ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½

During six sessions of budget hearings the committee approved a “status quo� budget for all departments that did not include wage increases for county employees. The last two sessions of budget hearings focused on wage increases for county employees and how these increases could be made and how much it would cost the county.

The sheriff had requested a 10% wage increase for his employees due to losing several deputies and staff to surrounding counties. In previous discussions of wage increases, the committee considered giving EMS personnel a $1 wage increase with a $2 wage increase to sheriff’s department employees and a $1.50 wage increase to all other county employees.

In the June 10 budget hearing, EMS Director Matt Batey said that his department was not agreeable to one emergency services department receiving a higher wage increase over his department.

The budget to be presented to the full County Commission includes a $3,000 annual wage increase for all county employees. Of the seven committee members, Leslie Overman voted no on the $3,00 annual wage increase for all county employees, and Will Dennis was absent.

“A Smith County EMT makes $46,000 and is held to a maximum of 754 hours of overtime,� said Gulley. “Sumner County EMTs come in at $60,000, and if I looked at this correctly, our basic EMTs are coming in at over $66,000. A paramedic in Smith County makes $64,000 and one in Sumner County makes $77,000. Our least paid paramedic comes in over $90,000. This comparison raises the question that we are paying our EMS employees a good rate and does the need still arise to pay the department a $3,000 wage increase?�

A motion was made by Gulley to increase the sheriff’s department employees’ wages by $2 and all other county employees by $1.50, excluding EMS.

“Our EMS pay is above counties around us,� said Gulley. “We have already put them in a good position.�

That motion was approved in a 4-3 vote.

A motion was made by Commissioner Jerry Ford to set the tax levy in the General Services Funds at a flat rate of $2.09. Gulley seconded the motion, and it was approved in a 4-3 vote.

The budget for 2025-2026 will be presented to the full commission when it meets Monday, June 23 at 7 p.m. at the Hartsville-Trousdale County Courthouse at 200 E. Main St.

If the 2025-2026 budget is not approved prior to July 1, 2025, there is a resolution to continue budget operations as they are until the new budget is approved.

Some residents have expressed concerns over social media regarding decisions made by the committee for the ambulance service budget.

At the May 22 budget hearing meeting, Batey presented a budget of revenues at $1,393,161 and expenses of $1,629,294 with an ending fund balance of $551,217. Gulley noted that the Ambulance Service Fund is 12.42% of the county budget.

Reviewing the presented budget, the committee recommended cutting the $75,000 figure presented for drugs and medical supplies to $65,000 and trimmed the medical personnel line item to $410,000 (12 full-time employees, including three EMTs, five AEMTs and four paramedics).

The committee also removed a request for $190,000 to remount one of the three ambulances that county has. In the meeting, Gulley suggested with the upcoming negotiations with CoreCivic, that the county ask them to purchase an ambulance and staff because of the number of prison calls to Trousdale Turner Correctional Center. Batey said of the three ambulances, one is new and the other two have over 200,000 miles on them and one had the transmission replaced recently. It was noted that the maintenance line item for the ambulances could potentially increase for repairs.

Commissioner Ford moved to approve the changes, with a second by Gulley. That motion was approved with Chris Gregory voting no.

The school district requested a two-cent property tax increase to fund the salary supplements of those who are in coaching positions for the school system. This averages out to $73,058 per the current penny value of $36,529. To approve the request, the budget and finance committee needed to move the pennies from another fund to keep the tax rate in check. This discussion took place before the recommendation to increase the general rate for the county.

The current property tax rate is $1.9877 per $100 of assessed value. The proposed increase would raise the property tax rate to $2.07 per $100 of assessed value.

Committee and commission meetings are recorded and are accessible at .