Correspondent

Somewhat subdued, 18 of the county's 21 commissioners returned to the courthouse Tuesday evening, Sept. 27th, to bring closure to the previous days failed efforts to pass a budget.

The commissioners absent for the second round were Bill Brooks and Elizabeth Fugate with Commissioner Cosby arriving just in time for the first of three votes.

In turn, the chairman asked Commissioners Steve Brogan and then Bill Keck if they wished to add any further comments to the discussion, and in turn, each declined. Both agreed that there was no more to be said. Commissioner Troy Poore then took the initiative and submitted a motion to amend the budget by reducing the county's projected reserve to $294,000 and to reduce the county's debt service by five cents for one year.

The motion was seconded and the secretary called roll for the vote. Voting against the budget (and a resulting 50-cent increase) were Bill Keck, Chester Keck, Franklin Essary, Dennis Estes, Phillip Mabe, Mitchell Cosby, Tom Daugherty, Kenneth Clark, Dennis Graves and James Hatmaker.

The budget resolution failed with 10 votes against the budget and nine votes for the budget resolution.

Disheartened, Poore sat back in his chair in disgust. Without being granted the floor, he spoke,

"Well, if we're not going to pass a budget, then we may as well go home. I wonder who will admit defeat and move to adjourn?"

After a moment or two of silence, several small group discussions broke out among the commissioners with Bill Keck finally questioning Poore about the rate of pay for teaching aids. Poore admitted that the expected pay for the new justice center (jail) guards was twice the salary for teacher's aids and worried that his staff would quit and apply for better paying positions as jail guards. Spectators held their breath in expectation of a continuation of the previous evening's fireworks, but it quickly became evident that both sides had tired of their arguments during the day.

Commissioner Phillip Mabe protested removing the five cents from this years debt service and asked the county mayor to re-visit the issue.

Finally, after a little more discussion about quitting and going home, Poore made one last proposal and submitted the following budget amendment. He proposed to decrease the county reserve to $294,000; to reduce the county's debt service by five cents for one year; and to cut the jail projected staffing by three or four positions thus reducing the tax increase to 48 cents. He made the motion with the stipulation that he fully expected that the county would have to pass another tax increase next year because this year's budget would prove inadequate.

The motion received a second, and the clerk called the roll. Voting against the budget were commissioners Bill Keck, Chester Keck, Franklin Essary, Dennis Estes, Phillip Mabe, Mitchell Cosby, Tom Daugherty, Kenneth Clark, and James Hatmaker. Voting for the budget were commissioners Barry Thomas, Juanita Honeycutt, Mike Campbell, Bill DeBusk, Tom Daugherty, Steve Mason, Shawn Peters, Steve Brogan, Troy Poore, Dennis Graves, and David Mundy. The county finally had a budget with 11 votes for, and 10 votes against.

As required by state law, the commissioners also voted specifically for approving the 48-cent tax increase with an identical vote.

Just when it looked like the whole matter was settled, Mabe lodged an obscure parliamentary challenge in an attempt to disqualify Troy Poore's vote. Basically, Mabe said that Poore shouldn't be allowed to vote since Poore, as a school official, had an undeclared conflict of interest in seeing the budget passed. The protest was not allowed.