.
Murphy – Here’s what’s coming up in local government for the week of May 19.
It will be a busy week for the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners, with a regular meeting – including a budget public hearing – on Tuesday.
The budget as proposed has no tax increases, no fee increases and no raises for county employees (except Cherokee County Schools employees, who would get raises according to its proposed budget).
County commissioners held three work sessions earlier this week, hearing budget pitches from solid waste, the sheriff’s office, emergency services, humane society and Cherokee County Schools.
Other things we’ll be looking at include:
◆ Sheriff’s request for use of federal forfeiture funds to purchase and install license plate readers at three county line locations ($7,500). These devices will record license plates on every vehicle entering and leaving Cherokee County, raising questions about privacy, how the sheriff’s office will use the data and how long that data will be stored.
◆ Increase to septic permitting fees for new applications. Note fee increase.
◆ Approval to redirect Annex elevator funds to cover Unaka Community Center repairs ($6,500), to purchase a commercial mower for the maintenance department ($15,300) and to roll remaining balance of $103,200 into fund balance.
The elevator project was canceled because Cherokee County plans to build a new central facility housing all county services on Hilton Street behind Murphy Elementary School. County government plans to vacate the courthouse, courthouse annex and former emergency services and building permit services building on Hiwassee Street.
◆ Judge Tessa Sellers’ request for designated courthouse office space (she wants to have an office in Murphy; her predecessor’s office was in Franklin).
◆ Hiwassee Dam Fire Department request for fire tax increase (At 6.4 cents, asking to increase to 9.5 cents.)
◆ Culberson Fire Department request for fire tax increase (Currently at 5.4 cents. Asking to increase to 9 cents.)
◆ Peachtree Fire Department request for use of rescue funds to purchase winches ($4,050)
◆ Request to purchase sheriff’s office K-9 Arlo for $1,500
◆ Resolution to exempt landfill mechanic building project from design services and approve Architecture Unlimited Letter Agreement for Design Services ($7,500)
◆ Declare 59 Hiwassee St. surplus property and advertise through electronic auction. This is the building vacated by emergency services and building inspections.
Here are other local government meetings coming up this week:
◆ Andrews ABC Board meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the ABC Store, 13934 U.S. 19 in Andrews.
◆ Murphy ABC Board meets at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the ABC Store, 818 U.S. 64 W. in Murphy.
◆ Cherokee County Department of Social Services Board meets at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the DSS conference room, 4800 U.S. 64 W. in Ranger.
◆ Cherokee County Board of Commissioners will hold a special meet-
ing for budget hearings at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 22, at the Cherokee County Courthouse, 75 Peachtree St. in downtown Murphy. Live-streamed on the Scout’s Facebook page.
◆ Local, state and federal government offices, and the Cherokee Scout, will be closed Monday, May 26, for the Memorial Day holiday. The Scout will reopen at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 27.