Tennessee Historical Commission asks for maintenance money after winter storm damage and long-running operating shortfalls

Miranda Montgomery, interim executive director of the Tennessee Historical Commission and the state historic preservation officer, told the Senate State and Local Government Committee that the agency needs a nonrecurring maintenance increase to address winter storm damage and deferred upkeep at state historic sites.

Montgomery said the commission is requesting a nonrecurring increase of roughly $1.5 million to address recent storm damage and critical deferred maintenance, in addition to modest operational increases the agency says have not occurred in a decade. “We are asking for a non recurring increase to our maintenance fund in amount of $1.5000000 dollars to address storm damage, critical deferred maintenance needs, and preparation of our sites for the influx of national and international visitors for the America 250 celebration,” Montgomery told the committee.

Montgomery reviewed the agency’s portfolio, noting the federal historic tax‑credit program has supported rehabilitation of more than 1,000 Tennessee buildings and generated about $1.5 billion in private investment to date. She described grant programs the commission administers, including a federal/state matching grant program and a civil war sites preservation fund that has awarded substantial grants to save battlefield acreage.

Committee members asked why the Historical Commission’s budget figures vary so widely year to year. Montgomery explained the agency is a pass‑through for capital grants and receives different large, direct appropriations in some years; capital projects and transfers affect annual totals. She also confirmed that $737,000 reverted to the state in a recent year after funds set aside in the major maintenance account were not expended; staff said the office has recently put a plan together to encumber funds more proactively to avoid future reversion.

The committee discussed three main needs: approximately $750,000 in deferred maintenance, roughly $750,000 in storm damage, and operational funding that hasn’t kept pace with inflation. Members signaled support for working with finance to find a path forward; clerk roll call recorded 8 ayes and the Historical Commission budget was referred to finance.

Next steps: agency staff and committee members agreed the commission will coordinate with committee staff and the finance chair on possible supplemental requests or budget amendments.

Note on figures: amounts are taken from committee testimony and the agency’s presentation; some transcript values are expressed with formatting errors (for example, the nonrecurring request appears in the record as “$1.5000000 dollars”). Where totals were unclear the committee asked for clarification; the article reflects testimony as given and flags figures as agency‑reported.