Carter County officials hope to launch new website
Published 4:11 pm Tuesday, February 14, 2023
- File Photo Carter County Courthouse
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
BY ROBERT SORRELL
Star correspondent
The Carter County government may get a new, more user-friendly website following a Monday night vote by the Budget Committee.
The county’s current website, www.cartercountytn.gov, has been active for about eight years. It has been hosted and developed by Six Rivers Media.
Anthony Lawrence, who owns Doe River Technology Services and provides information technology services for Carter County, recommended to the Budget Committee on Monday to enter into a contract with Revize.
The county’s website needs to “pop,” Lawrence said.
Revize currently maintains several websites in Tennessee, including Sevier County and Tipton County, which Lawrence showed to the committee. The websites provide easy, user-friendly access, Lawrence said.
The city of Elizabethton’s current website is also powered by Revize, which only works with municipalities.
It would cost $9,542 to initially use Revize’s website services and set up a new Carter County website, then $1,975 a year, according to a quote from the company.
The committee unanimously approved a motion recommending the county sign a contract with Revize to develop a website for a cost not to exceed $10,000. The full commission will next hear the motion.
The new website would provide agendas and minutes from the County Commission.
Commissioners also approved a motion to spend $500,000 on new voting machines for the Carter County Election Office. The county is seeking a $500,000 grant from the state to cover the costs.
The commissioners briefly discussed the possibility of enacting a wheel tax in Carter County. Due to an increase in expenses, such as pay increases for employees, the county will likely need to enact a wheel tax, increase property taxes, or a combination of both, commissioners have said.
Attorney Josh Hardin told commissioners that he would not plan for a wheel tax until the next budget cycle due to the possibility such a wheel tax might be placed on the referendum. Hardin said the commission can approve a wheel tax via a resolution, but if 10% of citizens sign a petition, the wheel tax could be placed on the ballot as a referendum.
During the last Landfill and Highway commission meeting, commissioners approved a plan to sell a Carter County Highway Department vehicle to the landfill for $20,000. With those funds, and money in its account, the Highway Department would purchase a new tractor-trailer, according to the previous meeting.
On Monday, however, only a portion of the plan made it to the Budget Committee. As a result, commissioners on the Budget Committee sent the plan back to the Landfill and Highway committees.
The Budget Committee also sent a proposal to purchase and repair AEDs, or automated external defibrillators, back to the Health and Welfare Committee. Commissioners said they needed more information to make a decision.
Commissioners agreed that committees and committee chairpersons need to be more communicative.
The Budget Committee adjourned and reconvened as the Nominating Committee, chaired by Commissioner Cody McQueen.
The committee briefly discussed a 2nd District constable application. Commissioners made no action on the application. The 2nd District, which covers the Roan Mountain area, currently has one of two constables. A nomination in January failed to pass the full commission.
Hardin informed members that it is not a required committee for the commission and any nomination can be made by the full commission. McQueen said the committee should only meet again if necessary.
