Board considers changes to interlocal agreement

Oct. 20—The Joint Economic Community Development Board is seeking a change in its bylaws following a transfer of financial management from the city of Crossville to Cumberland County.

"I would like to get the interlocal agreement to match what we actually do," said Rebecca Stone, 3rd District commissioner, during the Sept. 22 meeting.

Meetings have moved from Crossville City Hall to the Cumberland County Courthouse and Beth Davis from Cumberland County Mayor Allen Foster's office will be providing administrative support for the board.

But the agreement has not been amended since the board was first formed more than 20 years ago as part of the Growth Policy Act passed in 1998. This legislation required counties without metropolitan forms of government to establish joint boards in order to apply for certain state grants. The boards are required to meet at least four times a year, and charges the board with administering the ThreeStar grant program.

The ThreeStar grants operate on a two-year cycle and are based on an annual evaluation and activity plan developed by the board. The most recent ThreeStar grant in Cumberland County applied for a grant to develop a plan for a bike trail network. It was awarded $50,000.

The original agreement calls for the board to be made up of the county executive (now called the county mayor), the mayor of each municipality and members of the county's growth policy committee.

But membership has expanded to include representatives agriculture, commerce, and the private sector, with 19 current members.

The proposed change would call for a board that includes the county mayor, mayor of each municipality, one member of the Crossville City Council, the Crossville City Manager, three members of the Cumberland County Commission, three representatives selected by the Chamber of Commerce, a representative of the largest utility, an agriculture representative and a private sector representative selected by the non-executive committee members. There would also be three at-large director positions. Other positions would be added as necessary to comply with the state's ThreeStar grant requirements.

Board members who hold elected positions would serve four years as would appointments made by the county and city. Chamber of Commerce appointments would be for three years. The at-large positions would be elected in the second year following local elections and serve four years.

The director of schools serves during their appointment as director.

"We would welcome people all the way through. I think that's good for continuity," said Stone.

The board also elects a chair, vice-chair and secretary/treasurer. These officers and the county mayor and mayor of the larger municipality serve as the executive committee. That board is supposed to meet eight times a year, but the board is considering reducing that number to four meetings.

Stone suggested making board officer terms two years.

There is also a question of a bank account for the board with $1,027.74.

"Technically, we don't handle money," Stone said. "I would like to close that account."

The funds were a requirement when the board was first formed, members said, but they don't use the money. In fact, the bank has come close to closing the account as an abandoned account on several occasions.

However, there is a question of how to manage the funds. The account is too small to be subjected to the county's rigorous accounting procedures. Stone suggested the Chamber could possibly take the money and put it in a restricted account.

"Or, maybe we spend it," Stone said, asking the board to consider options to discuss at the next meeting.

Board members questioned if the account was required under state legislation for the ThreeStar program. That will be investigated before the next meeting. Janet Graham suggested moving the account to a locally operated bank, which may be more willing to work with the board on an account with low activity.

The board will consider changes to the interlocal agreement at its December quarterly meeting.

Heather Mullinix is editor of the Crossville Chronicle. She covers schools and education in Cumberland County. She may be reached at hmullinix@crossville-chronicle.com.