The Wayne County Commission met in regular session on Monday, March 18, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. at the County Administrative Building. County Executive Jim Mangubat called the meeting to order. Commissioners in attendance were Tom Mathis, Logan Shull, Kathryn Staggs, Tyler McDonald, Sherrie Powers, Colby McDonald, David Martin, Vickie Petty, Jeremy Heard, Stan Hanback, Alvin Creecy, Patrick Butler, and Stephen Pevahouse. Also in attendance was County Clerk Stan Horton. Commissioner Ricky Kelley and County Attorney Andy Yarbrough were absent.
County Clerk Horton offered the invocation, and the Pledge to Allegiance was recited by all.
Commissioner Creecy made a motion to approve the minutes from the previous commission meeting as presented. Commissioner Hanback seconded the motion, and the minutes were unanimously approved.
Commissioner Creecy next made a motion to approve the minutes from the various committee meetings. Commissioner Martin seconded, and the committee minutes were unanimously approved as well.
County Clerk Horton next presented Myra B. Staggs to serve as a notary. Commissioner Mathis made a motion to approve, and the motion was seconded by Commissioner Staggs. The motion carried unanimously.
Budget amendments were next on the agenda. Line-item amendments from the Sheriff’s Department budget were presented for approval. Commissioner Martin made a motion to approve the amendments as presented, and Commissioner Powers seconded. The motion passed unanimously on roll call vote.
Next under old business was a water update. County Executive Mangubat recapped what was discussed in the Water Committee meeting and said that he would be getting in touch with the Hardin County Executive to discuss the reason and cost concerns regarding Hardin County taking over the water lines on Highway 69. Mangubat said that he would also be getting in touch with the City of Collinwood to see if they would possibly be interested in taking over the lines. He said that he had also been talking with the Giles County Executive regarding how the City of Ardmore, Tennessee is operating and maintaining the Ardmore, Alabama water lines.
The courthouse HVAC was next on the agenda. County Executive Mangubat said that they are working to finalize the system, but there is no estimated completion date at this time.
A statement of current bills due at Boyd Cottages Assisted Living was distributed to the commissioners in their packets for review. Commissioner Mathis made a motion to set an amount of $15,000.00 to cover the invoices due and any possible invoices that may come in before the transfer of ownership of the facility. Commissioner Pevahouse seconded the motion, and it passed on roll call vote with Commissioners Mathis, Pevahouse, Butler, Shull, C. McDonald, Hanback, Petty, Powers, Staggs, Martin, and Creecy voting yes, and Commissioners T. McDonald and Heard voting no.
The closing of the sale of the Boyd Cottages Assisted Living Facility was set to take place on Friday, March 22 at 9:00 a.m. Commissioner Powers recommended that the money received from the sale go into the General Fund, and suggested further discussion of the reserve of some of the funds.
Next on the agenda was a discussion regarding the maintenance of community cemeteries in the county. County Executive Mangubat stated that he had reached out to the Assistant Warden at Turney Center and to Tennessee Department of Corrections (TDOC) Commissioner Frank Strada regarding the inmates maintaining mowing and upkeep of the cemeteries as they have done in the past. County Executive Mangubat said that Commissioner Strada confirmed that the inmate crews would continue to maintain the same community cemeteries and county properties that they have in the past, and the rumors about changes to the process or fees being incurred are completely false. This came as a great relief to everyone, especially those who have loved ones buried in these cemeteries. Some of the concerned citizens who were present at the meeting expressed appreciation for the continuation of cemetery maintenance. Commissioner Powers thanked Commissioner Mathis for keeping this issue at the forefront of county concerns.
Next, Jeff Minatra of Collier Engineering presented a brief recap of the recommendations for the best way to process wastewater at the county’s Industrial Park. Consultants were paid through a grant to recommend a master plan for the best way to process and dispose of waste if and when a new company chooses to build at the Industrial Park. Three options were given, with the consultants recommending Option #3 in the report as the most feasible as well as being the least expensive. Option #3 was estimated to cost $1.1 million. Commissioner Powers made a motion to approve Option #3 as recommended by Landmark Engineering, which consists of a four-acre drip field. It was noted that this option will not include any wastewater affecting Chalk Creek or any other creeks or streams. Commissioner Hanback seconded the motion, and it passed on roll call vote with only one commissioner, Jeremy Heard, voting no.
Commissioner Powers then questioned the status of the Wheel Tax Resolution, and reminded the commission that it must be presented in two meetings for a vote. The State Legislature will recess in April. Commissioner Powers asked County Executive Mangubat to check on when the resolution must be turned into the state for consideration. Commissioner Powers also inquired as to when the one-cent property tax increase would be presented.
Commissioner Powers then asked when the light for the War Memorial at the flagpole outside the Administrative Building would be installed. County Clerk Horton said that there had been some concern about a way to put up the lighting without creating a trip hazard for anyone walking around the memorial. Commissioner Mathis said that Commissioner Kelley, who is an electrician, had volunteered to put up the lighting at the memorial but has not had time to do it yet.
Wayne County E911 Director Jimmy Turnbow addressed the commission next regarding the 911 Board. He said that board member Daniel Kimes has moved, and recommended that Randy Giles be appointed to the board to fill the District 7 seat. Commissioner Colby McDonald made a motion to approve, and Commissioner Tyler McDonald seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
The proposed Farmers’ Market was next on the agenda. County Executive Mangubat said that County Attorney Andy Yarbrough, who has recently been unable to work due to illness, will need to review some of the questions regarding the Farmers’ Market before it begins.
Wayne County JECDB Director Rena Purdy next addressed the commission regarding the USDA Corral Grant. The grant funds will be used for a portable corral for the Wayne County Ag Center. Commissioner Creecy made a motion to accept the low bid for the corral from First Farmers Co-Op at $39,000.00. Commissioner Staggs seconded the motion, and it failed on roll call vote with Commissioners Creecy casting the only “yes” vote. Commissioner Shull abstained from the vote due to a conflict of interest.
Bids for a storage building for the Ag Center were next on the agenda. Commissioner Mathis made a motion to accept the low bid from Summertown Metal for a 20’x 48’ building at the cost of $9,600. Martin Haggard has stated that he will pay the labor cost of $2,400 for the installation of the building. Commissioner Creecy seconded the motion to accept the low bid, and the motion carried unanimously on roll call vote.
JECDB Director Purdy then asked about raising the threshold of spending from $10,000 to a higher amount before items must be put out for bids. County Executive Mangubat said that he would contact CTAS to see if it would be possible to do this under general law guidelines.
Highway Superintendent Chuck Moser next addressed the commission under Department Reports. He first asked the commission for approval to purchase a property just across the Hardin County line in order to have access to chert for Highway Department use. He said that the chert pit currently used by the county is no longer viable for that purpose, and requested to sell the existing chert pit. Moser confirmed that he was not asking the county for any funding. Commissioner Hanback made a motion to approve Superintendent Moser’s request, and the motion was seconded by Commissioner Staggs. The motion carried unanimously on roll call vote.
Solid Waste Director Robert Hayes presented the current mileage report and C&D revenue report for his department.
Sheriff Shane Fisher began by thanking the commission for their service to the county. He said that two new deputies had recently graduated from the academy, and there are interviews scheduled for more interested in the deputy positions. He said that the recent increase in benefits and pay had prompted many more to inquire about employment with the department.
Sheriff Fisher went on to say that his department recently had an inspection from the Corrections Division, and there were no findings on the report. He also said that a grant the department received was paying for two new vans. Commissioner Powers asked who typically writes grant application for the department, and Sheriff Fisher said that Sgt. Seth Norris has done many of them but is soon retiring.
Director of Schools Dr. Ricky Inman gave a brief update, also thanking the commission for their service. He congratulated the WCHS Lady Cats and FHS Lions for their recent success in the State Basketball Tournament. The Lady Cats finished in the final four, and the Lions were 1st runners-up in the boys’ tournament. Dr. Inman also informed the commission that the CTE building at Frank Hughes School should be completed in three weeks.
Dr. Inman also briefly addressed the school voucher program that has been suggested by Governor Bill Lee. Dr. Inman said that the State Senate and State House of Representatives had presented alternatives to Governor Lee’s proposal, but nothing has yet been voted on.
Highway Superintendent Moser addressed the commission once again, stating that there had been recent meetings with those concerned about the construction of a new access road for Collinwood schools. He said that this project is still in the early planning stages, and his department would continue to work toward seeing the project completed.
Commissioner Mathis suggested that the Frank Hughes Lions be invited to the next commission meeting to be presented with a certificate for their accomplishments both on and off the basketball court.
With no further business to come before the commission, Commissioner Creecy made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Staggs seconded, and the meeting was adjourned.
