Public Safety Committee approves budget shifts for vehicles, grants and program funding

The Rutherford County Public Safety Committee on Feb. 23 approved a package of budget amendments and grant actions that county officials said will support mental‑health transports and traffic‑safety operations.

Chief Spence, speaking for the sheriff’s office, asked the committee to reallocate $133,811 from contracted services into the motor‑vehicle line to purchase two Dodge Durangos designated for mental‑health patient transport. Spence said the funds come from a FY26 mental‑health transport appropriation grant and that the item is an eligible expense under the grant’s guidelines. The committee approved the reallocation.

The committee also approved smaller reallocations: $20,000 moved from a restricted public‑safety fund into vehicle maintenance, and $10,000 moved from equipment repair into the prisoner‑clothing line to replace worn items and respond to population changes. Commissioners asked whether clothing needs were driven by increased headcount; jail staff said the changes reflected both population growth and replacement of torn bedding and clothing.

Chief Spence reported the sheriff’s office worked to staff school resource officer openings and said the office has three SRO vacancies with one candidate in background checks. He also reported staffing losses since January 2025 totaling 41 employees across divisions.

On grants, the committee approved adjustments and new applications tied to state traffic‑safety funding. Finance staff reported an existing Tennessee Highway Safety Office (THSO) grant award that had been reduced by about 20% at the state level, and the committee approved the carry‑forward and revenue/expense adjustments needed to reconcile that reduction. The sheriff’s office was also authorized to apply for two no‑match grants if awarded: a $200,000 THSO overtime/equipment grant for saturation traffic enforcement and a $25,000 Community Traffic Safety Program grant for traffic education and community events; the mayor would be authorized to accept and sign the awards if made.

Michelle Ricks reported a rollover award from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to support Recovery Court participants; the committee approved recognizing the grant funds. Recovery Court staff reported 180 participants in January, waiting lists for reentry programming and plans to expand capacity as a new building comes online.

All motions before the committee during the meeting were carried by voice vote or roll call as recorded in the meeting minutes.

What’s next: If the traffic and mental‑health grants are awarded, county staff said they will return with any required procurement or acceptance paperwork for the mayor’s signature.