Monday, February 13, 2017
Commission Makes $1.5 Million Dollar Commitment to Four-Year College with New Savings
Chris D. Jackson, Chairman Pro-Tempore Lawrence County Commission
The Lawrence County Board of Commissioners met in Regular Session on January 24th, 2017 to address a number of agenda items.
Each resolution that was considered is listed below along with the final vote tally of each measure.
Resolution No. 1 Resolution Approving Minutes of November 22, 2016, Regular Session AYE: 12 NO: 0
Resolution No. 2 Resolution to Approve Amendments to the 2016-2017 Lawrence County Budget AYE: 12 NO: 0
Resolution No. 3 Resolution to Approve Amendments to the 2016-2017 Lawrence County Board of Education Budget AYE: 12 NO: 0
Resolution No. 4 Resolution Approving the Bonds of Kristy Gang, Chancery Court Clerk and Master and Special Commissioner and Receiver AYE: 12 NO: 0
Resolution No. 5 Resolution to Approve Lawrence County Road List AYE: 12 NO: 0
Resolution No. 6 Resolution Recommending Delinquent Tax Attorney AYE: 12 NO: 0
Resolution No. 7 Resolution Approving the Amended Section 125 Cafeteria Plan Effective January 1, 2017 AYE: 12 NO: 0
Resolution No. 8 Initial Resolution Authorizing the Issuance of Not to Exceed Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000) General Obligation Public Improvement Bonds of Lawrence County, Tennessee AYE: 11 NO: 1
Resolution No. 9 A Resolution Authorizing the Issuance of General Obligation Refunding and Improvement Bonds of Lawrence County, Tennessee
Sponsor: T.R. Williams AYE: 11 NO: 1
Resolution No. 10 Resolution to Amend Lawrence County’s Personnel Policy Governing Use of County Owned Vehicles AYE: 12 NO: 0
Resolution No. 11 Resolution of the Board of Commissioners for Lawrence County, Tennessee, Requesting a Private Act to Create a Clerk for the Lawrence County Grand Jury AYE: 12 NO: 0
Resolution No. 12 Resolution Establishing Cost Guidelines for the Purchase of Pipe and Materials for In-House Waterline Extension Projects AYE: 12 NO: 0
Resolution No. 13 Resolution to Provide Matching Funds for Various Grants Received by the Lawrence County Volunteer Fire Departments and Members Thereof AYE: 12 NO: 0
Of particular note at this meeting, with the passage of Resolution No. 9, Lawrence County taxpayers will save approximately $600,000 in tax dollars by refunding (refinancing) old county bonds. These savings along with the bond refunding that the county commission did last year which saved taxpayers over $1 million, will allow the county to make a $1.5 million commitment to the effort to bring a four-year technical college to Lawrence County, at no new expense to taxpayers. It's important to note that the contribution will only be made if the project comes to fruition and the State of Tennessee awards state funding to the project. However, state officials are confident this will happen in the months ahead.
Once completed, Tennessee Tech estimates that 2,500 students will be attending the college within 5 years. So not only will local students and our workforce benefit from having a four-year college in Lawrence County, but so will our local economy with the additional revenue and potential retail and industry that a college often helps bring to a community.
The four-year college coupled with the two new high schools that will be built in Lawrence County in the near future will put our county on a stronger path forward and in a strong position to grow and succeed in the years ahead. That is something that all Lawrence County can be proud of.
