What seemed unimaginable occurred during the Monday evening meeting of the Carroll County Commissioners. A vote to move savings from the sale of the county-owned hospital in Huntingdon in 1984 was approved without discussion or dissension. The savings were established and guarded by the premise that a required two-thirds majority vote to relocate the funds would be hard to achieve. Not only did commissioners achieve a two-thirds majority, all 21 commissioners voted in favor of the action.

Commissioners were faced with little choice. The state's General Assembly approved new insurance regulations forcing counties to provide more insurance in the event of a tort. New and higher liability tort limits necessitated the reassignment of $927,907 in reserve funds accumulated from the hospital sale. Commissioners vote to apply the funds primarily to the county's self-insured fund.

"The money will still be there. It will just be a designation change," said County Executive Kenny McBride.

Effective July 1, 2002 and before July 1, 2007, governmental entities are required to have "minimum limits of not less than $250,000 for bodily injury or death of any one person in any one accident, occurrence or act, and not less than $600,000 for bodily injury or death of all persons in any one accident, occurrence or act, and $85,000 for injury or destruction of property of others. The provisions of this subdivision shall apply to any action arising on or after July 1, 2002 but before July 1, 2007.

After July 1, 2007, minimum insurance limits of not less than $300,000 for bodily injury or death of any one person in any one accident, occurrence or act and not less than $700,000 for bodily injury or death of all persons in any one accident, occurrence, or act, and $100,000 for injury or destruction of property of others in any one accident, occurrence or act.

The resolution indicated that cost quotes for commercial insurance were prohibitive for such limits. Executive McBride said the annual premium would have been $43,000 for the first year for a $50,000 deductible policy through the state pool insurance carrier. Over the previous five years, the county has paid out a total of $143,000 in claims against the self-insurance fund. Only four of the claims during that period exceeded $2,500. "Many other counties will have to raise taxes," said McBride of the increases in tort limits and related insurance premium hikes. "We are fortunate that we have the reserve funds to remain self-insured," said McBride. He added that Carroll County has no intentions to raise taxes for the FY2002-2003 beginning in July.

In light of the county's excellent loss experience rating, the insurance committee and the budget committee decided to continue to self-insure the county. Presently, the county has $927,907.34 in the reserve account and another $404,705.83 in the self-insured account for a total of $1,332,613.17. A total of $1,100,000 will be transferred to the self-insurance account with the remaining $232,613.17 to be deposited in the undesignated fund balance account. If unused, the self-insurance account will continue to accumulate interest and to be funded annually by the county offices and departments. The interest income from the self-insurance fund shall continue to be utilized by the County of Carroll according to its budgetary needs.

In another financial matter, the county approved a transfer of $30,000 to cover payment of health insurance premiums for the 2001-2002 FY. Premiums for health insurance increased on January 1, 2002 leaving the insurance account approximately $30,000 short. The county's portion of health insurance for employees and elected officials is $567,500 for FY2001-2002 with the added increases in premiums. McBride said the county pays 75 percent of the employee's coverage and none of the dependent's coverage for employees or officials employed after July 1, 2001. Employees hired prior to July 1, 2001 are grandfathered under the old plan in which the county pays 75 percent of employee and dependent insurance premiums.

For an employee, county official or county commissioner, the county pays $233.47 of the $311.29 monthly premium. The premium for the family plan is $777.17 with the county paying $233.47 and the employee paying $543.70 if hired after July 1, 2001. Under the grandfathered plan - for persons hired prior to July 1, 2001 - the county pays $582.87 of the premium leaving $194.30 for the employee to pay for family coverage.

A resolution to transfer $1,000 for literacy at Carroll Academy was approved. The county received a $1,000 grant for the literacy program.

In other business, the commission:

• appointed Joan Williams, Jerry Drewry, Nathaniel McCullough, John W. Parker, and Troy Warren to the Carroll County Board of Equalization for a term of two years.
• heard Commissioner Jimmy Kee, a paramedic, speak to the commission about conducting CPR classes for county commissioners following the May meeting. Kee said the training would take about 45 minutes.
• approved notaries.

The final list of candidates for state and federal offices has been released following a Thursday, April 4 qualifying deadline.

The following are candidates seeking state offices from local districts during the August 1 election:

Tennessee Senate, District 27 - (4-yr term) Incumbent Bobby Carter of Jackson, is the lone candidate to seek the Republican nomination. Seeking the Democratic nomination are Alex Leech of Jackson, Don McLeary of Humboldt, and Harold T. Smith of Cedar Grove. The district includes Carroll, Gibson, and Madison Counties.

Tennessee House of Representatives - 76th District - (2-year term) Incumbent Mark Maddox of Dresden is seeking the Democratic nomination. Tom "Redneck" Gardner of Huntingdon is seeking the Republican nomination. The district includes all of Weakley County and the northern portion of Carroll.

Tennessee House of Representatives - 76th District (2-year term) Incumbent Paul E. Phelan of Trenton, Mark Carlton of Trenton, and Ray Davis of Milan are seeking the Democratic nomination. Chris Crider of Milan is the lone candidate seeking the Republican nomination, and Bobby Barnett of Humboldt is running as an independent. The district includes the Gibson County and the southern portion of Carroll.

State Executive Committeeman -27th District -includes Carroll, Gibson, and Madison counties. Don Farmer of Milan, Michael McWherter of Jackson, and Tim Tucker of Huntingdon are seeking the position on the Democratic ticket. Gary Deaton of Jackson is the lone Republican. One committeeman will be elected from each party for a period of four years.

State Executive Committeewoman - 27th District - Ann S. Burns of Jackson is seeking the Democratic position. Two Republicans are seeking the lone Republican endorsement. They include Belinda Kail Burns of Milan and Kellye Cash Sheppard of Milan.

Candidates for Governor of Tennessee include - (Democrats) Luther Best, Dean Brasington, Phil Bredesen, Charles V. Brown, Floyd R. Conover, Randy Nichols, and Charles Smith. (Republicans) Jim Henry, Van Hilleary, David Kelley, Jessie McDonald, and Bob Tripp. (Independent) David Gatchell, Gabriel A. Givens, James E. Herren, Martha Ann Hood, John Jay Hooker, Ray Ledford, Marivuana Stout Lelnoff, Basil Marceaux, Edwin Sanders, Ronald Simmons, Francis E. Waldron, Robert Watson, Carl 'Twofeathers' Whitaker, and Charles V. Wilhoit, Jr.

U.S. Senate candidates include: (Democrats) Bob Clement, Gary G. Davis, Michael L. Hampstead, Cher A. Hopkey, and Alvin M. Strauss. (Republicans) Robert N. Bonner, Lamar Alexander, Ed Bryant, James E. DuBose, Christopher G. Fenner, June Griffin, Mary Taylor Shelby, and Michael Brent Todd. (Independents) Wasley M. Baker, Karl Stanley Davidson, C.L. "Connie" Gammon, John Jay Hooker, Jr., Harold G. Keplinger, and Basil J. Marceaux.

U.S. Congress - 8th District - (Democrats) John Tanner (incumbent) of Union City, and Richard Ward of Greenfield. (Republicans) Mat McClain, William A. Warren. (Independent) James L. Hart.

County Elections

The following have qualified for elections in Carroll County. The qualifying deadline is May 16 at noon.

County Commission - District 1 (elect three) Wayne Kirk and Billy J. Smith, both incumbents. District 2 (elect 2)- Frank Newsom and Ronnie Murphy (incumbent). District 3 (elect 2)- Steve Parker and Larry Spencer. District 4 (elect 2) T. Richard Goodwin, Jimmy Kee, and John Mann. District 5 (elect 3) - Russell Holladay. District 6 (elect 2) Roger Hollowell. District 7 (elect 2) no candidates. District 8 (elect 2) Wayford Washburn, Sr., William (PeeWee) Newton, Gaylon Sydnor (incumbent), and Harold W. Vinson. District 9 (elect 3) Ben Surber and Ken Butler, both incumbents, and Bill Kirk.

County Clerk - Carolyn Halter Lutz.

Road Supervisors - Third District - Robert (Bob) Algee. Fourth District - Jeff Reed, who is presently serving as Mayor of Clarksburg.

Many candidates for county-wide office will be nominated during party caucuses on May 10 and 11.

County School Board - First District - Jimmy Simmons. Third District - Toni Stokes. Both Simmons and Stokes are incumbents.

Huntingdon Special School District Board of Education - Tony Tucker, incumbent.

No one has qualified in the special school districts of West Carroll, McKenzie, South Carroll, or Hollow Rock-Bruceton.
   

Phone (731) 352-3323 or Fax (731) 352-3322
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