By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.–At a recessed meeting Monday evening, members of the Henry County Commission voted to table action on the 2025-2026 budget to allow them more time to study it.
Commissioner David Flowers made the motion, seconded by Ralph Wiles, to table the budget vote. “It’s unrealistic for us to vote on this budget. We just got it on Saturday and you expect us to have time” to review it, Flowers said.
County Financial Officer Pat Hollingsworth said, “Actually, we gave you the budget June 16. What you got Saturday was just a few revisions, but you’ve had the budget since June 16. Not sure how much more time you need when you’ve had it since June 16.”
Commissioner Dell Carter noted that “a lot of time and effort” has gone into the budget by county staff and budget committee members. “We’re the county commissioners and we have committees and we need to trust them.”
The vote to table action on the budget until the July regular meeting was 9-6.
The commission approved a resolution fixing the tax levy in Henry County for the fiscal year beginning July 1 and ending June 30. According to the resolution, the combined property tax rate for the county shall be “One Dollar and .1991/100 ($1.1991) on each $100 of taxable property within the county.”
That will provide revenue for the following funds: County General Fund, $.3409; Debt Service .0112; Education Funds .6701; Highway Fund .1370 and Solid Waste Fund .0399.
In other business:
–Community member Blake Stewart said it is his opinion that the budget under discussion for the new county office building is too extravagant and that the county should be looking to Grove School to locate some county offices. He said he heard there is a verbal agreement to locate Dyersburg State in the Grove School building “but why can’t you get the people (from the annex) moved to the Grove School building” now?
–Commissioner Ralph Wiles repeated that the county commission should discuss agenda items more. “We ought to te the public what we’re doing,” he said.
Photo: Commissioners study the agenda at Monday’s meeting. Shannon McFarlin photo.