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Smith For Fifth
March 2025 Recap
"Spring is in the Air"
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Message from the Commish...
Spring is nearly upon us! As I write this newsletter, I’m soaking in the warmer days and all the telltale signs of the season—neighborhood kids zipping by on bikes, baseball and softball fields buzzing with action, and social media lighting up with families heading to the beach for Spring Break. I’m especially looking forward to spending quality time with my own family during the break, making memories before we all go our separate ways. It’s a joy to see our community come alive with this beautiful weather. But as we enjoy this shift, things are heating up at the County Commission too. Budget season is here, and with it comes some tough decisions as we work to minimize—and, I hope, avoid—any property tax increases.
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Our county continues to grow steadily, though school enrollment is starting to level off, which might give us a moment to catch our breath on this year’s budget. The biggest pressure on our operational costs comes from much-needed salary increases for our county and school district employees. Ensuring livable wages for the people we depend on most is a priority, but it’s always a balancing act. Fortunately, we have several promising opportunities to cover these costs—including our increasing debt service, largely tied to school funding and the jail project—without immediately turning to property taxes. These include finding savings in health insurance benefits, advocating for the state legislature to pass HB0095/SB0126 (which could bring in $14 million in revenue), adjusting the fiscal capacity on TISA to secure more state funding per student, and exploring other creative revenue-generating ideas.
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I’m optimistic that by working closely with the school board, we can prioritize cost-saving measures and tap into new revenue streams to keep property taxes low. Raising taxes should be our last resort—only after we’ve exhausted every other option. We’re fortunate to live in a thriving county, and our revenue reflects that: we generated over $965 million in 2023, and for this fiscal year, we’ve already hit $470 million with five months still ahead. With careful planning and collaboration, I believe we can meet our needs while keeping our community’s tax burden in check.
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County Financial Snapshot
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County Business - March 2025
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There will be a total of 18 resolutions on the agenda this month. The most notable are:
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Resolution No. 3-25-14, Resolution of the Williamson County Board of Commissioners to Express its Support of Proposed State Legislation to Remove Fluoridation from Public Water Systems in Tennessee — Commissioner Lawrence
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For more information regarding the impact of Fluoride in our Public Water Systems, please reference the Fluoride Action Network.
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Ultimately, I believe it is up the individual to make their individual health decisions based on individual need.
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It has been a privilege to collaborate with our dedicated Planning Department and, most importantly, our engaged local citizens to reach this milestone. We now have a proposed plan for the future development of the Arrington area at Cox Road and Highway 96. While there is still much work ahead, this marks a significant first step in proactively shaping development that aligns with the needs and desires of residents in the eastern part of the county. I am excited to continue partnering with the Advisory Committee and our Planning Department to turn this vision into reality.
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Remaining Resolutions:
Resolution No. 3-25-1, Resolution Accepting a Donation from the DUI Court Foundation of Williamson County, Inc., and Appropriating and Amending the 2024-25 Williamson County General Sessions Court Budget by $25,500 — Revenues to Come From Donations — Commissioner Herbert
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Resolution No. 3-25-2, Resolution Appropriating and Amending the 2024-25 Parks and Recreation Budget by $123,085 — Revenues to Come From Donations — Commissioner Herbert
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Resolution No. 3-25-3, Resolution Appropriating and Amending the 2024-25 Parks and Recreation Budget by $428,000 — Revenues to Come From Parks and Recreation Fees — Commissioner Herbert
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Resolution No. 3-25-4, Resolution Appropriating and Amending the 2024-25 Animal Center Budget by $8,000 — Revenues to Come From Donations — Commissioner Herbert
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Resolution No. 3-25-5, Resolution Appropriating and Amending the 2024-25 Capital Projects Budget by $132,010.49 — Revenues From Grant Funds — Commissioner Herbert
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Resolution No. 3-25-6, Resolution Authorizing the Williamson County Mayor to Enter into a Grant Contract with the Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation on Behalf of the Williamson County Library and Amending the Library Budget by $4,000 — Revenues To Come from Grant Funds – Commissioner Webb
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Resolution No. 3-25-7, Resolution Appropriating and Amending the 2024-25 Library Budget by $3,129.40 — Revenues to Come From Donations and Memorials — Commissioner Webb
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Resolution No. 3-25-8, Resolution Amending the 2024-25 Sheriff's Office Budget by $60,000 — Revenues to Come From Grant Funds — Commissioner Herbert
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Resolution No. 3-25-9, Resolution Appropriating and Amending the 2024-25 Sheriff's Office Budget by $51,200 — Revenues to Come From Law Enforcement Training Program — Commissioner Herbert
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Resolution No. 3-25-10, Resolution Authorizing the Williamson County Mayor to Enter into a Grant Contract with the State of Tennessee, Department of Environment and Conservation and Appropriating and Amending the 2024-25 Parks and Recreation Budget by $3,172,500 — Revenues to Come From Grant Funds — Commissioner Webb
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LATE FILED Resolution No. 3-25-19, Resolution Authorizing the County Mayor to Execute a Contract with the State of Tennessee, Department of Military, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and appropriating and Amending the Office of Public Safety 2024-25 Budget by $491,726.15 — Revenues to Come From Homeland Security Gran Program — Commissioner Webb
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Resolution No. 3-25-11, Resolution of the Governing Body of Williamson County, Tennessee Supporting an Application to Participate in the Local Parks and Recreation Fund Grant for the Construction of Improvements for College Grove and Wilkins Branch Outdoor Parks – Commissioner Webb
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Resolution No. 3-25-12, Resolution Authorizing the Williamson County Sheriff to Enter Into a License Agreement with the State of Tennessee Acting Through its Commissioner of Transportation — Commissioner Webb
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Resolution No. 3-25-15, Resolution to Surplus and Approve the Conveyance of Equipment, Vehicles and Other Personal Property Owned by the County and Authorizing the Williamson County Mayor to Execute all Documentation Needed to Complete the Conveyance — Commissioner Hayes Lenox
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Resolution No. 3-25-17, Resolution Accepting the Donation of Law Enforcement Equipment from the 21% Judicial District Drug Task Force on Behalf of the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office — Commissioner Hayes Lenox
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Planning Commission Updates
While there was a public hearing on the Triune Development, the Planning Commission deferred any decisions on moving forward with the development until their next meeting scheduled for March 20th, 2025 at 5:30pm
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The next County Commission meeting:
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If you like what you see, please be sure to share with your friends. The more we educate ourselves, the more we can become active participates in our amazing community. You can subscribe here. Also, if you are interested in supporting my efforts to preserve and protect Conservative values in Williamson County, please consider making a donation.
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General Session - Bills to Follow
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While there are over 1400 bills that get filed each year, there are always some that stand out more than others. This year is no exception. While this is not all of the bills I will be watching, these are some of the most notable. If there are other bills you feel are important to support, please let me know and I will add to my list.
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Municipal Government - As introduced, expands the criteria for real property that is eligible for the property owner to petition a municipality to deannex. - Amends TCA Section 6-51-201.
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Taxes, Real Property - As introduced, requires half the revenue collected from recordation taxes be returned to the county in which the real property is located on a recurring basis; applies to transfers of real property on or after July 1, 2025. - Amends TCA Section 67-4-409.
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This could mean more revenue for capital projects
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Open Meetings - As introduced, requires a governing body subject to the open meetings laws to reserve a period of public comment to provide the public with the opportunity to comment on any matter germane to the jurisdiction of the governing body, regardless of whether the matter is listed on the agenda for the meeting. - Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 44.
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