The Carter County Commission on Nov. 17 approved a series of routine budget amendments, purchase orders and payments and moved to address an emergency bridge closure ordered by the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

Commissioners voted to approve multiple items from the meeting packet, including payments and purchase orders for flood-related bridge work and repairs. The meeting record shows the sheriff's office was authorized to buy a $35,000 van for jail-staff transport with funds from the sheriff's commissary reserve account, and multiple check requests and invoices (including a $5,600 payment to LandWorks for a temporary bridge) were approved.

Finance staff told commissioners the county will request additional reimbursement funds this week to cover projects already spent and described several projects ready to be obligated once state processes advance. Emergency-management staff said the county's new Elizabethton–Carter County EMA mobile app is live, and hazard-mitigation applications for sirens, stationary generators and other resilience items have been submitted; commissioners clarified the county match for the mitigation application is 12.5%.

A TDOT inspection required immediate action for the Andrew Cemetery (Freeland) Road bridge. Staff described rental proposals for temporary bridges — including a 28-month rental line item of about $444,135.84 — and commissioners debated funding sources and liability. Commissioner Dale moved to lease a temporary bridge from the highway unassigned fund with a not-to-exceed amount of $450,000; the motion was seconded and commissioners discussed damage responsibility, property access and procurement timing. Transcript discussion indicated staff expect engineering review and possible permanent-construction bidding in the early months of the next year, depending on TDOT review of plans and utilities.

Other notable approvals and motions recorded in the meeting included purchase orders, professional-services payments and several budget amendments: a County Fund amendment of $239,183.42, a Solid Waste fund amendment of $137,342.28, a Highway Fund amendment of $5,125, and a General Purpose School Fund amendment of $32,500. The commission also considered a motion to permit the First Tennessee Development District to issue an RFQ for ARC grant- related engineering services with no county match required.

Why it matters: the temporary-bridge motion addresses immediate public-safety and access concerns for families and a cemetery affected by the TDOT order; the routine budget and payment approvals move multiple repair and recovery projects forward.

What happened next: several motions in the packet were recorded as passing during the meeting. The temporary-bridge lease motion was presented, seconded and discussed; transcript shows commissioners reached tentative agreement on a not-to-exceed amount, and staff described next steps for procurement and permanent repair timelines.

Actions at a glance:

- Motion recorded to appropriate $1,000,000 for purchase of a building for the UT Extension office (sources: $282,000 sports-betting tax reserves; $718,000 capital projects reserves) — motion introduced in packet and discussed.

- Motion to authorize sheriff's office to purchase a $35,000 van (funds: sheriff's commissary reserve) — recorded as passed.

- Payment to LandWorks, $5,600, for a temporary bridge — recorded as approved.

- Revised invoice payment to Shouse Professional Services, $46,905.62 — recorded as approved.

- Motion to lease temporary bridge for Andrew Cemetery Road (Freeland Bridge) from highway unassigned fund, not to exceed $450,000 — motion made and seconded; commissioners discussed timing, liability and property access; transcript does not show a final roll-call vote immediately following that discussion.

- Multiple budget amendments approved (county and special-fund amendments listed above).

The commission identified follow-up tasks for staff, including finalizing procurement documents, confirming fund availability and posting required grant application disclosures on the county website.

Speakers who moved or seconded motions are recorded in the meeting minutes and packet; several motions show the procedural outcome 'Motion passed' in the transcript where noted.