Where's Jim?

Where's Jim? That's the question citizens in the 6th County Commission district are likely asking about County Commissioner Jim Vaughn following his recent column in the Hendersonville Standard.

In the column, Vaughn suggests the recently adopted tax rate came as a surprise to him. He further notes that he doesn't understand why the schools need more money and that it's not clear to him Sumner County faced financial disaster if something wasn't changed.

Vaughn might be surpised about the budget and tax issues because meeting minutes from the September 2nd meeting where Commissioners were sworn-in and assigned to committees reflect that Vaughn wasn't present that night.

Minutes from the September 8th meeting where the School Board's budget was voted on by the Education Committee indicate that Vaughn didn't bother showing up for that one, either. And, on September 15th, when County Commissioners voted on the budget for schools, Jim Vaughn wasn't present.

Voters elected Jim Vaughn to serve them by attending meetings, asking questions, and being a part of the process. But it looks like he took most of September off. No word yet on whether Vaughn will return his monthly stipend for September to the General Fund.

Vaughn did show up to the October 20th County Commission meeting. But his November 21st article suggests he wasn't aware of what was going to be discussed at a November 3rd County Commission meeting.

Vaughn says he was surprised a tax increase was being discussed in spite of public notice published on the County Commission website and in the Hendersonville Star News and Gallatin News Examiner on both October 22nd and October 31st. The notice stated clearly the "intent to exceed the certified tax rate."

Further, as a County Commissioner, Vaughn would have received a meeting packet and agenda. So, sometime in the two weeks between when he should have known what was on the agenda and the night of the meeting, Vaughn could have talked to Finance Director David Lawing and found out more about what was going to be recommended.

Finally, Vaughn asserts that the county was well-managed in the past. This must mean he suffers from the same faulty memory currently afflicting fellow Commissioner Merrol Hyde. Vaughn previously served on the budget committee. He was a part of the group that consistently recommended deficit budgets made whole through spending of reserve funds. It was Vaughn who helped craft a taxpayer-funded bailout of the county's failed insurance trust.

As County Commissioner Chris Taylor made clear in an analysis of the budget situation, before the vote to raise taxes, Sumner County was on the verge of financial collapse as early as July, 2015. This because previous leaders, Vaughn among them, steered the ship wrecklessly in the name of never raising taxes.

Now, taxpayers in District 6 are left to wonder: Is Jim Vaughn doing his job? He's not showing up to meetings, he's not paying attention to meeting notices, and he's not taking responsibility for his past failed leadership.

For more on news in Hendersonville, follow @HvilleNews

Merrol's Murky Memory

Apparently, County Commissioner Merrol Hyde has forgotten that under his leadership, Sumner County routinely dipped into reserve funds to balance the budget. He's forgotten that his leadership of the County Commission coincided with budgets that got Sumner County to a point where without an infusion of funds, we'd be bankrupt by July 2015.

He told the Hendersonville Star News on November 7th:

“My problem is this, the old commission did a good job of spending the money they had wisely. We estimated the budget conservatively. We weren’t dipping into reserves. We had plenty of money coming in the next year.”

It seems Hyde has forgotten that back in 2012, the County Commission bailed out its badly mismanaged Insurance Trust to the tune of $3 million. The Commission authorized another $4 million plus in special project spending. All from reserve funds.

Yes, reserve funds.

Which Hyde said his County Commission didn't need to balance the budget.

Except that they did. Because the only way the budget was balanced otherwise was to not properly fund the Insurance Trust so that the County's contributions were artificially low.

In fact, $3 million new dollars are being pumped into the Insurance Trust this year. Because the "old Commission" failed to manage it properly.

Hyde is counting on the public having a short memory. But the evidence is clear: Hyde's leadership was about budgets out of balance and reserve funds paying for bailouts.

Oh, and the last time taxes went up in Sumner County? Merrol Hyde was Director of Schools (and on the County Commission) and presented a budget that was out of balance. His proposed solution? A tax increase.


For more on news in Hendersonville, follow @HvilleNews

JOB: Hair Stylist at Ulta

Ulta in Hendersonville is seeking a Hair Stylist:


Under direct supervision, consults with customers on their hair needs, recommends professional hair care services and products.  A Designer delivers quality technical service with emphasis on the customer’s total look and is responsible for building a request client base through referrals and utilizing promotional materials available, while following all company policies and procedures.  Must be 18 years to apply.

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For more Hendersonville news and information, follow @HvilleNews

Have a job opening you'd like listed here? Send it to: newshendersonville@gmail.com


 

JOB: Executive Assistant to the President

Vol State is hiring an Executive Assistant to the President:

Job Summary:
Provides direct assistance and advice to the President in achieving goals and objectives with all matters of institutional operations and in the work of the President's administrative Cabinet. Provides efficient and effective administrative management of the Office of the President and facilitates communication between the President and internal and external constituencies. 

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For jobs and other news in the Hendersonville area, follow @HvilleNews

Sumner County Tax Rate Comparison

In light of the recently adjusted Sumner County tax rate, here's a comparison of Sumner County's rate of $2.50 per $100 of assessed value relative to other counties in Middle Tennessee:

Sumner:             $2.50

Cheatham:         $2.78

Montgomery:    $3.14

Robertson:        $2.96

Rutherford:       $2.56

Wilson:             $2.57

Chris Taylor Takes on the Budget

County Commissioner Chris Taylor has prepared a 6-page document that explains the reasoning behind the new property tax rate of $2.50.

Taylor uses charts and graphs and straightforward explanation to note why the County Commission set the rate where it did.

Here are a few highlights:

1) The property tax rate had not been raised or adjusted for inflation since 2003. Real purchasing power has declined by about 21 cents on the dollar over that time period. That means the county brings in the same dollar amount and it buys less and less each year.

2) The previous County Commission borrowed over $22 million from various reserve funds over the past 5 years to make up for the deficit budgets they were running.

3) The County Insurance Trust was bailed out using reserve funds in 2013 and will need another $3 million bailout to remain solvent in 2015. The Commission intends to correct this problem going forward by charging an appropriate rate for benefits and by properly funding the employee portion of benefits

4) Each 1 cent increase on the tax rate generates roughly $400,000

5) Operating funds for schools, including the new Burrus Elementary, account for nearly 18 cents of the increase

6) An additional portion of the increase will be used to pay for capital projects at schools, including a building plan that will both increase space at existing facilities and repair aging HVAC systems.

7) There are 700-800 people in Sumner County without running water. It will cost roughly $30 million to correct this problem -- but once fixed, it will have long-term health and economic development benefits.

YES - you did just read that there are homes in part of Sumner County that in 2014 do NOT have running water. 

The rate was set at $2.50 so as to allow for projected growth and adjust for inflation over time. In other words, the current County Commission did not want to just cover expenses and be faced with a crisis again next year. This rate, explains Taylor, will allow for growth and the accumulation of reserves.

Read his full presentation here.

For more on issues facing Hendersonville, follow @HvilleNews

County Commission Sets Tax Rate

The Sumner County Commission met Monday night and set the new tax rate at $2.50. That's a 42 cent increase over the rate set after the recent appraisal process. The new rate will mean a cost of about $10-13 a month for the average Sumner County homeowner.

The increase was approved after a presentation from Sumner County Finance Director David Lawing made a presentation noting that if there was no new revenue, the county would essentially be out of money by July 1st.

Here's Lawing's presentation.

After years of passing deficit budgets and funding them with reserve funds under the previous Commission leadership, the county ran out of options. The new rate will allow for management of growth in the county, provide funds to improve existing school facilities (significantly reducing reliance on portable classrooms), and shore up the county's finances so a dire situation like this year's can be avoided in the future.

The increase is the first passed in 11 years. The new rate is among the lowest in middle Tennessee and still, in raw dollars, lower than the rate in 1997.

JOB: Executive Director at The Hearth

The Hearth in Hendersonville is hiring an Executive Director.

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The Hearth at Hendersonville is our highly successful Senior Living Community in Tennessee. We have loved our entry into the Tennessee market so much; we have continued to grow with the development of our Community in Franklin, TN as well.
 
As Executive Director, your primary goal is to provide both exemplary management skills and leadership to the property to achieve and maintain the “Live More” quality of life that The Hearth has become synonymous with.

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Hendersonville Election Results

Yesterday, voters in Hendersonville went to the polls to decide on 6 Aldermen and on whether or not wine can be sold in grocery stores.

Here are the results:

WINE in GROCERY STORES:

YES -- 72%
NO  --  28%

Alderman, Ward 1

Rosa Long ran unopposed and will return to the BOMA

Alderman, Ward 2

Pat Campbell -- 62%
Barry Hardwick -- 38%

Alderman, Ward 3

Arlene Cunningham -- 62%
Angie Hedburg -- 38%

Alderman, Ward 4

Steve Brown -- 51%
Kurt Riley -- 49%

Alderman, Ward 5

Hamilton Frost -- 54%
Matt Lawson -- 46%

Alderman, Ward 6

Matt Stamper -- 70%
Jim Hoback -- 15%
Sam Parks III -- 15%

For more news about Hendersonville, Tennessee follow @HvilleNews