[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"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","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_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,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6527267,"mediaKeyId","3638762-2cb595d3694af982a6b7820e4467f780","parentId",3638762,"title","Votes at a glance: White County committees forward road adoption, fee and severance tax items to full court","audioSeconds",260,"startMs",448000,"endMs",708000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3638762-2cb595d3694af982a6b7820e4467f780&start=448&end=708","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3638762-2cb595d3694af982a6b7820e4467f780/thumbnail_448000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6527267/White-County/Tennessee/Votes-at-a-glance-White-County-committees-forward-road-adoption-fee-and-severance-tax-items-to-full-court","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6527267-7dc7e9e8ebc7f8a000d1af44117840f4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168719&Signature=bVoG0fNn8kBd9RhoMuDBmNta5ykbM8o-zn1cNU4JW7c2t25wlIU-rWV5t02Eei3F9coPHwUjgkSteyDqw2GaPN0Xiqrj2zYvhIv04eCJy6DoaTegpk3e7DRwidLIPqK999BRJr1efPp7TA5Ji4CLS1jHKIF7U4zV~UjvuCGY9gJC4valRhdCXDJumNsvQOIklHHuavI6UeJ1sgx8~mJNqUO5s-KQl4UKYsGF8pgpxp5jjr1rSZYpe8W-yARILh0NV55uX1aZCdkXrgymfQ0eMKfCOZMlQ4Du7Y50ztanUvM0fuqz3k9aBgRF0H4Jsx4qM5MemI6NVMNKqk-7s2xCWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","White County","date","2025-06-03T00:00:00Z","article","White County committees moved multiple items to the full county commission for final consideration during the most recent round of meetings. Committee votes were recorded by voice or by committee roll call; where shown in the transcript committee chairs described outcomes as approved or forwarded to full court.

Key items forwarded to full court

- Jersey Pike county-road adoption: A steering committee approved a motion to adopt Jersey Pike to the county road list. The committee noted the adoption had already received the support of Commissioner Jerry Sawyer and that the motion was pending the planning commission’s approval before finalization.

- Mineral severance tax resolution: Committee members discussed a draft resolution based on recent state legislation and voted to send the resolution to full court. Speakers referenced Senate Bill 889 and House Bill 695 as the state-level measures authorizing county increases; the draft would permit the county to raise the mineral severance tax from the current 15¢ per ton to 20¢ on July 1, with later phased increases (speakers discussed further increases to 25¢ and then 30¢ in subsequent statutory steps). Committee members said the extra revenue would be dedicated to the highway department and road work.

- Court fee for District Attorney funding: Steering Committee B voted to forward a resolution that would allow the Circuit Court Clerk to collect an additional $12.50 on certain state misdemeanors and felonies; those funds would be remitted to the Executive Director of the District Attorney General’s Conference to provide supplemental funding for the 13th Judicial District’s DA office. Committee minutes show the motion was made by Commissioner Cranford and seconded by Commissioner McCormick; the motion carried by voice vote.

- Electronic participation (bylaws amendment): An oversight committee reviewed state law changes (Senate Bill 136 and House Bill 152, public chapter 580) permitting limited electronic participation by county legislative members under defined conditions. Committee members approved sending a draft policy to full court; the committee noted that adoption of a final policy at the commission level will require a two-thirds vote and that the county must publish public-access details for any meeting that includes electronic participation.

- Donated-property/bylaws amendment: An oversight subcommittee discussed a recently offered donation — a fully enclosed 30-by-40 field house intended for youth football — and voted to send a bylaws amendment to full court to establish criteria for accepting donated buildings, require preliminary review by designated county officials, and require a budget-committee fiscal analysis of ongoing maintenance and insurance costs before final acceptance.

What passed at committee and next steps

Most of these committee votes were voice approvals recorded in committee minutes. Each item will return to full court for the formal resolution/ordinance vote or adoption; where committee minutes noted conditions (for example, Jersey Pike pending planning commission approval), the packet sent to full court will include the stated condition. The county will publish materials for each full-court item as required by state notice rules before final votes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","County Commission 2025-06-02","oneSentenceSummary","Several White County committees voted to forward road, fee and other items to the full county commission, including a mineral severance tax increase, a Circuit Court fee to fund the district attorney’s office, and a bylaws amendment describing how to accept donated buildings.","taxTitle","White County, Tennessee","taxId",73494,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6527272,"White County budget committee sends $1.57 proposal to full commission after contested vote",2431,3159000,5590000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3638762-2cb595d3694af982a6b7820e4467f780&start=3159&end=5590","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3638762-2cb595d3694af982a6b7820e4467f780/thumbnail_3159000.jpg","/articles/6527272/White-County/Tennessee/White-County-budget-committee-sends-157-proposal-to-full-commission-after-contested-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6527272-943d3c447dc208c43e8a3f9af84e21a7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168719&Signature=l4m-jPncVg8LyDq6PclO~Cucuc-beU-8ndC~VDQDvcNdcBOJW77qUmVpSVMU5MG4iCgkbfqeMg2gL-l9lA7-GZ3wXiRIca2izjWBCf2RQ0-4xmtQ-70-M4eip~Lhh9drkTBamrjPayM8-1QViTRgOg36a3Ac0RQu5merHRViaZbTUT7~aDotKSXjuJ392-iB-HAxD-j2XiHoilV6Z0E0yRhnJko0KIFJD3~u9k6YjxZugGDhVgmCef6KLmpUMuZR6aWlO~Q1bI3PVoWVllcmfke5bCDIt2T~RQlFjd6cwvF-STBDsBeGRU6kJX9ITT-AhF1~s5fGw3AF3lGUlbzNFg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The White County Budget Committee voted to send a proposed FY2026 budget that relies on a $1.57 per $100 assessed-value property tax rate to the full county commission for final approval after a roll-call vote at the committee meeting.

Committee members recorded the vote by name: Derek Hutchings, TK Austin and Debbie Cranford voted yes; Dwayne Robinson and Kyle Goff voted no. The motion passed and will appear on the full-court agenda for final action.

Committee members and staff framed the choice as a trade-off between raising property taxes now to add personnel and equipment and keeping rates lower while cutting planned hires and purchases. County staff presented the budget’s major cost items, including roughly $2.2 million for employee pay increases, about $154,000 for longevity pay and an approximately $108,000 increase for medical insurance. Staff also listed programmatic additions in the $1.57 proposal that would be reduced or omitted under lower-rate options: a full-time Emergency Management director, a full-time parks and recreation director, an assistant EMS director and four EMS positions needed to staff a full EMS shift, four additional patrol deputies, two mechanics for central maintenance, and two ambulance remounts (staff noted remounts cost roughly $210,000 each).

Supporters said the increases respond to rising operating costs and turnover. “We have two ambulances with more than 300,000 miles on them,” a committee member said during debate, noting upkeep and replacement needs. Opponents and several members of the public said a rate tied to the reappraisal would sharply increase tax bills for many residents, particularly retirees and homeowners on fixed incomes. At one point a commissioner noted the difference between the $1.57 and $1.50 proposals would be about $45 a year on a $300,000 house, a figure other speakers used to illustrate the scale of change.

Public commenters voiced widespread concern about reassessment results, the difficulty of appealing appraisals, and the effect of higher property taxes on small-business owners and retirees. Several residents urged the commission to seek alternative revenue — including pursuing grants and selling county-owned, unused parcels — before raising the property tax rate.

The committee approved the proposal for formal presentation to full court; the commission will vote on the full FY2026 budget at its next public meeting. If the full commission approves a tax rate different from the committee’s recommendation, that change will be reflected in the budget that is published for public review before final adoption.

Several commissioners urged more public information before the full-court vote, including a clear public summary of what would be funded at each rate option.","The White County Budget Committee voted to send a proposed FY2026 budget that uses a $1.57 per $100 assessed-value property tax rate to the full county commission. Supporters said the higher rate funds deputies, ambulances and employee pay; opponents warned of heavy burdens on fixed-income residents.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6527262,"White County committees hear landfill permitting update; county expects sale proceeds and future tip-fee revenue",88,133000,221000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3638762-2cb595d3694af982a6b7820e4467f780&start=133&end=221","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3638762-2cb595d3694af982a6b7820e4467f780/thumbnail_133000.jpg","/articles/6527262/White-County/Tennessee/White-County-committees-hear-landfill-permitting-update-county-expects-sale-proceeds-and-future-tip-fee-revenue","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6527262-556125af3a7958f95d82d38b856a7575/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168719&Signature=WGhSGQ9XjI7tgmujv6P3jvMwbUkvoRAJiGfr1SZxZZI-lJgqGaA5KjljU75GnJBncYC7UFwa4EzlBxOsxJPXOVt~y5wYtIjeawydeucu3oGemb1hNSvP4n2P9onstwdiyRfNTMtzJJExHnYc4HZ09TY4HVO7HGst7~nkyVyMs~UFfdIv~qutU7VRpo~eWprq0RLLJr2J11WOU6lLwi~KvHL46gbtmAAYK6m0h510zBDNOITQiJM4C-ig~6Dct3wrZl5kt2XrSt35yGwlxdQo4quFiG1hD7hyWlq-ziADk0XIVN-2Cs6-GQm7WzSDkeCs94VfniFONtVJSPPA75hEDA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County staff updated committees on progress at the White County landfill site, saying land clearing and excavation appeared to be under way and that a permit package had been returned to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) with corrections and answers to questions.

Staff said the county has received $2,000,000 from the initial sale phase and expects further proceeds tied to the full permitting and opening of waste-receiving operations. Committee discussion described two separate revenue streams: (1) a near-term or success payment tied to the initial sale closing (staff said the county would receive the next tranche once permitting steps are complete) and (2) recurring tip-fee payments from waste receipts once the facility is operating; staff estimated recurring tip-fee revenue could be on the order of several hundred thousand dollars annually after operations begin — committee members and staff discussed figures around $650,000 per year as a possible recurring level but emphasized those were estimates and depend on permitted throughput and timing.

Committee members pressed staff on timing. A county official said the permit had been resubmitted to TDEC and that the state agency would need time to review corrections; staff said if the permit returned “today” the construction and installation of leachate piping and other systems would still take several months and that earlier county estimates had included multi-month or multi-year timelines for full site readiness. Committee members said they had previously discussed a two-year turnaround for full opening in earlier stages of the sale and permitting process, but that progress at the site had appeared rapid recently.

Staff emphasized that additional sale proceeds and recurring tip-fee revenue will be realized only as permitting and the sale process reach those milestone events, and they recommended the commission continue to treat those receipts as contingent until state approvals and contractual milestones are complete.

No formal action to change county policy was taken in the landfill update; the report was an informational briefing recorded in committee minutes.","County staff told committees that contractors have begun land clearing and excavation at the White County landfill site, a permit package has been submitted to TDEC with corrections, and the county will receive sale proceeds and future recurring tip-fee revenue once permitting and phased sales are completed.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: White County committees forward road adoption, fee and severance tax items to full court

White County budget committee sends $1.57 proposal to full commission after contested vote

White County committees hear landfill permitting update; county expects sale proceeds and future tip-fee revenue