County commissioners adopt 2023-24 fiscal year budget and honor prep athletes

HENDERSONVILLE - The Henderson County Board of Commissioners' June 5 meeting was a nearly five-hour marathon that wrapped up at 10:30 p.m., and during that time, two highlights were the approval of the 2023-24 county budget and also the recognition of Henderson County's high school athletes who won state championships in the 2022-23 school year.

The meeting began with the athletes' recognition, as West Henderson High's baseball team and members of its track and field team were honored, along with members of the Hendersonville High girls' tennis team.

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Capping off the school year's state titles was West Henderson High's baseball team, which defeated J.H. Rose in the 3-A state championship with a 6-2 win in Game 1 on June 2 and a 2-1 win in Game 2 on June 3 in Burlington to capture its first state title since 1992.

The team's head coach is Jackie Corn (a former North Henderson High standout), and assistant coaches are Ryan Anderson, Jason Livingston, Chip Koontz, Jimmy Gash and Anthony Lindsey. Team members are as follows: Lukas Kachillo, Truitt Manuel, Alex Anderson, Cayden Saltz, Jackson Lyda, Hudson Pressley, Bradley Clark, Jude Lyda, Colin Ingle, Isaac Johnson, Ryan Kasney, Nicky Stanko, Logan Oliver, Jackson Lynn, Eli Shinn, Jake Lindsey, Cameron Grady, Grant Putnam, Amani Perin and Robert Waters.

Hendersonville's girls' tennis team won its fourth straight 2-A dual team state title in November. Members of the team are Eliza Perry, Ramsey Ross, Raleigh Prichard, Reese Redden, Anna MacDowell and Katherine Graham. Perry and Ross also won the 2-A doubles individual state title, and for Perry was her third straight doubles title. For Ross, it was her second straight. The team is coached by Michael Jones and Lane Perry.

West also had two track and field athletes recognized: Emma Hall, coached by Aaron Saft, and Tayman Howell, coached by Randy Lytle. Hall, a junior, earned three state titles (110 and 300 hurdles in outdoor track and the 55 hurdles in indoor track), and she won all three last year as a sophomore. West sophomore Howell took the state title in the 110 hurdles.

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"Congratulations to all of you, and thank you for putting Henderson County on the map," Commissioner Chair Rebecca McCall said.

Henderson County's 2023-24 budget presented

Following the recognition, the commissioners switched gears and went into regular business, highlighted by the presentation by Henderson County Manager John Mitchell of the proposed 2023-34 county budget.

Highlighting the budget was a tax rate decrease revenue neutral rate of .431.

"The tax bill is made up of two key pieces of information, the value of the property and the millage. So when we say revenue neutral rate, it's calculated to be revenue neutral to accommodate the growth that we've seen in the values of the market," Mitchell said.

Commissioner David Hill pointed out that with revenue neutral, there will still be some residents who will experience a tax increase.

"They'll be paying more than they did last year. For some, it may be a little bit and for some, it may be a lot, depending on your property," Hill said.

The budget also included full funding of the county's debt service obligation of $19.1 million, funding for future courthouse and detention center renovations and additions, along with funding to meet current and approved future obligations. Mitchell then broke down the key parts of the budget which included $54.8 million for education, $47.7 million for public safety and $38.9 million for human services.

"That represents about 75 percent of the budget. The rest is for recreation, elections, soil and water, those kinds of things... and cooperative extension," Mitchell said.

The total budget was $190.9 million and it was adopted. After the presentation of the budget, commissioners were asked to give their opinions.

"Commissioner Andreotta stated before that you start with the basics and work your way up, which is what you did. I think you have done a great job," Hill said.

Commissioner Daniel Andreotta said he was also pleased with the work of the county staff on the budget.

"If you are having any kind of financial struggle or problem, it would appear to bring your checkbook to our budget folks, and they will get you squared away. The work they do is phenomenal," Andreotta said.

Dean Hensley is the news editor for the Hendersonville Times-News. Email him with tips, questions and comments at DHensley@gannett.com. Please help support this kind of local journalism with a subscription to the Hendersonville Times-News.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Prep athletes recognized, county budget approved by commissioners