Action on commission per-meeting pay, EMS also taken

By RANDALL ALLEN

Horizon Reporter

CELINA-The Clay County Commission approved a resolution for the construction of a new jail adjacent to the Clay County Government Complex here inside the city limits during their June 30 meeting, along with a pay structure modification for commissioners and several items related to local EMS.

After being discussed multiple times over the last year, commissioners officially voted to build a new county jail within walking distance of where they gathered last month.

“This resolution will approve the new site for the construction of the new jail, which is right out here,” county mayor Dale Reagan said prior to the vote.  “I guess most of you all saw the drilling rig set up out here.

“They are doing the boring test.”

Reagan explained the initial stage of the construction process was the drilling of eight test holes approximately 25 feet deep to ensure the foundation of the site is stable.

“We walked over there and talked to the men a few minutes ago, Dorothy (Forney) and I did before the meeting,” county commissioner Winton Young said. “They said everything was looking good and they will be done tonight.

“What they have seen so far, what they have drilled, looked good.”

Following Young’s comments, Forney made a motion to approve the new site for the construction of the new jail.  Young seconded the motion and it passed 10-0.

The option of building the new jail near the government complex, as opposed to the previously-chosen site between Dura Plastics and Industrial Park Lane at 3670 Gainesboro Highway, was introduced at July 2024’s commission meeting.

The new jail facility is being designed to match the look of the current county government office exterior.

Commissioners voted to apply for a USDA loan in an amount up to $15 million in April.

The latest news concerning the new jail comes over a decade after the first official action was taken in the summer of 2012.

A bid to build the jail at the original Gainesboro Highway location came in at almost $19 million last year and was officially rejected by county commissioners.

The wheel tax to be used to pay back a loan for a new jail and to fund future operations was levied by commissioners in January of 2020, before it began being collected three months later.

At the April 2025 county meeting, Reagan said the wheel tax earmarked for the new jail “annually has brought in a good average of about $214,300 per year.”

He also announced at the January 2025 meeting the wheel tax had generated nearly $1.8 million in total at the time.

Other business

The county commission approved a resolution to pay commissioners for each meeting attended.

County finance clerk Donna Hamilton explained the change prior to the vote.

“This came up at the last meeting,” she said.  “Just like if tonight you had a normal commission meeting and say we went into a beer board meeting… normally you just get paid for that one meeting.

“Or you have planning and then you go into a budget meeting.  That way you will get paid for both meetings.”

Forney made a motion to approve commissioners being paid for each meeting attended.  Commissioner Elizabeth Boles seconded the motion and eight commissioners voted yes.  Commissioner Jerry Rhoton voted no, and commissioner Bryan Coons abstained from voting.

Commissioners also heard from local EMS director Andy Hall regarding the issue his department is sometimes not being paid for services rendered.

Hall spoke about a resolution of support from Clay County, which supports H.R. 2538 and reimplementation of the emergency triage, treat, and transport (ET3) program by addressing barriers to its success. 

After receiving support from various county governing bodies in Tennessee, another group will take it in front of the governor’s office for possible state approval.

“What this does, if we come out to your house and we treat you, and you wake up and say, ‘I don’t want to go to the hospital,’ we lose that revenue,” Hall said.  “This will allow us to bill your insurance.”

Hall explained state approval of the bill would also allow for alternate transportation to places other than the hospital, including medical clinics.

“We get calls from people that want us to get them drinks out of the refrigerator,” Hall said.  “This would require Medicare to pay a portion of that cost.”

Commissioner Parrish Wright made a motion for Clay County to support H.R. 2538 and reimplement the emergency triage, treat, and transport (ET3) program by addressing barriers to its success.  Coons seconded the motion and it passed 10-0.

More for EMS

Forney made a motion adopting the 2025 Clay County natural hazard mitigation plan, which allows the county to apply for federal funds during disasters and funding of tornado sirens.

Additionally, Rhoton made a motion to recognize and approve Department of Health resiliency funds spending plan for EMS, which allows money allocated to the county from the health department for ambulances.

Both motions passed unanimously.

Commissioners also approved multiple budget amendments for what Hamilton described as an end of year, “cleaning up accounts” process.

Budget amendments for the jail and courthouse fund, solid waste department fund, highway department fund, and general fund were all unanimously approved.