By Matt Wilson
Staff Writer
Spending money isn't always easy, said some Hamilton County commissioners who have yet to appropriate much of $200,000 they have in discretionary funds from 2006 and this fiscal year.
"I am being cautious with it," said Commissioner Jim Coppinger, who so far has used about $44,500 of his discretionary money for lights for Hixson High School's softball field. "It is taxpayers' money."
Each of the county's nine commissioners got $100,000 to spend from a 2006 bond issue and another $100,000 in fiscal 2008. Funds similarly became available in 1998, 2001 and 2004.
Drew Johnson, president of the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, said the money would be better used to reduce tax rates.
"It's dangerous any time elected officials have the opportunity to waste taxpayers' money on their own pork projects," he said.
Commissioner Curtis Adams, who has spent almost all of his 2008 money and about $35,000 of his 2006 funds, dismissed that criticism.
"You just have to use your judgment," he said of using the money. "You just have to do what you think's right."
Commissioner John Allen Brooks said using discretionary money gives him the opportunity to fund projects that otherwise would be ignored. He has committed all of his 2006 money to a walking track at Lookout Valley Recreation Center, though it has not been spent yet.
Mr. Adams said he likes to get discretionary funds to recipients as soon as he can, but some commissioners have been more frugal.
Commissioner Richard Casavant, who has not yet appropriated money from either the 2006 or 2008 funds, said he is in a "wait and see" mode.
"Most likely it will go toward recreation ... or something for a high school," he said.
Dr. Casavant did say some of his discretionary money has been set aside for a soccer field and could go toward a baseball pavilion at Shackleford Ridge Park.
Commissioner Warren Mackey also has not appropriated any of his 2006 funds.
"I took my time and traveled the district for about a year," Dr. Mackey said. "Then I started prioritizing."
He said he plans to use the bond funding for projects at schools in his district, such as lockers at Orchard Knob High.
Dr. Mackey has appropriated $13,500 of his 2008 money.
County Finance Administrator Louis Wright, who compiled reports for each commissioner's discretionary spending, said the 2006 money is far more restricted than this year's discretionary funding.
The 2006 bond money must be used for projects that will last at least 15 years, be on government property and go through a bidding process. The 2008 capital outlay funds can go to any verified nonprofit agency.
"They can give (the money) to the agencies under state statute," Mr. Wright said.
Commissioner Greg Beck compared spending money from the two funds to using a riding mower versus a push mower.
"One makes you work harder," he said.
Mr. Beck has spent about a third of each of the funds, according to Mr. Wright's report.
He has done much of his spending methodically, Mr. Beck said, "walking it down" his district to spread it around evenly. Otherwise, he said, it can be difficult to pick and choose recipients.
"You can't do everything at one time," he said.
E-mail Matt Wilson at mwilson@timesfreepress.com
