• The county commission last week approved the high bid to provide health care for inmates at the Justice Center. Southern Health Partners was awarded the bid for $155,400, or $12,950 monthly. The amount will be reduced to $33,600 for the remainder of this budget year because the full-year bid includes a dental lab to be provided at the jail. The other bid was by Detention Healthcare Association, which provided the service for several months in the old jail. Its bid was $139,200, or $11,600 monthly.

With the new contract, a nurse will be at the jail daily and for four hours/day on weekends. A doctor will come to the jail once a week. Both will be on call at all times. The contract will cover the cost of prescription drugs. Visits to the hospital, which the provider said will be kept to a minimum, are not covered. Asked about buying prescription drugs locally, the provider said they would if local pharmacists could match the volume discount they receive elsewhere. Southern Health Partners provides its own liability insurance. The bid was approved 7-0-1, with Daren Waters passing and Fred Wilcoxon absent.

• Mark Bishop questioned the fact there is construction on a home at Ocoee Mountain Club even though the utility lines have not been installed. County Executive Mike Stinnett said Benton and Ocoee Utilities have signed the plat saying they will provide the water and sewer lines. Bishop said lots are being sold and the propertyowners will want utilities in place. State Planner Kevin Herritt said the utility companies have up to a year to install the lines or the bonds can be pulled and the work contracted out. He said the year goes back to the date of the signature, which was around 6-8 months ago. Ken Bishop, speaking from the audience, said that means there is 4-6 months left. Greg Brooks, who acknowledged a perceived conflict of interest because he has done work for the developer, said a model home is being built. He added the developer is trying to do good, building $250,000 homes, and gets questioned about everything. “Would you rather see a trailer park go in?” he asked.

Bishop also asked about the roads, saying other developers get the roads approved before selling lots. Brooks said there is a cash bond for the roads. Bishop said he wanted to know the deadlines on water, sewer and roads at the next meeting. Herritt said he would check, adding he is not sure if the regulations allow for extensions.

• The commissioners voted to avoid adding items to the meeting agenda at the last minute. John Pippenger said they have begun suspending the rules for items presented at the meeting, including budget amendments, which does not give enough time to study the issues. From now on, they will only consider last-minute items if it is an emergency situation. Pippenger noted that he has put subject titles on the agenda and then brought a resolution to the meeting, but at least the title was on the agenda. Commissioners also said any elected official can put items on the agenda. The motion was approved 7-0-1 with Kevin Stephens passing.

• Commissioners agreed to provide additional money in next year’s West Polk Fire & Rescue budget to cover utility costs at Station 5, as requested last month. Pippenger said the county is paying utilities for other fire halls that are in county buildings.

• Approval was given for a computer purchase for the Register of Deeds. Kandi Bramlett said there is money available in her data processing account.

• A variety of budget amendments were approved, including overtime for jailers and payment for unused vacation time for the Youth Services Officer. Sheriff Bill Davis said they all knew the overtime budget would not be enough and planned to add to it as more state revenue came in. He said the revenue for state prisoners will be more than double what was budgeted. Bishop commented that he and Davis have butted heads in the past, telling Davis he was doing a good job at getting state revenue. Regarding the vacation pay, Pippenger said the commission needs to address the employee handbook. Employees who are leaving have been paid before for unused vacation time, he said, so they have no choice. County Executive Mike Stinnett said this is only 2-3 days over the limit in the handbook, adding it is nothing compared to what has been done in the past.

• School budget amendments were approved shifting money from one line item to another and putting in the budgets for federal projects and grants. There was also an amendment for new state money that was provided this year. Director of Schools James Jones explained it was used for several additional teachers, fuel, a 2% negotiated raise for teachers, and a 5% raise for non-certified employees. He said the county got more money than was expected from the state because of growth in enrollment.

• Approval was given to establish staggered terms for the members of the Planning Commission. Bishop questioned the fact that Laura Crawford’s term is longer than Chris Harbison’s even though Harbison was just recently appointed. Stinnett explained the plan was developed by the Planning Commission members. The motion passed 5-3 with Bishop, Wanda Cheek and Kevin Stephens voting against.

• There was no second to Pippenger’s motion to approve a resolution adding representatives from tourism, health care and education to the Joint Economic Development Board, which has members from the county and the three cities. Benton, Ducktown and Copperhill approved the change. No reason was given for the commission refusal.

• Greg Brooks had put “invitation to Ed Ditto” on the budget for the second month, saying he did not appreciate comments Ditto had made to the Chattanooga Times-Free Press after the library referendum failed. He said Ditto said that Polk County people are poor an uneducated, adding, “I didn’t appreciate that. He owes us an apology.” Brooks commented that Ditto has no business moving here from Boston and passing judgment on everybody. Ditto did not attend, so the agenda item was moved to next month.