Madison Co. budget committee hopes to finalize budget soon

MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. — The Madison County Budget Committee worked on the 2018-2019 budget Thursday.

“We feel really good about it. We are trying to hold our expenditures down to two and a half to three percent overall,” budget chairman Doug Stephenson said.

From department to department, the commissioners sifted through and approved some of the budget for the county.

“We were reported today that revenues are up about 5.5 (percent),” Stephenson said.

Members of the Beech Bluff Community sat in on the meeting hoping to make sure the Beech Bluff Community Center stays open.

“There was a lot of confusion. They had heard rumor that we were closing the facility, and that’s just not the case at all,” Stephenson said.

Residents say they are working to do good in the community. From day cares to special events, members say it’s a bonus and treasure to the area.

“One of the main things is Beech Bluff and the recreation budget and the Beech Bluff Community Center. What we are trying to do now is add money back in there for operations out there,” Stephenson said.

From a community center to the new Madison County jail, commissioners say they hope to have the final number to build the estimated multi-million dollar facility soon.

“We don’t have any numbers yet on the jail, but we feel we have numbers in our debt services that will cover it without a tax increase,” Stephenson said.

Commissioners must have the new budget approved by July 1, when the new fiscal year begins.