative Body will meet at 6 p.m. Monday in the circuit courtroom to consider the mayor's proposal.
|
Return to Today's News Stories - Front PageThursday, April 29, 2021
US 411 Project News
Mill Creek Wildfire Update
More Bad News For Smokies' Fans
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Mill Creek Wildfire doubles in size
Goodbye Smokies?
Keep Cocke County Beautiful
Cocke Co. High School Remote Learning today!
Tuesday, April 27, 2021
The fireflies are coming!
Burnout Operations on MillCreek wildfire today
Gas prices drop
Tennessee keeps all US House seats
Monday, April 26, 2021
Boat accident victim ID'd
Traffic stop yields drug arrest
Cocke County Wildfires
Friday, April 23, 2021
Leaving WNPC
Mathis announces candidacy
Newport drug roundup
Cruise Against Cancer
Jobless numbers
|
|
|