Tim BoydHamilton County taxpayers are now the owners of an $18,000 abstract art sculpture in Brainerd after commissioners unanimously voted Wednesday to buy it.
The steel sculpture stands on a small county property at the corner of Bass Road and Old Bird's Mill Road and was purchased in part from District 8 discretionary funds at the request of Commissioner Tim Boyd.
Commissioners voted to spend $11,670 from Boyd's discretionary bond proceeds, and an additional $6,665 came from the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga, according to Hamilton County Finance Administrator Al Kiser. Records show that Boyd gave $21,400 in discretionary funding to the foundation in 2014.
Boyd said last week he wanted to buy the art piece for the Brainerd Hills Neighborhood Association. He also has used discretionary funds to purchase public art near the Missionary Ridge (McCallie Avenue) Tunnels and the Belvoir neighborhood since he was first elected in 2010.
On Wednesday he said he requested the expense on the condition that the neighborhood association give $3,000 to the community foundation.
"Every time I do one of these sculptures, I want for the community associations to have some kind of buy-in to it," Boyd said.
But two weeks ago he criticized tying purchases from a combined $900,000 in commission discretionary funds to bond debt. Boyd says the discretionary funds should either come from the general fund -- or not at all.
Now, discretionary expenses are eventually paid with bonds, so the projects must be on public property and last 15 years or more. Were the discretionary funds paid from the general fund, there would be no limits on how they could be spent.
Hamilton County is the only government in the state that allows elected officials to individually direct more than $5,000 annually.
Commissioner Joe Graham, who leads the finance committee, said he likes the restrictions on discretionary spending but he wouldn't second-guess another commissioner's request.
"If it's his discretionary money, and as long as it's a project that's bondable, I'm not going to tell him how to spend it," Graham said. "I like the rules that go with it, but whatever the mayor decides to do, I'm fine with it. If the funds go away, I'm fine with it," Graham said.
Mayor Jim Coppinger said Wednesday it was time to have a conversation about discretionary spending.
"It's our responsibility to put together the budget, and I will not submit a budget that includes discretionary spending in the general operating fund," Coppinger said. "And I'm excited to hear that there are commissioners willing to do away with it. It's a conversation that needs to be had."
The county's current budget is $672.5 million, but $900,000 is still big money.
Kiser said Wednesday the median salary of county employees is $35,421 a year. That means $900,000 of the general fund accounts for 25 employee salaries.
Wednesday's meeting was likely the last voting session the commission will hold for the year. Commissioners will only convene over the next two weeks if there is an urgent expenditure. An agenda session is scheduled for Dec. 31.
Contact staff writer Louie Brogdonat lbrogdon@timesfreepress.com,@glbrogdoniv on Twitter or at423-757-6481.