County authorizes grant applications

By JOHN BRANNON
Staff Reporter
The Obion County Commission authorized the county to apply for two grants during its meeting on Monday.
First, it approved a resolution authorizing the county to apply for a U.S. Department of Agriculture Community Facility Assistance grant in the amount of $17,300 for the Obion County Public Library.
Then, it approved a resolution authorizing the county to apply for a Litter and Trash Collecting grant from the state Department of Transportation. No amount was stated.
The two items of business were among those which 19 of 21 commission members turned their attention to when processing public business on Monday.
The commission convened in regular session at 9 a.m. at the Obion County Courthouse. County commissioner and chairman Ralph Puckett of South Fulton presided.
In processing public business, the commission also:
• Approved a resolution amending the Obion County School System general purpose school fund by $56,211.
Request for the resolution was brought by Director of Schools David Huss. No new money is involved; it was a bookkeeping exercise.
Huss explained the fund was approved by the county commission on Aug. 17, 2009. It was later discovered that a special education teacher’s salary and benefits totaling $56,211 was mistakenly budgeted within the regular instruction program, “causing a shortfall in the Special Education program’s salaries and benefits.”
• Approved a resolution certifying the South Fulton Municipal-Regional Road plan.
The request was brought by South Fulton city manager Jeff Vowell for the South Fulton Regional Planning Commission.
“It hasn’t been updated in nearly 30 years and we have some roads that need to be reclassified in town,” Vowell said. “They don’t have as much traffic on them as they used to and some street names need correcting. It does extend beyond the boundaries of South Fulton. That’s why it had to be submitted to the South Fulton Commission and the Obion County Commission.”
Obion County highway superintendent Gary Lofton said the plan has been approved by the Obion County Highway Commission.
• Released County Trustee Lori Seals of the 2008 county taxes.
• Approved a resolution to adopt a Continuing Budget and Tax Rate for the fiscal year (2010-11) which begins on July 1. Budget committee chairman Danny Jowers told commissioners the state has not finalized its budget, that much of the county’s budget is comprised of state appropriations and that until the state budget for the next fiscal year is written and enacted, the county budget cannot be finalized.
Staff reporter John Brannon may be contacted by e-mail at jbrannon@ucmessenger.com.
Published in The Messenger 5.18.10

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