John Coffelt, Editor

 During a brief Budget and Finance Committee Meeting on March 30, Accounts and Budgets Director Marianna Edinger told the members that over the coming weeks of budget meetings, the group and the mayor will address a “Christmas wish list” of an additional $3 million dollars. 

The committee will see an official proposed budget at the April 6 meeting. From there, members will address each department’s requests and narrow them down to a workable budget.

Edinger said that there was not an additional $3 million in revenues.

The county budget will need to be approved by the beginning of the next fiscal year July 1.

Also at the meeting, the committee approved a grant application for Coffee County Manchester Public Library that if approved will provide five Verizon hotspots, five HP laptops and $2,000 for associated costs and training, from the American Library Association.

The hotspots contract will be for one year, with the option to continue it into the future.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.