4/16/26 - Bradley County Department Budget Hearings

The Bradley County Department Budget Hearings held on April 16, 2026, included detailed discussions on procurement and budget allocations related to public safety communications and grant writing. A significant portion of the budget increase, approximately $135,000, was allocated for purchasing used radios with warranties to upgrade the county's public safety radio system over the next four years. This centralized purchase aims to serve multiple departments including fire, ambulance, and sheriff's office, potentially reducing individual department budget increases. Additionally, the department requested a new full-time grant writer position with a $44,000 salary to proactively pursue and manage grants county-wide, including writing, implementation, and compliance reporting. Commissioners emphasized the importance of benchmarks and transparency regarding grant pursuits and discussed the potential for the grant writer to generate revenue that offsets their salary. The meeting also touched on cost accounting for radio expenses across departments and collaboration with the city on shared costs. No formal votes were recorded in the transcript, but there was clear support for the proposed budget items and plans to refine cost distribution and reporting.