My Comment

It's been a long 24hrs for me and I wanted to make sure I that I represented what went on yesterday. If anyone has any corrections, please let me know and I will report them next week.

The county commission met for a special session at 8:00 am to vote on the stop-loss policy for our county health plan.  There was debate about how the process of choosing a re-insurer was handled and I, for one, was not happy as we only had one proposal to choose from.  Because we were up against a July deadline, we voted 23-0 to approve.  Had we not done so, starting July 1st, we would not have a stop-loss policy in place. We really need to take a deep dive into our health policy as there are opportunities to potentially save millions of dollars. I will keep you appraised as we go through the process in the coming months.

At 9:00 am, we met to approve the county budget and set the county tax rate.   For the purposes of review, we just went through a new appraisal and all of our homes went up in value significantly.  For example, my home went up 60%.  We all got our new values mailed out on May 9th.

During the discussions (you can watch the entire meeting here ). The longest discussion of the morning session was about raising the Sheriff's Department pay (starts at 1:17:14). We voted on an amendment to increase the sheriff's budget by $1,095,427 which would bring  their salary level up to the 75th percentile in relation to other similar counties.  We had healthy debate on this and there was a second amendment that would include bringing all Williamson County employees up to the 75th percentile at a cost of an additional $1,085,832, which failed.

We continued on and passed the entire county budget, including the pay raise for the sheriff's department, for $902,031,427 which was down from the proposed budget of $904,217,990.  After that, we passed the certified tax rate that is required by state law whenever there is a reassessment and that rate was $1.2433 per $100 of assessed value.  With all that done, the only thing left was to determine our new county tax rate for 2025-26, which we would tackle after adjourning for lunch.

When we returned from lunch, commissioners Sanford and Hester asked that we reconsider our vote on the budget as they felt that they voted incorrectly on the second amendment that was voted down in the morning.  We had to completely unravel our earlier votes on both amendments above and vote on a new amendment that would include bringing all county employees up to the 75th percentile.  You can watch the discussion starting at 6:01:44.  I highly recommend that you watch the whole discussion if you want to understand what transpired.  The bottom line is that we ended up including all the county employees and the final total county budget ended up being $903,117,259.

After redoing the budget, it was time to set the tax rate for 2025-26, which starts at 6:37.  Again, there was a lot of discussion that I recommend you watch. We ended up with a tax rate of $1.30 per $100 of assessed value, which was down from the original rate of $1.34 but up from the amended rate of $1.29.  So, in essence, when all is said and done, we raised taxes by $.05 from the certified rate with $.01 of that raise paying for increasing all of the county employees up to the 75th percentile of their peer counties.

Note: The sheriff did a great job of justifying the pay increase for his department over several months to several committees. The increase for the rest of the county employees is not so clear. We will be asking HR to clarify at the next commission meeting. Because of this discrepancy, six of my colleagues voted no on the final budget and I don't blame them; they were making a statement about the process and not pay raises. I voted yes in part because of our 911 center is currently understaffed. Giving them a pay increase at the cost of 1/2 of a cent will help them retain personnel. No matter how I voted it would not have changed the outcome.

Additionally, we didn't address the salaries for the school district. I am certain that will be taken up shortly.

Here is an example of county tax for a million dollar home:

Appraised Value = $1,000,000 Assessed Value = $250,000 times $1.30 divided by 100= $3,250

Every penny of tax for a $1,000,000 home represents $25.00

Every penny of tax represents almost $3,000,000 in revenue.

Franklin is taxing real-estate at $.32 and I don't know what the Franklin Special School District (FSSD)will be taxing this year nor do I know what Brentwood, Fairview, Nolensville, Thompson Station or Spring Hill are doing.

A couple of videos I watched that I think you might be interested in That Sugar Film lays out the issue will sugar in a powerful way, and, more importantly, The agenda talks about whats coming world wide

This past week the following committees/commissions met:

Monday June 16th

• Williamson County School Board
• Williamson County HR
• City of Franklin Design Review

Wednesday June 18th

• Williamson County law and Order/Public Safety

Friday June 20th

• Williamson County Commission Special Session
• Williamson County Commission
• Williamson County School Board Special Session

The AI program I use is pretty accurate, but it does make mistakes from time to time and I don't always catch them. I provide agendas and videos/audios when I have them available and recommend that you watch the video and follow along with the summary to get the most accurate report.

One of the limitations of AI is that if a participant's name is not called out, then they are listed as participant 1, 2, etc. A limitation with audio, as opposed to video, is that one cannot always identify a person by voice alone. As imperfect as these AI summaries are, they still give a pretty good account of a meeting.

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Williamson County School District

Monday June 16th

School Board Agenda Video

AI Summary

Action Items

• [ ] Mr. Golden - Send technology committee meeting dates to board and public Send around the dates when the technology committee is meeting (August 12th and September) to remind the board and public of the schedule and what they're discussing regarding cell phone policies.
• [ ] Ms. Lopez - Communicate with technology committee prior to August meeting Provide the technology committee with a synopsis of the board's cell phone policy discussion, the new policy effective July 1st, and relevant research materials before the August 12th meeting so they come prepared for deeper discussions.
• [ ] Mr. Golden - Provide superintendent report update on reassessment policy implementation Include an update in the superintendent's report midway through the 2025-2026 school year about the implementation of the reassessment practices that were removed from policy 4.601, specifically how consistently this practice is being applied across different schools.

Overview

• Board approved Superintendent Golden's evaluation with an aggregate score around 3.3-3.4 and Golden chose not to seek contract extension until 2028
• Board approved $5.2 million in summer learning grants and $49,410 in fine arts donations from Gibson Gives
• Board adopted wireless communication device policy allowing high school students phone use during lunch periods, rejecting amendment for full "bell to bell" restriction
• Board adopted student test access policy after removing reassessment language following public concerns about grade change implications
• Technology committee will provide cell phone policy recommendations in September 2025 after August 12th meeting

Public comment on policy concerns

• Deborah Bufalini raised concerns about policy 4.601 wording on "reassessment" vs "academic assessments," arguing the language could be interpreted differently and should be rewritten for clarity
• Amy Etchison advocated for bell-to-bell phone-free school policy, citing research showing 90% of NEA members support prohibiting devices during instructional time and 83% support all-day prohibition

Superintendent evaluation approval

• Board approved Golden's evaluation with aggregate score around 3.3-3.4 combining both evaluation sections
• Golden chose not to request contract extension beyond current 2028 expiration, citing need for more time working with 6 new board members after 9 months together
• Golden outlined 3 focus areas for next year: growing students with unique learning needs, building student relationships as foundation of safety, and proactive engagement with stakeholders

Budget grant approvals

• Board approved General Purpose School Fund Summer Learning Camps Grant for $4,400,725
• Board approved Summer Learning Transportation Grant for $798,171 (district expects to return unused portion to state)
• Board approved 2024-2025 budget adjustments for final year-end intra category corrections across general purpose, cafeteria, and extended school program funds
• Board approved capital resolution intent to fund $14,135,800 for 07.25, which county commission will review in July
• Board approved differentiated pay plan with estimated cost of $1.3 million for hard-to-fill subject areas

Fine arts donations acceptance

• Board approved $49,410 donation from Gibson Gives (charitable arm of Gibson guitars) for music programs
• Board approved $1,000 unrestricted donation from Roger and Carrie Dunaway for music programs
• Board approved $5,737.23 TCAT donation for dual enrollment teacher salaries

Wireless communication device policy debate

• Board adopted policy 6.312 allowing grades K-8 devices silenced and stored during school day, grades 9-12 may use devices during lunch period
• Dr. Reeves proposed amendment to eliminate lunch period exception and add grace period through fall 2025 semester with full enforcement starting spring 2026
• Amendment failed 4 yes, 6 no after extensive debate about implementation timeline and community input
• Technology committee scheduled to meet August 12th and provide recommendations in September 2025
• Policy takes effect July 1st in compliance with state law

Student test access policy amendments

• Board adopted policy 4.601 after removing reassessment language from lines 33-37 on page one through line 5 on page two
• Board struck additional language in lines 3-4 ending policy at "access and retain academic assessments"
• Mr. Bostic's amendment to remove reassessment language passed 7 yes, 3 no
• Mr. Galbraith's clarifying amendment passed 9 yes, 1 no
• Final policy vote was 8 yes, 2 no

Student wellness policy adoption

• Board adopted policy 6.411 requiring 45 minutes daily recess for elementary students (exceeding state requirement of 40 minutes)
• Policy includes language that electronic device time cannot count as physical activity for middle school students
• Policy passed 10 yes, 0 no on second reading

Friday June 20th

Special School Board Meeting Agenda Video

AI Summary

Overview

• County commission reduced school insurance expenses by $500 per full-time equivalent, requiring emergency budget amendments totaling $2,694,000 in reductions across three funds
• School system is using $50 million from fund balance to balance the 2025-26 budget, creating significant future budget challenges since less fund balance will be available next year
• County commission gave other county employees and sheriff's office additional pay raises ($1.3 million for sheriff, $1.1 million for county employees) while excluding Williamson County Schools, creating equity concerns
• Property tax revenue assumption changed from 92% to 94%, providing $12.5 million in additional revenue but representing a one-time fix that won't be available for future budgets

County commission budget decisions impact

• County commission met earlier that day and reduced school insurance expenses by $500 per full-time equivalent as expected
• Commission approved additional funding beyond the 4% budget parameter: $1.3 million for sheriff's office pay raises and $1.1 million for county employees based on a pay study from approximately 6 months ago
• Participant 2 expressed disappointment that schools were singled out as the only county employees not receiving the enhanced cost of living adjustments and 75th percentile pay increases
• Participant 3 noted this differential treatment is unprecedented in his 20 years of budget experience and will require ongoing discussions with county government
• Multiple commissioners contacted Participant 3 after the 3:30 PM commission meeting to discuss addressing the schools situation

General fund budget amendment

• Board approved reducing general fund budget from $565,306,797 to $562,612,797
• Amendment passed with 9 yes votes and 0 no votes
• Participant 3 recommended approval despite concerns about the county's differential treatment of school employees

Property tax revenue assumption changes

• County commission changed property tax revenue projection from 92% to 94% of assessed taxes
• Change increased school revenue projections by approximately $12.5 million, helping balance the budget
• Sales tax revenue decreased by $1.6 million while state TISA funding increased by $1.2 million
• Participant 4 noted this represents borrowing from next year since it's a one-time revenue increase
• Historical property tax collection rates typically run 97-98%, with this year at approximately 95% to date
• Value of one tax penny increased from $1.8 million last year to approximately $2.7 million currently

Future budget challenges

• School system using $50 million from fund balance to balance current budget, with $66 million total projected fund balance and $17 million required reserve (3% of operating expenses)
• Participant 4 characterized the situation as living "paycheck to paycheck" rather than having savings to rely on
• Next year's budget will start with significantly less available fund balance, creating sustainability concerns
• Participant 3 described the property tax assumption change as a "one year fix" that won't address recurring budget needs

Central cafeteria fund amendment

• Board approved reducing central cafeteria fund budget from $20,827,302 to $20,749,302
• Amendment passed with 9 yes votes and 0 no votes

Extended school program amendment

• Board approved reducing extended school program budget from $8,077,174 to $8,045,674
• Program's fund balance projected to decrease from $1.5 million to approximately $1 million, using $500,000 to fund operations
• Amendment passed with 9 yes votes and 0 no votes

Next Week

Nothing scheduled for the next two weeks.

Williamson County Commission

Williamson County Commission committees

Special Note: Since Williamson County does not record any meetings other than the commission, budget committee and planning commission meetings, I am recording all the meetings that I attend on my iPhone. We are in the process of reviewing a technology upgrade that will allow the county to record more meetings as well as include agendas, minutes and packets on our website. I will keep you up to date when progress is made.

Monday June 16th

HR Committee Met Resolution Resolution Grant Contract Resolution Audio

AI Summary

Overview

• Committee approved $575,133 in budget amendments across three items, with Thompson Station fire captain funding initially deferred due to number discrepancies before final approval
• Thompson Station agreed to pay 50% of salary and benefits for new fire captain position through interlocal agreement
• Mental health coordinator position converted from unfilled staff role to $60,000 contracted services with Youth Villages
• Sheriff's office received $515,133 evidence-based programming grant for year one of two-year $912,599 total grant

Thompson Station fire captain funding agreement

• Committee initially deferred resolution due to salary discrepancies between $50,000 discussed amount and $93,620 listed in budget documents
• Thompson Station board voted in June to fund 50% of fire captain salary and benefits at Station 23
• Participant 7 confirmed interlocal agreement specifies Thompson Station pays 50% of salary and benefits, with county covering all equipment
• Participant 3 noted Thompson Station also budgeted approximately $42,000 for dispatching services not previously covered
• Participant 3 mentioned Thompson Station considering similar arrangement for future Burnwood station in 1.5-2 years
• Resolution later approved 4-1 after numbers clarification, with Participant 1 voting against citing fairness concerns
• Total budget amendment of $300,775.33 with revenues from donations and county general fund balance

Mental health coordinator contract conversion

• Participant 6 explained position remained unfilled for nearly 2 years despite recruitment efforts
• Committee approved $60,000 budget transfer from personnel to contracted services with Youth Villages statewide mental health provider
• Participant 6 noted potential to revert to full-time position in future if needed
• Resolution approved unanimously 5-0

Sheriff's office evidence-based programming grant

• Participant 9 presented $515,133 grant for year one of two-year evidence-based programming initiative
• Total grant amount is $912,599 over two years, with year two funding of $397,466
• Grant partners with Educare nonprofit to provide recidivism reduction programming inside jail
• Grant includes funding for deputy position to assist with inmate transport and security during classes
• Resolution approved unanimously

Wednesday June 18th

Law Enforcement/ Public Safety met Resolution Resolution Grant Contract Resolution

My AI didn't work for this meeting for some unknown reason. I can tell you that we discussed the same resolutions as HR on Monday and passed them all unanimously.

Friday June 20th

Special Session and Commission Meeting Full packet Video

Overview

• Commission approved $4.6 million stop loss insurance contract with Cigna despite receiving only one bid and procedural concerns about the RFP process
• Approved $1.275 million pay raise for sheriff's department to bring deputies to 75th percentile market rate, funded by adding 1 penny to tax rate
• Failed to extend 75th percentile pay raises to all county employees after initial rejection, then reconsideration vote of 12-10
• Set final tax rate at $1.30 per $100 assessed value, up from certified rate of $1.2433
• Approved total county budget of $902,031,427 across all funds after multiple amendments

Stop loss insurance contract approval

• Commission approved Cigna stop loss insurance contract for $61.85 per employee monthly with $400,000 deductible
• Only one company bid on the contract, raising concerns about adequate competition
• Hayes criticized the RFP process for burying stop loss requirements as item #15 within a broader medical insurance RFP
• Richards noted this was the first separate stop loss resolution in 5 years and questioned why it bypassed Budget Committee review
• Contract includes laser pooling provision excluding 24 year old member with potential $3.3 million impact to county
• Commission voted 23-0 to approve despite procedural concerns

Stop loss bidding process concerns

• Commissioner Hayes argued the RFP title "Medical and Prescription" didn't include "Stop Loss," preventing specialized carriers from knowing they could bid
• Commissioner Richards found no stop loss carriers bid because the requirement was hidden within the broader RFP document
• Webb confirmed the purchasing process followed state guidelines with bids posted publicly and sent to interested entities
• Mason noted the P\&I committee discussed this for months with commissioners attending meetings
• Commission agreed to hire independent benefits consultant/broker to improve future processes

Sheriff's department 75th percentile pay raise

• Torres proposed $1.275 million amendment to bring sheriff's department to 75th percentile pay
• Sheriff Hughes explained this addresses compression issues where 5-year deputies might only earn 50 cents more than new hires
• Amendment affects multiple budget lines: $898,929 for sheriff's department, $177,507 for jail, $18,991 for workhouse
• Hughes noted department is transitioning from 12-hour to 10-hour shifts to improve safety and reduce overtime
• Commission unanimously approved 23-0 after extensive debate about funding sources

County-wide employee compensation discussion

• Webb proposed extending 75th percentile raises to all county employees except schools, estimated at $2.2 million total
• HR Director Cochran revealed county currently pays at 50th percentile compared to market, making recruitment difficult
• Amendment initially failed 10-13, then was reconsidered after lunch when Commissioners Sanford and Hester said their votes were recorded incorrectly
• After reconsideration, amendment passed 12-10 but required additional $1.085,832 million in budget
• Final vote on amended budget with county-wide raises passed 16-5-1

Budget appropriations by department

• General administration: $24,297,451
• Public safety (as amended): $55,887,746
• General purpose school fund (as amended): $562,612,797
• Total county budget all funds: $902,031,427
• Budget includes 4% across-the-board raise for all employees plus targeted adjustments to reach 75th percentile

Insurance cost reductions and savings

• Commissioner Lawrence noted county spent $100 million on insurance last year (10% of total budget)
• County spent $20 million more than Montgomery County and $15 million more than Rutherford County in 2023

Tax rate setting and collection assumptions

• Commission set final tax rate at $1.30 per $100 assessed value
• Certified revenue-neutral rate was $1.2433 following reappraisal
• Commissioner Williams proposed increasing to $1.32 to maintain 92% collection rate assumption instead of 94%
• Amendment to $1.32 failed 9-13; commission stayed with $1.30 rate
• One penny generates approximately $2.7 million in revenue; $20 annual cost for $800,000 home

Next Week

Monday june 23rd

Education Committee meets at 5:30 pm Executive Conference RoomWilliamson County Administrative Complex 1320 West Main StreetFranklin Agenda.

Go here to see the rest of the week

These are all public meetings and anyone can attend.

Williamson County Commission Committees

Board of Mayor and Aldermen

For this week Next Week go here

Election Commission

Next Week go here

If not me, who?

If not now, when?

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Heb. 11:1)

“We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer gently.” (1^st Corinthians 4:12-13)

Blessings,

Bill

pettyandassociates@gmail.com

Community resources

If you like Friday Recap, check out these other grassroots conservative projects!

• Williamson County Citizens Provides free tools and information to help grassroots conservatives exercise their citizenship here in Williamson County.
• Tennessee Voters for Election Integrity is helping restore confidence in Tennessee Elections.
• TruthWire Local news and commentary.
• Williamson County Republican Party is one of the most active parties in the state and captures the conservative heart of Tennessee.
• Mom's For Liberty Williamson County is dedicated to fighting for the American family by unifying, educating and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government.
• Tennessee Stands produces video media, podcasts, and live events, and provides social commentary on relevant issues in our state.
• M4LU is a new site developed by the national Mom's for Liberty but generated right here in Williamson County. The mission of M4LU is to to inform, equip, and empower parents with knowledge, understanding and practical tools.
• WCSB Substack. This site reports on the Williamson County School Board meetings. It provides accurate summaries of all WCSB meetings.

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