By Tabitha Evans Moore
Editor & Publisher
LYNCHBURG, Tenn. — The Metro Council will meet tonight at the American Legion Building in Lynchburg with one main item on the agenda, the 2026-27 Metro General budget.
As you may recall from our May 18 reporting, the Council failed to pass the first of two required approvals in May twice based on push back over a two cent property tax increase. With four members absent — Douglas Carson, Houston Lindsey, Greg Guinn, and Jimmy Hammond — only eleven of the fifteen council members were present.
The two cent increase would have been used to create a rainy day fund for capital projects. Budget Committee Chair Burnett, who does not plan to run for re-election, explained to the group the intention of the two cent increase was to help the future councils by creating a small rainy day fund.
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“Nobody likes paying taxes,” he told fellow Council member in May. “But if you chip a little along, it’s easier than some of the fifteen, eighteen, and twenty-two cent increases we’ve had.”
On first reading, Dexter Golden, Gerald Burnett, Shane Taylor, Amy Cashion, John Taylor, Bradley Dye, Arvis Bobo, Marty Cashion, and Sunny Rae Moorehead voted in favor with Robert Bracewell and Peggy Blackburn voting no.
Burnett then stripped out the two cent increase in an attempt to compromise, but the budget failed again, even without it.
That motion also failed, 6-5. On the second vote, Marty Cashion, Arvis Bobo, Amy Cashion, John Taylor, Gerald Burnett, and Blackburn voted yes and Robert Bracewell, Sunny Rae Moorehead, Bradley Dye, Shane Taylor, and Dexter Golden voted no.
They’ll try again tonight.
OTHER BUSINESS
In new business, the Council will also discuss a new rezoning for a minor division on Pleasant Hill Road for Joey Simmons for Simmons Construction from agricultural to residential. They will also hear the second hearing of a rezoning request from Aaron Nunley on Major Cemetery Road from from agricultural to residential.
The Lynchburg Chamber will also request the shut down of three sides of the Lynchburg Square on June 26-27 for safety precautions during the annual Frontier Days Celebration. According to letter by President Marsha Hale, Mechanic Street from Farmers Bank to the red light will remain open to allow Jack Daniel’s tour buses to drop of visitors on the square.
The Council will also consider the second reading of the Jail Renovations. As we reported on February 17, the project centers on code compliance and safety — not expansion. After the open bidding process, only one construction company, Lee Adcock Construction bid on the project — a sore spot amoung some Metro Council members.
The Metro Council meets every third Monday of the month at the American Legion Building located off Highway 129 near the Lynchburg Pool.
There will be two public meeting prior to the regular meeting — one at 6:15 p.m. and one at 6:20 p.m. Those will be to hear public comments for or against the rezoning request at Major Cemetery Road and the jail renovation project. •
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