[{"_1":2,"_121":-5,"_122":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_25":26},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_27":28,"_29":30},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[31,74,86,97,109],{"_32":33,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":39,"_40":41,"_42":43,"_44":45,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6227034,"mediaKeyId","3495463-a4c23b03e48ce9c4cc2cbced3ddd444b","parentId",3495463,"title","Sheriff outlines staffing shortages, technology needs and push for raises in Hamblen County budget briefing","audioSeconds",3455,"startMs",3822000,"endMs",7277000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3495463-a4c23b03e48ce9c4cc2cbced3ddd444b&start=3822&end=7277","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3495463-a4c23b03e48ce9c4cc2cbced3ddd444b/thumbnail_3822000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6227034/Hamblen-County/Tennessee/Sheriff-outlines-staffing-shortages-technology-needs-and-push-for-raises-in-Hamblen-County-budget-briefing","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227034-50277e66a1a7a4a82ea18bb37d5793de/orig.mp4?Expires=1769973360&Signature=T5~2NKUgdm8djgXinxkKl4-lnUvylt29Y4JIiOpEJlPGI8Kjr5cz4AMh2HEarw95ifClXLoapqiVfFFueI~cTjFsSwWaMOYjsO-xv~QoLNbiOgfKGp849lSBg4kbxXlHx8yV6axh-wZfWPUWm-MgWuTwQIXbhjM99Ug2Bv73Fg0jjRy8Tey1Hxt5xo9h~M3gtAqWigxXA5j9yRTWc7M-S00yo9GjfdlZco5XMLB9vEJysXP5EQPwgdFCps-Ei2xwYBxvDk~KpqJJcij9Naww3c02lbUUk84MtkVDI4xlP8MQJgCLbWpFlTpCSDqf2Utt2uqqfQTcVdt0jxIwLiwnzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hickman County, TN","date","2025-05-24T18:17:37.733Z","article","Sheriff’s Office leaders told the Hamblen County budget committee on May 22 that the county faces personnel shortages, rising operational costs and equipment needs tied to a new justice center, and they urged the commission to consider pay increases and targeted hires to ensure safe operations.

Capt. Michelle (presenting for absent Captain David Cribley) told commissioners court-security officers perform a wide range of duties beyond courtroom safety — inmate transports, out‑of‑county transports, serving warrants, mental‑health transports and other courthouse security functions. Because of the layout and added space in the new justice center, the sheriff’s office asked the committee to approve four full‑time court‑security officers for the next budget year and said eight would be the realistic staffing need to cover all duties. The office estimated the fully loaded cost per new court‑security hire, including benefits and training, at roughly $60,000 per year.

Sheriff and staff described other operational increases the office is requesting or expects: a nonmatching Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) grant of $10,000 already approved for equipment and overtime; increases in maintenance agreements for systems such as Pulsium; procurement of Diverse Computing software and equipment to perform NCIC and records checks; LTE‑capable radios for coverage in low‑signal areas; and subscription services such as LeadsOnline and PoliceOne for investigations and training. Staff also noted a one‑time or recurring need to cover surveillance systems and informant costs for narcotics investigations (a Casper system was referenced).

The jail budget request included only a proposed operational increase for food supplies to reflect higher inmate counts and rising food costs once the new facility opens. Separately, the sheriff reported a large staffing shortfall in corrections: after adjusting a prior CTAS staffing analysis, the sheriff said he needed about 100 correction officers to operate the new facility at a minimum inmate level; the office currently remains roughly 30 positions short of that total. The sheriff said failing state inspections for understaffing would jeopardize certification and the county’s ability to receive per‑diem reimbursements tied to certification levels.

Recruitment and retention challenges were a recurring theme. Presenters showed comparative pay data for surrounding counties: Hamblen County’s starting rate for corrections was reported as $17.50 an hour, below neighboring counties and below many local private‑sector starting wages. The sheriff requested a 10% across‑the‑board pay increase for all sheriff’s‑office employees to retain current staff and make hiring competitive. Commissioners and the mayor acknowledged the issue and said it would be a difficult budget decision.

School resource officers and the DARE program were also discussed. The sheriff’s office currently covers five SROs funded from the sheriff’s budget in addition to 18 SROs funded by state grants; the department successfully reintroduced the DARE program this year and secured $10,000 from opioid abatement funds and an additional $15,000 commitment from the school system to cover program supplies and expansion.

Commissioners asked for follow‑up numbers and said they would consider the requests during upcoming budget deliberations; the county’s budget committee planned additional hearings in June.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","May 22, 2025 County Commission & Budget Committee","oneSentenceSummary","Sheriff’s Office leaders told the Hamblen County budget committee on May 22 that the county faces personnel shortages, rising operational costs and equipment needs tied to a new justice center, and they urged the commission to consider pay increases and targeted hires to ensure safe operations.","taxTitle","Hamblen County, Tennessee","taxId",73399,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_32":75,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":76,"_40":77,"_42":78,"_44":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6227039,"Commission approves construction, equipment contracts and a drug‑court grant amid questions about confidentiality language",664,2172000,2836000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3495463-a4c23b03e48ce9c4cc2cbced3ddd444b&start=2172&end=2836","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3495463-a4c23b03e48ce9c4cc2cbced3ddd444b/thumbnail_2172000.jpg","/articles/6227039/Hamblen-County/Tennessee/Commission-approves-construction-equipment-contracts-and-a-drugcourt-grant-amid-questions-about-confidentiality-language","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227039-804cf59f0b548db0068ec9d64fa18fd1/orig.mp4?Expires=1769973360&Signature=E8d2H3hLxlCAmj6E4NE6F56bgbwLjP3H-N4~h~LlRs~BwX~cJJE~V71gzBQXMR~VJNz5JYaq~qTk6Rneoyi80WBCP8DxFYYFPo5IsxR2I14tD-vSiK2WcZl9rLKRqhJTvpSHlzVSkMCIaPQpuPYT~ecGKqfPk-l2vgnpxfWRZbOiVZKh-W4IHk6E5aXFuBauCfaLFdOfy2ivQVrYP5y2lD9~dL1uePxsTo6v1GGbAWznjN359VP1uU5V~s02pg3v1sd306OvchZzzmvUX65G6UbOBoFukNj4b6il~P0PUlq0FXARdLyKeQ0eAZEYDyAVL0l6L5J96mc~zfxvtJC~bA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Hamblen County Commission on May 22 approved several regular-calendar items, including a construction contract with Construction Partners LLC and a budget amendment of $183,060 for Drug Court expansion, while debate surfaced over confidentiality language in an equipment rental agreement with Diverse Computing.

During the regular calendar, the commission voted to approve a construction contract described as work for the health department and an equipment rental agreement with Diverse Computing. Commissioners discussed an indemnification clause that had been removed from one agreement and noted updated contract language on others. The items were placed on the consent and regular calendars and approved after motions and seconds recorded on the floor.

Budget amendment number 4 on the regular calendar — Fund 101, Drug Court Expansion — was included on the passed items. The motion to amend the budget added $183,060 in public-safety grant funding for drug-court expansion; the commission later recorded a roll-call vote on a related grant item that was approved.

Commissioner Edna Green raised concerns about a confidentiality clause and a provision that appeared in the contract under definitions and Article 8, and asked whether the clause could conflict with Tennessee open‑records obligations. Green said training she attended indicated the county cannot contract away open‑records responsibilities. County staff and the mayor responded that certain data may be protected by federal law or otherwise exempt from disclosure and that redactions, where appropriate, would be handled according to law. Commissioners asked the county attorney to review the confidentiality language; the mayor and staff indicated they would seek clarification and, where necessary, adjust contract language.

Other items approved during the meeting included updated equipment agreements with indemnification language changes and funding appropriations tied to public-safety and construction projects. Several commissioners asked staff to specify which county department would manage individual contracts when materials were not explicit in the packet.

No contract signatures were announced at the meeting time; commissioners approved the calendar items and directed staff to follow up on legal and administrative clarifications where requested.","Hamblen County commissioners approved a construction contract and several regular-calendar items on May 22, including a $183,060 public‑safety budget amendment for drug court expansion, while commissioners and staff discussed confidentiality clauses in an equipment rental agreement and asked for attorney review.",{"_32":87,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":88,"_40":89,"_42":90,"_44":79,"_46":91,"_48":92,"_50":93,"_52":94,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":95,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":96,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6227044,"Residents and commissioners press for compilation of Hamblen County meeting rules, open‑records clarity",2393,443000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3495463-a4c23b03e48ce9c4cc2cbced3ddd444b&start=443&end=2836","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3495463-a4c23b03e48ce9c4cc2cbced3ddd444b/thumbnail_443000.jpg","/articles/6227044/Hamblen-County/Tennessee/Residents-and-commissioners-press-for-compilation-of-Hamblen-County-meeting-rules-openrecords-clarity","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227044-e779322206b80e20e0ee4ccd2dc2a116/orig.mp4?Expires=1769973360&Signature=I23yDOUnJx4bY3Oe6KJuU-oHjkowEMO0zxsRDz25nJzvNRHM3aa~pW16eWdeFutoGcp59divvU32RKf2lRN-qvtc5oqARTTLMLlsKqAKud0qQW9vZLiDCgY2qt6ydwXZfvgSe1OYXe1sQQijuz6s-oA2kxjBQ9aT~uAMbW2GeKyATeCqmFJmNhZJb0hrueLVhSFrvHTVJXOjwtfOibAJLWnhCYZt2EWTLjqvAtzUQbIdBROJ6l9gs1awhvYDLHlmKAmokaiXsyobRKQiHeEOSifMzXuWfF1rcc5uG39dgY-6ngllO6J4QGHr15YCQDgEF3jytWWAvQ3PO2-XEsUExg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several residents and at least one commissioner pressed the Hamblen County Commission on May 22 to compile and clarify the county’s meeting rules and open‑records procedures so the public and commissioners understand what practices are required and enforceable.

During the public-comment period, Linda Noej (Stevens Road) asked commissioners to reconvene the rules committee to assemble existing rules and to invite the county attorney or CTAS for guidance on open meetings and records. “Open government is extremely important,” she said, and she recommended that officials allow members of the public to record portions of meetings on personal devices. Noej also said a lawsuit over placards had been settled and that the county’s insurer paid $10,000 to plaintiffs’ attorneys; she said the commission still lacked a clear definition of “placard.”

Later, Commissioner Edna Green used an item removed from the consent calendar to ask that language in the minutes and rules be clarified before adoption. Green said the draft minutes and a proposed rules package were confusing and potentially unenforceable as written, and she asked the county attorney to review the documents. “I think your county attorney needs to look at that before we adopt it,” Green said during debate on the consent calendar; other commissioners discussed procedures for removing items from the consent calendar and whether a removal request requires a vote.

Separately, Green flagged confidentiality language in an equipment rental contract (Diverse Computing) on the regular calendar. She said confidentiality clauses may conflict with Tennessee open‑records law and hospital or federal redaction requirements, and asked that the county attorney check contract language before the county executes similar agreements. The mayor and other officials said parts of some contract language may be necessary for federal privacy laws and to protect specific types of data, but Green and others said the county should verify redaction and record‑request handling before signing.

Commission discussion produced no immediate change to the county’s practice on recording meetings; the chair announced that the commission had “rolled against” allowing cell‑phone taping and that personal taping would not be allowed at this time. The commission did, however, allow that items legitimately removed from the consent calendar will be considered separately and that minutes could be revisited under the appropriate agenda item.

At the meeting’s close, county staff reported an internal effort to compile the rules: the mayor said an employee was collecting rules and that the commission would address the compilation in future sessions.","Public commenters and some commissioners asked the county to compile and clarify rules governing meetings and open records; Commissioner Edna Green asked the county attorney to review draft minutes and rules language before adoption after citing a settled lawsuit over placards and recent disputes about records access.",{"_32":98,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":99,"_40":100,"_42":101,"_44":102,"_46":103,"_48":104,"_50":105,"_52":106,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":107,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":108,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6227049,"Hamblen County Commission appoints Jamie Carden to fill District 9 seat",772,958000,1730000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3495463-a4c23b03e48ce9c4cc2cbced3ddd444b&start=958&end=1730","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3495463-a4c23b03e48ce9c4cc2cbced3ddd444b/thumbnail_958000.jpg","/articles/6227049/Hamblen-County/Tennessee/Hamblen-County-Commission-appoints-Jamie-Carden-to-fill-District-9-seat","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227049-fbfdba800064aa52ddda6920964be709/orig.mp4?Expires=1769973360&Signature=DwoJao-rqano5PHR-QkjjG~9LTuZQ1ipWADs2NWdFsEd-oSyMPF5SfNpFp7SsMGF9DOWbJCPW3EDvfu2UvLAS9UulsKTVvOGs9717Ze8Og1K5dGICROU~6jvp4fg6bQfquS3QS5hw0~7iYYMSJwlbTqLHOXiNa86kQbRMvrz5ZF8OeAAYoINivePy~nb3Gi1kVoYNlHL5YWSN6AbP4B0skG0tcd3M2UmQR9O3YwFPc0bkm1pUXB4tQ7CP6osronwcmIZ9WlQUkHmEe-AfzC8~KRG6Jt3eNZ7hMteQYOe7sUM9fAbrxVisPrNAv-w2BOwAcLEyNSLUZliSrtkgImXIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jamie Carden was appointed District 9 county commissioner by the Hamblen County Commission on May 22 and was immediately sworn in by Mayor Chris Cutshall.

The appointment filled a vacancy for the seat; commissioners nominated three people and then held a roll-call vote. After the first round produced a tie for second place, commissioners advanced the top two nominees to a runoff. The final tally was 9 votes for Carden and 2 votes each for John Cox and Kim Coffey, and the commission declared Carden the winner.

The nomination phase included public comment from local residents. Justin Anderson, identified on the record as a resident of 31213 Springs Road, urged support for John Cox and described Cox’s long attendance and community service. “He does come to these meetings, religiously,” Anderson said, and praised Cox’s “dignity and integrity.” John Cox, one of the nominees, spoke to the commission about his service background and interest in representing the district. Kim Coffey addressed the commission before the vote and accepted her nomination.

Commissioners conducted the roll call by naming one of the three nominees; several commissioners’ spoken votes for Jamie Carden were recorded on the roll call. After the vote the mayor administered the oath of office. Carden repeated the oath, saying he would “perform with fidelity the duties of the office of county commissioner representing the Ninth District,” and was acknowledged by the commission.

Discussion at the meeting also included remarks from members of the public asking commissioners to select someone with a record of attending meetings and familiarity with county issues. One commenter estimated the appointee would serve through the next election cycle and noted the timing for the next office change; that timeline was described as an estimate by the commenter rather than a commission action.

The commission did not take other formal actions tied to the appointment at the same time. Carden took the oath and took his place on the dais; the mayor and commissioners encouraged him to consult with staff and fellow members as he begins duties.","The Hamblen County Commission voted May 22 to appoint Jamie Carden as the District 9 county commissioner. Carden won a roll-call vote and was sworn in at the meeting; the process drew three nominees and public comments in support of multiple candidates.",{"_32":110,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":111,"_40":112,"_42":113,"_44":114,"_46":115,"_48":116,"_50":117,"_52":118,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":119,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":120,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6227030,"Mayor outlines flat revenue outlook for Hamblen County; warns of $808,000 anticipated reduction",737,7199000,7936000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3495463-a4c23b03e48ce9c4cc2cbced3ddd444b&start=7199&end=7936","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3495463-a4c23b03e48ce9c4cc2cbced3ddd444b/thumbnail_7199000.jpg","/articles/6227030/Hamblen-County/Tennessee/Mayor-outlines-flat-revenue-outlook-for-Hamblen-County-warns-of-808000-anticipated-reduction","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6227030-8fe018b2c515119ffad0adf05c55dbc6/orig.mp4?Expires=1769973360&Signature=W2LBLWDd9JX--uU7RC5aTDw9LPTis-qZZcUbtXNKlyxtdX9ot2zIhJRsJpUkBAAGtRv~C9g4uqf4~ltPGpIEllk2bqrwd7eHJ3JD597lTLScArmdY7gctCZrBGRWS1AGDomlR1uOV6uJJ9wQFEdO8P6cKuY9A4Q-koAGJDy~6z8YzkAA1Ucq8MP3hCvXkqpJ~IhDBwOeG1mgMX5sK-YqEo03e2K3Fw3YsvLmRQL8VgEeSQ~7aXx0a063L3xVO2pqzV7vu5x59qmuYj0L0XA2z7aIp-CwpzuAEAY0T-I38XEIYDbAVh9yajLmQ6FClaOYHHpgQ4HNSEf8Qhm5soPhOA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Hamblen County Mayor Chris Cutshall presented the county’s general fund revenue report to commissioners on May 22, saying the county’s reassessment is revenue neutral but that several revenue lines will not fully offset rising expenses for the coming fiscal year.

Cutshall told commissioners that property-tax revenue was budgeted roughly the same as the prior year because the reassessment is intended to be revenue neutral. Collection rates by the trustee have improved (reported at about 96% and possibly moving toward 98%), which has reduced delinquent‑tax income that in prior years buoyed revenues. At the same time, the mayor said declines in other local revenue sources — notably franchise cable fees and reduced contributions from the city and schools for the school‑resource officer (SRO) program — will reduce budgeted revenue.

The mayor highlighted one significant change: contributions that helped fund the SRO program in recent fiscal years will not be present in the coming budget period. In the past two fiscal years the county received approximately $800,000 from the school system and about $150,000 from the city for the SRO program; those revenues will not be included in the proposed budget and accounted for a substantial portion of the projected year‑over‑year decrease.

Other revenue lines showed small changes: modest increases tied to state public‑health program funding were offset by corresponding salary expense increases; personal‑property ratios used in reassessments may shift and could affect collections for business personal property, but those outcomes were uncertain at the time of the briefing. The mayor said the administration prefers conservative revenue estimates and higher expense projections to avoid mid‑year budget shortfalls.

Cutshall told the commission the administration anticipates an overall reduction in budgeted revenues of about $808,000 for the next fiscal year and called on the commission to expect “hard decisions” during the coming budget deliberations. The county’s budget committee scheduled further deliberations and public meetings in June to work through appropriations and priorities.

Commissioners and staff discussed the timing of future budget meetings and the need to balance flat revenues with rising personnel and operational costs.","County mayor Chris Cutshall presented the general fund revenue report May 22, saying the reassessment is revenue‑neutral, collections are up and the county expects an overall anticipated reduction of about $808,000 year‑over‑year; loss of some contributions for the SRO program from the city and schools was a major factor.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Sheriff outlines staffing shortages, technology needs and push for raises in Hamblen County budget briefing

Commission approves construction, equipment contracts and a drug‑court grant amid questions about confidentiality language

Residents and commissioners press for compilation of Hamblen County meeting rules, open‑records clarity

Hamblen County Commission appoints Jamie Carden to fill District 9 seat

Mayor outlines flat revenue outlook for Hamblen County; warns of $808,000 anticipated reduction