At a recent Coffee County Board of Education work session meeting, the board voted 4-2 to give county teachers a raise of 1 percent over step raises.
Gary Nester and Chairman Brett Henley voted no. Henley said, “I’m all about giving raises but not raises with money we don’t have on paper.” This plan would reduce the fund balance by just over $1 million.
The district business manager said that if all the money that is expected to come into the county, does come in, there should be no reduction in the fund balance but did acknowledge that there are multiple ifs.
The county commission must approve the budget before it goes into effect.
The school system is also in need of 4 new buses and will be asking the county commission for the funds, but there is no guarantee.
Category: News
School Board Approves County Teacher Rasies
Marines Training in Moore County
Over the next few weeks, the United States Marine Corps Special Operations Unit will be conducting training exercises in the 5 points Road area at the old Motlow College dorms. Please know this training will be conducted as discreetly as possible but passing vehicles may see individuals in Military gear in the immediate area. Please do not be alarmed, but if you have a concern about something, please call the Moore County Sheriff’s Department 931-759-7323, and advise their dispatch center and deputies will respond.
State Leaders Approve $38.5 Billion Budget
Tennessee lawmakers have signed off on a $38.5 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year, which includes funding for providing Medicaid assistance to disabled children, pay hikes for correctional officers and boosting the state’s rainy-day account.
Lawmakers had been split on several key budget items, disagreeing over the best way to fund the $27.3 million so-called Katie Beckett program among other differences.
However, as of Tuesday, lawmakers had settled on a compromise and advanced the budget outline for fiscal year 2019-2020.
Tennessee is currently the only state in the United States that does not have a program offering coverage for children with significant disabilities living at home.
Meanwhile, correctional officers will receive a pay increase and the state’s emergency funds will be boosted to $1.1 billion.
Special Olympics Area 13 Summer Games took place Thursday in Tullahoma
On Thursday (May 2, 2019) the Special Olympics Area 13 Summer Games took place at the Tullahoma High School Football Field. Athletes from 5 area counties including Bedford County, Coffee County, Franklin County, Lincoln County, & Moore County were in attendance. The Summer Games is one of many Area 13 Special Olympics events held between January and November of each year.
Activities during the Summer Games included Running Long Jump, Standing Long Jump, Softball Throws, The Wheelchair Race, 50 Meter Run, 400 Meter Run, & much more. 372 athletes and over 200 volunteers.
Thursday’s 41st Annual Special Olympics Area 13 Summer Games brought joy to not only the athletes but to everyone involved. You can watch a video beginning Friday of the opening ceremony including the torch run and the lighting of the cauldron by athlete Tyler Ruehling at www.WMSRRadio.com.
Area law enforcement officials delivered the torch during the opening ceremony at the track. Departments included; Coffee County Sheriff’s deputies, Manchester Police leaders and patrolman, Tullahoma Patrolman, members from the Coffee County District Attorney’s office and County Circuit Court Clerk Heather Duncan also participated.
Tennessee’s New Gambling Bill to become Law Without Gov. Lee’s Approval
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee plans to let legislation to allow sports betting become law without his signature, putting a state that has largely shied from expanding gambling in position to become the first to offer an online-only sportsbook.
The bill is headed to the Republican governor after close votes in the GOP-supermajority Senate and House on Tuesday. And though Lee has been no fan of adding more gambling, he has hinted that his administration worked to tailor the bill to make it more acceptable to him.
The legislation has a July 1 effective date.
“The governor has said he does not believe that the expansion of gambling is best, but he recognizes that many in the legislature found this to be an issue they want to explore further,” Lee spokeswoman Laine Arnold said in a statement Tuesday. “He plans to let this become law without signature.”
Coffee County Republican Sen. Janice Bowling, who voted “no,” saying, “We just seem to be looking in a way that we’re going to try to create a gray market, and I think probably if we could get rid of the black market it would be better.”
The proposal is projected to bring in more than $50 million annually — $40.7 million for the lottery fund that goes toward education, including college scholarships; $7.6 million for local governments’ local infrastructure projects; and $2.5 million for mental health offerings, including addiction services, a fiscal note estimates.
Daylight Saving Time Year-Round Bill Needs Governor’s Signature
A bill to keep Tennessee on daylight saving time year-round is headed to the governor’s desk for his approval.
Senate members advanced the proposal on Tuesday, allowing it to be sent to Gov. Bill Lee. The bill scraps the twice-annual time shift — but only if Congress first passes a federal law allowing states to observe daylight saving year-round. The General Assembly would then have to adopt the proposal.
Other states are considering similar conditional legislation. President Donald Trump also likes the idea of permanent daylight saving nationwide.
Daylight saving time begins on the second Sunday of March when clocks move ahead by one hour to allow for more daylight in the evening and less in the morning. Clocks then move back an hour on the first Sunday in November.
Tennessee’s Watered-Down Public Indecency Law Headed to Gov. Lee’s Desk
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee
The Senate cleared Republican Sen. Mark Pody’s bill in a 21-5 vote earlier this week. The House passed it earlier in the month.
The Tennessee Equality Project says the bill’s sections targeting transgender people were removed, but there’s risk the bill could be misused to arrest transgender people.
A letter from 11 large companies also identified it as one of several anti-LGBT bills, saying it “could unfairly target transgender Tennesseans for harassment in public places.”
Pody said the bill aims to clarify existing law.
Lawmakers Looking to Change how the State Provides Health Care Lower-Income & Disabled Residents
Tennessee State Capital
The GOP-controlled Senate voted 24-5 this week on a measure requiring the state’s top leaders to call on the federal government to send a fixed amount of money each year in the form of block grants.
The bill now goes to the House to approve last-minute changes.
Supporters argue the move allows Tennessee to better manage its Medicaid program. Critics counter it’ll open up opportunities to cut services.
Currently, the federal government pays an agreed-upon percentage of each state’s Medicaid costs, no matter how much they rise in any given year. Tennessee receives approximately $7.5 billion in federal money for its $12.1 billion Medicaid program.
Donation made to Coffee County Sherriff’s Summer Cadet Program
From left to right: Brandon Hall, SBCO; Sgt Daniel Ray; Carter Sain, SBCO; Sgt Laura Nettles; Captain Billy Butler; and Chief Deputy Frank Watkins, Coffee County Sheriff’s Office.
Sportsmen & Businessmen’s Charitable Organization (SBCO) recently made a donation to the Coffee County Sherriff’s Summer Cadet Program.
“We are proud to support the efforts of the Summer Cadet Program, which allows an opportunity for many of our young leaders to participate and learn about various aspects of law enforcement and safety awareness,” said Carter Sain, SBCO President.
The Coffee County Sherriff’s Cadet Summer Camp Program will be held during the month of June and will encompass various educational activities to educate cadets on different aspects of law enforcement and emergency operations. Leaders in law enforcement will speak to cadets about topics centered around safety awareness, peer pressure, and making good choices.
The Sportsmen and Businessmen’s Charitable Organization has been serving the Coffee County community for over 36 years.
Teachers Salaries on the Rise in Most of Tennessee
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has released a report examining how money intended to boost teacher salaries has been used by local school districts. More than $300 million in new, recurring state dollars was appropriated by the General Assembly through the state’s Basic Education Program (BEP) between fiscal years 2015 and 2018. The legislative intent for the increased state funding was to increase teacher salaries across Tennessee.
The Comptroller’s Office of Research and Education Accountability (OREA) surveyed Tennessee’s school districts, and the majority of respondents reported awarding salary increases to teachers for three consecutive years (fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018). Those pay raises resulted in an increase of Tennessee’s average classroom teacher salary of 6.2 percent (just under $3,000), making it the third fastest-growing state in the Southeast for teacher salaries during fiscal years 2015 through 2018. In addition to providing raises, districts also used increased state BEP instructional salaries funds to hire more instructional staff.
The average teacher salary over the time period in Coffee County went from $45,073.58–$47,047.51 an increase of 4.4%. Manchester City school teacher salaries went up from $48,700.64–$52,897.55 an increase of 8.6%. The average teacher salary over the time period in Tullahoma City Schools rose from $47,637.11–$51,805.15 an increase of 8.7%. The state average jumped 6.2 % going from $47,979.10 $50,958.26.
