LYNCHBURG — The Metro Council will entertain the second an final approval of the 2024-25 budget on Monday night during their July meeting. Back in March, local voters approved a charter amendment that lowered the number of required approvals from three to two for this budget season.

During the November 2023 meeting, Mayor Stewart and members of the Budget Committee supported this change to prevent timing crunches around budget season. State numbers for the Metro budget often don’t arrive until May and with a looming June 30 deadline from the State Comptroller’s office to submit a final budget, local elected officials regularly found themselves in a time crunch that often required a special session. According to local officials, reducing the number of readings would still allow for a public comment period while streamlining the process.

Local voters approved that charter amendment by a 34 vote margin with 479 voting for the measure and 445 voting against it.

On Monday, not only will they vote on next year’s County General Budget and Moore County Schools budget but they will also vote on the final appropriations and Moore County tax levy.

The 2024-25 budget passed with little fan fair in June. {To read our complete coverage of that meeting, click here.} Though budget season is often a power struggle, Budget Committee members didn’t give the Council much to argue about this year. There was no property tax increase for 2024-25.

Members approved the first reading by a 13-1 margin with Dexter Golden, Douglas Carson, Greg Guinn, Arvis Bobo, Bradley Dye, Sunny Rae Moorehead, John Taylor, Marty Cashion, Amy Cashion, Shane Taylor, Houston Lindsey, Gerald Burnett, and Jimmy Hammond voting in favor and Robert Bracewell voting against. Peggy Sue Blackburn was absent from the meeting.

The Metro Council will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, July 15 at the American Legion Building located just off the Booneville Highway near the Lynchburg Swimming Pool. All meetings are open to the general public. There is also a public comment period at the beginning of each meeting. To have your name added to the agenda, contact Mayor Stewart’s office at 931-759-7076. •

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