Commish-BOE retreat to talk budget

Knox County commissioners and school board members will meet next Tuesday to talk about the mayor’s proposed spending plan.

The work session, which will be held at Ijams Nature Center on Island Home Avenue, is open to the public and starts at 5:30 p.m.

It will come a day after the commission plans to hold its own public meeting to talk about Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett’s proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts July 1.

Commission Chairman Brad Anders said the meeting stems from an agreement made earlier this year between the two boards that they would get together more often to talk about county finances.

He said this one focuses on the budget and gives each side a chance to fire off questions.

Anders and school board member Lynne Fugate will moderate.

The commission will vote on the budget on May 27.

School board members during the joint work session are expected to ask the commission to increase the mayor’s spending plan by additional $4.55 million, which they initially requested to cover a 1.8 percent raise for teachers.

Earlier this month, the mayor unveiled his proposed plan, a $730 million budget that gave the school board everything it asked for that would keep it revenue neutral. He said the additional $4.55 million would require dipping into the reserves, something he’s not going to do.

Expect the commission to stick by him. He’s got his six votes.