County Commission Holds 1st Work Session for Calendar Year
It was back to business as usual this week for the Jefferson County Commission as they held their first meeting following the holiday break. Commissioner David Seal recognized CTE Instructors at Jefferson County High School for their commitment and dedication, especially during the recent renovation to Building 8. Seal’s presentation followed three Public Hearings on Payday Loan Businesses, Solar Energy Systems and Wind Farms and a rezoning request.
Beyond the quarterly business of the Commission, which includes budget amendments for both County and Schools and committee action, the Commission also addressed points that will be considered at the voting meeting on Tuesday, January 19th, in the Historic Jefferson County Courthouse. A motion to opt into the Senior Tax Freeze program will be an agenda item next week and was the topic of debate at the Work Session. Commissioner Tucker brought the item to the floor and is a long time proponent of the Senior Tax Freeze. This item was rolled during the November meeting and has had some opposition from the Trustee’s Office, who contends that it would be costly to administrate. In response, Commissioner Tucker, informed the Commission that the same benchmarks used to establish eligibility for the Tax Relief Program that is currently offered by Jefferson County will also work for the Senior Tax Freeze, adding that the number of seniors qualifying for the tax freeze that do not already qualify for the tax relief program is minimal and the necessary information can be transferred with the click of a button to the necessary form, via the state. Other Commissioners expressed concerns regarding other non nonnegotiable caveats to the program and, as the discussion on this issue was cut short, it could be that additional information is brought at the voting meeting.
Other items of interest at the Work Session included information that repairs to the White Pine Bridge are to begin shortly, as the bid for the work has been awarded and a contract will be signed soon. Jefferson County Finance Director Potts stated that sales tax is currently up 7.3% and wheel tax is up 90%. An ad-hock committee to address the possibility of adjusting the number of members of the Beer Board will be established and Commissioner Seal requested assistance from the public on the issue of grant writing. Seal, along with other Commissioners, have expressed an interest in utilizing grants for the County and the possibility of employing a grant writer.
Due to Monday’s being a federal holiday, the County Commission will meet on Tuesday, January 19, 2016.
