White County Budget Approved Despite Flock Debate
The White County Budget Committee debated the future of police camera funding as commissioners weighed privacy concerns against law enforcement wants. The discussion focused on the $25,000 allocated for Flock Safety cameras and pursuit alert contracts. Commissioner TK Austin said he does not trust the system because he believes corporate entities can pay to access […]
Waste Management Offers Funds To Relocate Shelter
White County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson told County Commissioners Monday that Waste Management has offered to pay the county between $500,000 and $750,000 if officials agree to relocate the animal shelter. Robinson said company wants to use the space to increase revenue through success fee collection. “They would, give us that money this, this calendar […]
White County Board Passes $42 Million School Budget
The White County School Board will send a $42 million general purpose school budget to County Commissioners for final approval. Board of Education Chair Bob Young said the approved budget includes a deficit of approximately $4 million. Officials expect to offset that once federal program funding is released in the fall. Young said the board […]
Dronebarger Gets Raise, Still Below Peer Director Standard
The White County Board of Education approved a seven percent salary increase for Director Of Schools Kurt Dronebarger Thursday night. Board members voted to amend the director’s salary line item from the contractually mandated $117,300 to just over $123,000. That number leaves White County some 20 percent below its peers in director pay. Board member […]
White County Schools Presents Nearly Balanced Budget
The White County Board of Education took a step closer Tuesday night to a nearly balanced budget for the 2026-2027 school year that prioritizes personnel compensation. Director of Schools Kurt Dronebarger said the proposed general purpose school fund budget includes a nominal expenditure increase of just 0.67 percent compared to the previous year. Dronebarger said […]
Doyle Elementary Expands With Classroom Addition
Doyle Elementary School will undergo a seven-classroom expansion and playground renovation project this summer designed to centralize grade levels and provide dedicated instructional space for specialty teachers. Doyle Elementary School Principal Melea Johnson said the new construction is located near the existing playground area and will allow the school to house second through fifth grades […]
Swatting Calls Disrupt Celebrations At White County Schools
White County Director of Schools Kurt Dronebarger said a series of unfounded swatting calls disrupted the school day. Dronebarger said the threats included a false report of an intruder inside a school building Wednesday morning followed by a second unfounded report of a suspicious person outside in the woods near a school. White County officials […]
White County Limits Spending Despite Large Requests
White County officials navigating budget season as funding requests for the upcoming fiscal year have reached approximately $2 million against only $250,000 in projected new revenue. White County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson said the significant gap between requested funds and available revenue has forced the budget committee to deny numerous funding proposals. Robinson said the […]
Sparta Board Approves Phase 1 Of Substation Upgrades
The Sparta Board of Mayor and Alderman approved over $350,000 in electrical substation upgrades Thursday to improve power reliability. Mayor Jerry Lowery said the city is working with TVA on a multi-year process to modernize the local power grid. Lowery said the project is expected to take between four and five years to complete as […]
White County Solid Waste Relocation Faces Septic Challenges
White County is searching for alternative solutions or a potential new site for its solid waste department relocation after geological studies revealed the current county-owned property cannot support a standard septic system. White County Executive Denny Robinson said the county intended to move its operations to land near an old rock quarry on Roberts-Matthews Highway […]
