Madison County Commission approves 2021-2022 budget

MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. — The Madison County Commission met for the month of June, and approved the 2021-2022 budget.

Madison County Chairman Doug Stephenson says this was the first reading of the budget to the commission. And they still have a few changes to make before being completely finished.

“We have a couple of little minor changes, nothing major. Just minor things. This process has been really challenging this year, but I feel really good about it,” Stephenson said.

He says they were able to keep the budget to where taxes would not increase.

Also included in the budget is the education capital projects, such as the Pope school construction.

The committee put $770,000 into the educational capital funds. But a few commission members wanted to move that money to a different area.

Stephenson says they will have to adjust that before the next meeting.

“There was a discussion about whether we should have that in there or not, so we will probably take a look this week whether we need to do that or move it to another fund,” Stephenson said.

The budget chairman says the goal for the budget is to have a long-term plan for projects that the community needs. But getting those important items will be a balancing act.

“Finishing up the jail and things like that. Those things are very critical,” Stephenson said. “Anything with an educational capital will be critical, but what we also have to do is we have to be very sensitive with our debt service.”

The budget will be read for a second time at the next commission meeting on June 30.