The Overton County Commission approved a $20.6 million budget Monday night including a 90-cent property tax decrease.
The tax rate decreased due to reappraisal. Despite the reduction, expenditures are an estimated $2.7 million more than the projected revenue. Overton County Executive Steven Barlow said he is not concerned with the general fund taking a large hit to cover the remaining expenditures.
“We’re still having a fund balance of $5 million, almost $5.5 million, so it’s just shy of that,” Barlow said. “And so we are still in the good, as far as having those three months of expenditures that we are required to have by the state.”
Barlow said he wants to make sure the fund balance does not run too low, He said he also does not want to take in more tax money than needed. Barlow said the fund balance could take less of a hit, as it is possible the county overbudgeted in some areas.
“If I overbudgeted for my office, I don’t go in on the last day and say where can I spend this money because this is the last day, you know, I’ve got all this money left,” Barlow said. “No, it goes back into the general fund, and you won’t see that until the following year.”
Barlow said the county used a pay study to include an estimated three percent raise for county employees in the budget. Barlow said the raise was all-important for the county’s emergency personnel.
“It was said last year that we were just a training ground in Overton County, and if you look back, we had such an overturn that people were leaving, and it’s true,” Barlow said. “We were a training ground, but we weren’t paying much, and so we got to take care of our emergency personnel.”
Barlow said he commends the commissioners for pulling together and getting the budget passed.
In other business, the commission approved pay up to $617 per month from July-November 2025 and up to $675 per month for health insurance from December 2025-June 2026 for County and Solid Waste employees.
The commission approved a fiscal strength letter as part of the three-star grant requirements.
The commission approved several highway bids. The bids were for Asphalt materials, gravel, and pipes. The commission also approved Jail and Senior Center food and nonfood bids. The bid approved was from US Foods.
Middle Brooke Lane and 470 Cravens Lane were approved to be added for emergency purposes only. Barlow said this was recommended by the Highway Committee.
The commission gave approval to the Sheriff’s Department to apply for the GHSO grant. The grant is an estimated $15,800, and Sheriff John Garrett said the grant would help pay overtime for deputies.
The commission approved the reappointment of Jerry Schetterer and Deborah NewKirk to the Millard Vaughn Oakley Public Library Committee.
The commission approved extending a quarry lease for Charles Stockton and Margaret Collins.
