The Greene County Budget and Finance Committee gave preliminary approval to a resolution authorizing the purchase of various pieces of medical equipment for Greene County-Greeneville EMS.
The committee approved the purchase of $531,000 of medical equipment, which would be paid for through patient-generated revenue to EMS and grant funding. EMS is a self-sufficient agency, and the equipment purchases will require the expenditure of no tax dollars from the county’s general fund.
The committee approved the purchase of two refurbished Life Pack 15 Cardiac Monitors at $24,000 each, and 30 Motorola Portable Radios at $7,700 each. The radios are required to replace existing portable radios to comply with federal encryption mandates.
The committee also approved the purchase of a death investigator transport vehicle for $55,000.
Two refurbished Stair Chair units at $4,000 each were also approved to improve patient mobility and safety.
The purchase of eight Hamilton-T1 Ventilators at a cost of $16,500 each were also approved for purchase. The purchase would provide one unit per advanced life support ambulance at EMS.
A total of 10 Butterfly Ultrasound Devices at a cost of $5,700 a piece to provide for field diagnostics, such as checking for internal bleeding, were also approved for purchase.
Greene County-Greeneville EMS Director T.J. Manis said that the purchases, paid for through revenues generated by the agency, would bolster the agency’s life-saving efforts.
T.J. Manis
The purchase resolution will go before the County Commission for final consideration on May 18.
The committee also approved $250,000 for the purchase of patrol cars for the Greene County Sheriff’s Department.
The committee also a approved a resolution to authorize an actuarial study of the costs associated with a Hazardous Duty Supplemental Benefit for Sheriff’s Department officers. The program through the State of Tennessee would likely see the county have to contribute an additional supplement to the Tennessee Consolidate Retirement System for Sheriff’s Department officers if the county chose to participate in the program.
The study, conducted by the State Comptroller, will cost the county nothing. The study will determine what costs the county would incur if it were to participate in the Hazardous Duty Supplement program.
In addition, the committee approved a resolution authorizing the repayment of $545,000 in Helene Emergency Assistance Loan (HEAL) funds to the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency.
Greene County provided $545,000 through the state HEAL program to Glen Hills Utility District for the repair of a water line that crosses Birds Bridge that was damaged in Hurricane Helene, however, the water utility was able to complete the project in house and did not use the funds.
Greene County is now returning the unused funding to the state, but Greene County Mayor Kevin Morrison said the county was able to collect interest off the funding while it was in Greene County’s possession.
The county still has millions in HEAL funds that are earmarked for the Greeneville Water Commission and Chuckey Utility District. As those organizations complete projects addressing aspects of flood recovery, the county reimburses them with the HEAL funding. The funds must be repaid to the state on the Federal Emergency Management Agency reimburses the utilities.
All resolutions approved by the committee will go before the full County Commission on May 18 for final consideration.
Highway Department Budget Accepted
At the conclusion of Wednesday’s meeting, the Budget and Finance Committee unanimously accepted the proposed fiscal year 2027 budget for the Greene County Highway Department.
The budget was mostly unchanged from the previous fiscal year, but did include a $25,000 increase in the department’s highway equipment budget and a $10,000 increase in the motor vehicle line item. It also included a $5,000 increase for natural gas costs and about a $5,000 increase for electricity costs.
Greene County Mayor Kevin Morrison reiterated during Wednesday’s meeting that the county’s upcoming fiscal year budget would be balanced and would not include a tax increase.
