Candy Higgs

The Steering Committee meeting included public comments regarding vacancies and professional qualifications for the Rutherford County Library Board. The committee also announced and confirmed several appointments to the Rutherford County Board of Health, the Rutherford County Opioid Board, the CCRC Board of Directors, the Planning Commission, the Juvenile Detention Center Board of Commissioners, and the position of judicial commissioner. Additionally, the committee discussed the litigation list and received an explanation from the county attorney regarding state legislation concerning 287G agreements. The committee also interviewed applicants for vacancies on the Rutherford County Library Board.

The committee meeting covered updates and reports from the Solid Waste and Convenience Centers department, including the cleaning of a county-owned property on Singer Road, landfill revenue statistics, and safety upgrades at centers. The committee approved a grant application for two new compactors at the Lever site. The Planning and Engineering department provided updates on available lot inventory and presented four rezoning applications for consideration, including projects on Epsom Road, Franklin Road, Old Nashville Highway, and Almaville Road. Finally, the committee discussed and approved an agreement with the Department of Transportation regarding the I-24 Southeast Choice Lanes project.

The meeting focused on the consideration of new revenue and expenditure adjustments for the proposed 2026-2027 budget, necessitated by changes in a state grant timeline. Key topics included a review of fund revenue variances, an analysis of expense account variances, including adjustments for employee cost-of-living increases, positions transferred for new school requirements, and health insurance cost adjustments, as well as an overall analysis of the General Purpose School Fund.

The board meeting agenda focused on various operational, financial, and educational matters. Key items included the approval of nepotism disclosures, procurement of software and curriculum materials for the upcoming school year, facility usage agreements, and the appointment of non-faculty volunteer coaches. Discussions also addressed human resources, such as new and updated job descriptions, and instructional initiatives including the purchase of an student engagement platform and a sexual risk avoidance program. Engineering and construction reports covered sewer easement revisions, change orders, project close-outs, and requests for new storage structures and renovations. Additionally, financial and legal policies, including potential transfers of disciplined students, were reviewed.

The committee met to discuss the recommendation of Sigma for medical, dental, vision, and pharmacy ASO services. The discussion focused on the competitive bidding process, the decision to bundle these services with a single provider to minimize disruption, and the projected financial savings over a three-year period. Members also inquired about the potential for adding an additional vision network and the process for implementing such changes without violating procurement regulations.