In a special called meeting Tuesday, the Rhea County Commission passed a $21.8 million budget for fiscal year 2025-2026 by a vote of 6 to 0.
Commissioners Nick Welch and Sandy Francisco were absent.
Also included was a $43.3 million budget for the Rhea County School system.
The Commission set the tax rate at 1.3486 per $100 of assessed property.
This is the lowest the propety tax rate has been in years, officials said. McMinn County has the lowest rate in the state at $1.0823.
Shelby County has the highest at $3.39 per $100.
In the county general budget, some $9 million will go to the Sheriff’s Department with $3.7 million of that for operation of the jail and $554,927 going for the juvenile detention center.
At the beginning of the meeting Commission Chairman Jim Reed addressed the commission and audience to let them know of the passing of Commissioner Tommy Ballard.
He said, "We are down to eight commissioners and will be that way for a bit. We will deal with that. Should we have a tie, it will be up to County
Executive Jim Vincent to cast the deciding vote."