Twenty-four hours after seeing Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger’s proposed 2016 budget, county commissioners are mum on the subject.
Coppinger officially presented his budget Wednesday, and no commissioner asked about anything in the $644.4 million spending plan. Commissioners had attended a workshop the day before to discuss the budget, and most said they liked what they saw.
After Coppinger presented Wednesday, Commissioner Joe Graham started to ask a question, but he was halted by Chairman Jim Fields.
Graham said later he had a question about salary allocations to constitutional officers and that he would ask the mayor himself.
Fields said afterward he didn’t let Graham ask his question because there was nothing to discuss, as a matter of procedure.
“There was nothing on the floor. This was during announcements. The questions can happen on June 17 when we vote,” Fields said.
The budget includes no tax increase, a 1.5 percent raise for all county employees making more than $50,000, a $750 bump for everyone else, and $405.7 million slated for schools. It does not include the traditional $900,000 for commission discretionary spending, but that wasn’t discussed either.
In other action Wednesday, commissioners let one of Coppinger’s resolutions die on the floor, bereft of support.
The plan, to enter an agreement with River City Co. to market and redevelop the county’s Mayfield Annex, was scrapped. Commissioners had concerns about whether a licensed real estate agent should be involved in the deal.
The county’s aim is to vacate the annex at 123 E. Seventh St. and let River City Co. redevelop and market the building.
Fields said he thought a licensed real estate agent had to be involved, according to state law.
Before the resolution died, Coppinger asked for a postponement so legal questions could be answered. Commissioner Greg Beck made a motion to table the item. But Fields never acknowledged Beck, and no commissioner seconded Beck’s motion.
Fields told Coppinger he could place the resolution on the commission’s next agenda for consideration.
After the meeting, Coppinger said the county is just trying to get a good downtown building back on the tax rolls.
“If you look at the building, particularly from the outside, it’s not a blighted-looking building,” he said.
Now the county is moving its property office out of the structure, and officials hope to have River City market it as housing or office property.
“River City is interested in housing, but if not housing, if you had a law firm, it’s the perfect location. It’s walking distance to local and federal court,” Coppinger said.
He added that the building would be sold to the private sector.
“We don’t want to put any more money in it,” Coppinger said.
Contact staff writer Louie Brogdon at lbrogdon@timesfreepress.com, @glbrogdoniv on Twitter or at 423-757-6481.