Council approves FY 2025-26 budget

10:16 p.m. June 16, 2025

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

So, what happened at the Metro Council meeting on Monday night? Well, a little bit of everything came to pass before a packed room at the American Legion building.

Twelve Moore County citizens spoke during the public hearing, which started at 6 p.m. The common theme was the tax levy and how the money would be allocated, as well as the strain a tax increase would put on elderly and fixed-income neighbors.

Then, the engine of county government roared to life.

No decision on retirement plan

The board tabled discussion on providing a retirement plan for full-time county employees.

Mayor Sloan Stewart, the Budget Committee, and county department heads will continue to work together to implement the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS). It is projected to take $4.8 million to cover the cost.

“The initial buy-back is a shock,” the mayor admitted. “It is a big number.”

If the board had approved the motion, 6 cents would have been added to the tax levy, on top of the 4-cent increase because of the school budget’s state-mandated teacher salary benchmarks.

District 4 Council member Arvis Bobo cautioned that adding to the already hotly debated tax levy would cause residents to “start lynching people.”

(It may have been the most profound statement of the night.)

District 2 Council member Robert Bracewell made the motion to table the discussion; District 5’s Greg Guinn seconded it. The motion carried 8-5, with Douglas Carson (District 2) and Shane Taylor (District 1) abstaining.

Carson and Taylor are employed by the Sheriff’s Department and, obviously, would be affected by the retirement plan.

Mayor Stewart said a decision would need to be made by Oct. 1 to have county employees in the program for Jan. 1, 2026.

10-5: FY 2025-26 budget OK'd

The board approved the FY 2025-26 budget, which includes a 4-cent increase to the tax levy (now $1.7412).

Amy Cashion, Shane Taylor, Douglas Carson, John Taylor, Marty Cashion, Dexter Golden, Houston Lindsey, Arvis Bobo, Bradley Dye, and Gerald Burnett voted “yes.”

Robert Bracewell, Darrel Richards, Jimmy Hammond, Peggy Sue Blackburn, and Greg Guinn voted “no.”

Four members had prepared statements to address conflicts, as their spouses work for the school system or are on the school board: Houston Lindsey, John Taylor, Marty Cashion, and Amy Cashion. Each announced that they were voting according to their conscience and as their constituents wished. All voted “yes.”

Sheriff outlines jail renovation plans

Sheriff Tyler Hatfield briefed the Council on the ongoing plan to renovate the jail, including new food services equipment, remodeling the booking area, and roof repairs.

Initial estimates had ranged upwards of $1 million, but Hatfield said further conversations with the architecture firm have brought the number down to the $600,000 to $800,000 range.

Also, a new air conditioning package unit was installed on the female wing of the jail.

Bracewell broaches ethics complaints

District 2 Council member Robert Bracewell seeks to file ethics violations regarding the Budget Committee’s meetings.

Bracewell contends that a Budget Committee meeting last week was not posted for public knowledge. Mayor Stewart countered that it was posted in the courthouse and the County Building.

Furthermore, Bracewell alleged the meeting was improperly placed in recess, rather than adjourned. District 5 Council member and Budget chair Gerald Burnett pushed back, as did District 4’s Bradley Dye, who said he was the one who made the motion to recess.

The conversation veered into transparency, as Bracewell specifically pointed out that District 3’s Houston Lindsey voted to increase his household income, rather than abstaining, during the FY 2025-26 budget vote minutes earlier. Council Chair Amy Cashion quickly shut down Bracewell’s line of conversation, which was applauded by many of the teachers in the room.

Lindsey’s wife, Brooke, is the principal at Lynchburg Elementary School.

Council member Richards: 'I'm done'

District 1 Council member Darrel Richards resigned. Flummoxed by the contentiousness that has permeated throughout the council, he said, “I wish you all well; I’m done,” he said before leaving the meeting, which was quickly thereafter adjourned.

So, what is the process to replace Richards? According to the Moore County Charter §2.07 and §2.08, the Council will appoint someone with “the qualifications required by law for such offices, who shall fill such a vacancy until his replacement shall be duly elected and qualified.”