JOHN COFFELTEditor

The Coffee County Commission held a special call work session to discuss how the budget process could be improved for next year’s budget.

Attached to the agenda and distributed to each commissioner was a five-point list of suggestions from Commissioner Claude Morse.

These suggestions called for an earlier timeline on the budget and better communication between the Budget and Finance Committee, the County Mayor and the remaining commissioners not on the committee.

Morse also called for “any additional full or part time positions should be proposed through the appropriate commission oversight committees in advance and then there should be a cover sheet with the budget explaining/justifying any new positions.”

Concerning employee pay he suggested “any needed adjustments to pay to bring an employee or position more in line with the market value of the job should be handled mid-year through appropriate commission committees and then to the budget committee and the full commission – not stuck in the budget without any explanation.”

He asked that “significant increases (or) decreases in the proposed annual budget from the previous year … be listed on a sheet on top of the budget spreadsheets with an explanation or justification.”

He called for the first draft to be presented in May.

Coffee County Mayor Judd Matheny said during the meeting a timeline detailing this year’s budget process. He noted that budget packets were due from department heads by the end of February. Then budget department personnel worked with the department heads and the mayor to finalize requests throughout March.

In April, the budget was presented to the Budget and Finance Committee. It cleared that committee for the first recommended budget in June.

Budget and Finance Committee Chairman Lynn Sebourn cautioned that the budget process is started four months before it’s due.

“If you back it up too much, you don’t even know what your current year looks like,” he said.

Addressing the individual employees’ salary corrections and pay raises, Sebourn said that the county formerly had a step raise schedule that wasn’t being followed. He admitted that he has been reluctant to discuss individual employee’s salaries in open meetings out of respect to their privacy. He noted that the salaries of county employees are public record.

One concern brought up with this year’s budget process was a perceived late hour when the budget was presented for final approval to the commission. It was presented in June in advance of the June 30 deadline.

Commissioner Joseph Hodge said that he would have liked more time to ask questions or suggest changes.

“What I received was two-weeks before we had to vote on it, and at that point I thought we were on track and their wasn’t anything we could do to stop it,” Hodge said.

Sebourn said that an early budget draft could be distributed sooner, but cautioned commissioners to remember that it could change.

“I also want to comment that the budget is not final until (the full commission) passes it,” he said.

Sebourn said in the coming years, with the county’s new livestreaming platform for all committee meetings, commissioners not on Budget and Finance will be able to access the meetings from home.

He said that the preliminary budget can be distributed easily to the entire commission.

Commissioner Terry Hershman suggested that all those not on Budget and Finance attend those committee meeting in person during budget season to stay informed prior to it being presented to the full commission.

“We ought to take a little more time and be informed,” he said.

Commissioner Dennis Hunt said that the current administration’s Budget and Finance Committee offered better representation to the constituents with nine members (one from each district) rather than the five commissioner that comprised the committee in year’s past.

He commended the committees for their efforts bringing items to the commission.

“I never like to second guess all the people who spend their time,” Hunt said. “The work that they do, we really need to trust them. It’s proper to ask questions, but trust their work.”

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.