PDF: Commissioner expenditures
Each year, county taxpayers provide Hamilton County commissioners $100,000 each to spend on projects in their districts. According to the most recent numbers from the county, much of the money goes to schools in those districts.
With budgets tightening, the $900,000 commissioners receive could be a boost to the school system’s general fund. In fact, some commissioners save discretionary money, letting it build up over time.
School board members contacted by the Chattanooga Times Free Press say they’re OK with seeing the money parceled out by commissioners as they see fit. But the school system’s superintendent said he’d like to see the money given to the school board to spend.
“I would like to see it coming in the lump sum to the school district so the Board of Education could have their discretionary authority as to how we spend dollars within our school system,” Dr. Jim Scales said.
Some commissioners argue that giving the money to the board would mean it would be used for school administrative costs and that many projects wouldn’t get done.
“If we put (the money) into the school system budget, it goes into school system salaries,” Commission Chairman Fred Skillern said.
He has requested in the upcoming budget that commissioners continue to receive the $100,000.
Commissioner John Allen Brooks said the money comes in handy.
“The money is used for projects that fall between the gaps,” he said. “Sometimes there are things where you see a need. Sometimes there are needs you can meet.”
“Of course, we could use it in our budget, but I don’t have a problem with the way they get it because they do things in their own district which helps their community and their schools,” school board member Janice Boydston said.
Board member Rhonda Thurman said if the school system received the money, it likely would be soaked up by personnel costs.
“The more money you give them, the more money they’ll spend,” she said.
The most recent figures on county commissioner discretionary spending are from February, but commissioners have spent more since.
On June 2, Commissioner Larry Henry spent $100,000 for a football field at East Hamilton School, using money from two different discretionary funds: one provided by bond money and one from the general discretionary fund.
Commissioner Richard Casavant also got the commission to approve $22,500 out of his discretionary funds for concrete poles and lights at the Shackleford Ridge Soccer Field.
While some discretionary spending requires the whole commission to sign off, some requires no official action, according to County Administrator of Finance Louis Wright. Commissioners have fewer restrictions on spending general fund discretionary money, he said.
Commissioners can donate the money without bringing it up for a vote, but he said it might require a vote if a commissioner is purchasing something. If commissioners give money to a nonprofit organization, they must provide financial statements and other documentation for the agency that’s receiving the money, Mr. Wright said.
Discretionary money provided by bonds must be spent on government property and on something that will last 15 years, he said.