Threat or Fair Warning?
Chase Matheson - August 14, 2024
Monday night the Overton County Commission voted for a 14% property tax increase. Mired in controversy, citizens are blowing the whistle and claiming intimidation.
When citizens arrived at the courthouse for Monday's County Commission meeting they were met with new security protocols for the meeting--metal Detectors and bag searches.
Deputies were also telling citizens they had to put their phones in their car and even allegedly searching people's file folders.
What is worse, they were handing printed formal notices to citizens at the door as they entered the County Commission meeting. The notice was also on the county website. Here is the notice:
We have confirmed through multiple sources that there was a "misunderstanding" that resulted in citizens being forced to leave their phones in their cars. The "misunderstanding" surrounded the location of the meeting. This commission meeting was held in the county courtroom, and deputies believed "court rules" applied--although, I didn't see any reports of people being forced to tuck their shirt in or take off their hoodies. After that "misunderstanding" was cleared up, several attendees claim they were told that if their phones went off, they would be charged with disrupting an official proceeding.
picture of commissioner clark from overton county news live feed
The subject of the meeting? Property tax increases needed to cover county expenses including lawsuit settlements, employee raises, and a large piece of land for a new Health Department building. The lawsuit settlement of $1.3 million, stems from an incident where 6 Sheriff's Deputies pinned a man to the ground resulting in his death--a sad situation.
The money for this settlement placed a burden on the county leaving them with little options other than raising taxes or risk the State setting the budget for them and disbanding the volunteer fire department. Sounds like "give us a raise or your house might catch fire" to me, but maybe I'm biased.
There is also pending litigation against the same Sheriff's Office regarding a false arrest without a warrant, and several other liabilities outstanding the public may eventually foot the bill for.
What other little money may have been in the reserves was recently spent on land for a new Health Department, although citizens claim the current health department is already working on minimal staff. According to 1 speaker at a previous meeting, access to a legitimate Doctor is limited to only a couple days per month. The land was acquired with the assistance of matching and non-matching grants, but citizens still criticize the purchase. The meeting was not broadcast on their usual Facebook channel, although the local news station was permitted to record and the meeting can be viewed on their page here.
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Ultimately, only 5 citizens spoke during public comment, which takes place and the end of meetings in Overton County, instead of before the meeting like in most counties. Nearly all who spoke were against any tax increases. Ultimately the County Commission voted 8-7 to give raises across the board to all county employees (including the employees who serve as county commissioners) and raise property taxes 27 cents, from 1.97/$1000 Assessment Value, to 2.25/$1000 AV, a 14.2% increase.
Knowing citizens were threated with arrest and treated like criminals before entering such an important meeting is awful. The fact it was done by the same department which not only stood to financially benefit from a vote in favor of the increase, but also helped place Overton County in the budgetary predicament they are facing, is utterly appalling. There are now rumors circulating that citizens may attempt to recall County Executive Barlow and others, but it seems the Sheriff's Department may need some wrangling in, too.
TL:DR: Overton County was facing a budget crisis after a man was killed while in the custody of the Sheriff's Office. They are also being sued after making false arrests earlier this year. County Employee raises were the major item of contention in the recent budget meeting--including raises for Sheriff's Deputies.
The County Commission voted in favor of a 14.2% increase on property taxes in a meeting where many of the citizens in attendance were threatened with arrest for even a "verbal utterance"--threatened by the same Sheriff's Department whose actions placed them in their current predicament and whose salary increases were on the table.
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