Natalie Bass Oakley

The committee discussed and approved various school amendments related to grant programs, software and state alignment initiatives, and cafeteria funds. The board reviewed information regarding a proposed Edupoint platform contract and a new multi-year copier services contract with R J Young, both of which are slated for future legislative approval. Additionally, the committee addressed concerns regarding the storage and management of school records located in a basement facility.

The committee discussed financial projections, including increased revenue, potential budget impacts from utility costs and mandated expenses, and the planning for upcoming budget hearings. The committee reviewed and approved several line-item budget amendments for the county, highway department, and school budget. Additionally, the committee deliberated on a proposed rule change regarding public comments at county meetings and discussed a resolution regarding a potential wheel tax as a revenue source for the county, including public input and debate over service cuts versus tax increases.

This document outlines a proposed partnership between Giles County Agri Park, its Board, and the University of Tennessee entities, aiming to elevate the Agri Park to a multi-purpose asset. Key priorities include enhancing academic programming, agricultural research, student engagement, and community use of the facility. The strategic path forward involves formalizing collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding, initiating a joint master planning process, and phased implementation to support education, agriculture, and regional engagement.

Key discussions included the approval of a budget amendment, which largely involved cleaning up line items, reallocating insurance recovery funds from a guardrail incident, and correcting a previous payroll oversight. The committee also addressed the formal adoption of several roads into the county road system, specifically Fiddler's Court, Scenic Cove, Dillon Lane, and Poling Drive. Approval was granted for all four roads, contingent on necessary remediation efforts such as bridge repair for Dillon Lane and grading/surfacing for Poling Drive. In new business, the committee reviewed the need for a replacement backhoe, noting a cost-effective used option was available, and a motion was passed to forward the request for funding to the budget committee. The department is also collaborating on a safety grant.

Key discussions and actions included concurrence on the agenda, recognition of the Employee of the Quarter, Ms. Jaclyn Payne from the Animal Shelter, and a report from the Economic Development Director covering unemployment rates and several large project updates (Iron Alp, TinCap, Boom, Solar Bear, Frontier) that did not submit applications, as well as updates on the Site Development Grant, Exit 14 development, the ThreeStar Grant, and the Waffle House groundbreaking. The body also addressed the recapture of property in Industrial Park South. A major item involved a recommendation to merge the Giles County Chamber into the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) and a resolution concerning funding tourism through short-term rental tax revenues. Department head reports covered EMS fleet needs, requiring authorization for two ambulance remounts and a new supervisor/tow vehicle; an overview of OHM contract amendments for the Courthouse Repairs Project (Amendment 1A for design, Amendment 1B for construction administration); a policy paper supporting the establishment of a formal Abernathy Airport Authority to improve governance and financial accountability; a paper on courthouse office security proposing a remote door lockdown and alerting system; and an issue paper prompting discussion on whether the county should adopt land-use planning to address rural encroachment. The session concluded with the election of Notaries Public at Large, approval of Finance Director reports for October and November 2025, approval of reports from the Health Department, Public Library, and Road Superintendent, and approval of the Giles County Debt Management Policy.