Finance Committee · Meeting · Oct 13, 2026

Tue, Oct 13, 2026

Reviews county revenues and expenditures, tracks fiscal health, and recommends financial policies and appropriations to the Commission.

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> This outline was generated by an LLM from a transcript and may contain errors or inaccuracies. Prefer the original recording when available.

Highlights:

The committee organized itself for the year by electing **Dusty Jordan** as chair and **Nick Bentley** as vice chair, both by acclamation after nominations were closed without opposition. It then approved the agenda, approved the **August 10** minutes, and approved the September financial summary by roll-call vote.

The only substantive financial note was that, after the June resolution allowing earlier property-tax collection, the county had already received about **$260,000** in property-tax revenue by the end of September; the finance director said the rest of the report was generally in line with the prior year. The chair also explained that the committee’s main function is to review the financial summary for later consideration by the full county commission, and referenced state legislation separating finance from budget and giving seats to the school board, highway department, and county mayor.

## Call to Order

-   The meeting began with roll call; **five** members were present and **two** absent, establishing a quorum.

## Elections, Appointments, and Confirmations

### Election of chair

-   **Dusty Jordan** was nominated for chair, nominations were closed, and he was elected by acclamation without opposition.

### Election of vice chair

-   **Nick Bentley** was nominated for vice chair, nominations were closed, and he was elected by acclamation without opposition.

## Public Comments

-   No public commenters were present.

## Approval of Agenda

-   The committee approved the agenda as presented, without discussion.

## Approval of Minutes

-   The committee approved the minutes of the **August 10** meeting without changes.

## Department / Official Reports

### Finance Director report

-   Finance Director **Crystal Fitzgerald** said the financial report was “pretty much in line” with the prior year.
-   She highlighted that, following a June resolution to begin taking property tax a little early, the county had already collected about **$260,000** in property-tax revenue by the end of September.
-   The September financial summary was approved.
-   Because the action required a recorded vote, the committee held a roll-call vote: **Steve Gianakos**, **Dusty Jordan**, **Marcy Tidwell**, **Nick Bentley**, and **Ronald Coates** all voted yes; the motion passed unanimously among members present.

## Unfinished Business

-   No unfinished business was raised.

## New Business / Agenda Items

-   No new business was raised.

## Announcements

-   The chair explained for a newer member that state legislation had separated finance from budget, and that the school board, highway department, and county mayor each have a seat on the finance committee.
-   He said the committee’s primary duty is to approve the financial summary prepared by **Crystal Fitzgerald**, after which it goes to the full county commission for approval or rejection at its later meeting.
-   The chair corrected himself on the timing of the full commission meeting, indicating it was the **fourth Monday**.

## Adjournment

-   The committee adjourned by motion and second, with no opposition noted.

## Key figures and statistics

| Figure | Type | Context / topic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **5** | Attendance | Members present at roll call |
| **2** | Attendance | Members absent at roll call |
| **August 10** | Date | Prior meeting minutes approved |
| **$260,000** | Revenue | Property-tax collections received by end of September after earlier collection authorized in June |
| **September** | Reporting period | Financial summary approved |
| **June** | Date | Earlier property-tax collection authorized by resolution |
| **Fourth Monday** | Schedule | Full county commission meeting timing referenced by chair |

## Personnel changes

| Name | Role / office | Change | Context / topic |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **Dusty Jordan** | Finance Committee Chair | Appointed | Elected chair by acclamation |
| **Nick Bentley** | Finance Committee Vice Chair | Appointed | Elected vice chair by acclamation |

## Laws and policies

| Citation / name | Level | Type | Context / topic |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| **June resolution to take property tax a little bit early** | County | Resolution | Cited as the basis for receiving early property-tax collections by the end of September |
| **State legislation separating finance from budget** | State | Law | Referenced in explanation of committee structure and membership seats for the school board, highway department, and county mayor |

This outline was generated by an LLM from a transcript and may contain errors or inaccuracies. Prefer the original recording when available.

Highlights:

The committee organized itself for the year by electing Dusty Jordan as chair and Nick Bentley as vice chair, both by acclamation after nominations were closed without opposition. It then approved the agenda, approved the August 10 minutes, and approved the September financial summary by roll-call vote.

The only substantive financial note was that, after the June resolution allowing earlier property-tax collection, the county had already received about $260,000 in property-tax revenue by the end of September; the finance director said the rest of the report was generally in line with the prior year. The chair also explained that the committee’s main function is to review the financial summary for later consideration by the full county commission, and referenced state legislation separating finance from budget and giving seats to the school board, highway department, and county mayor.

Call to Order

The meeting began with roll call; five members were present and two absent, establishing a quorum.

Elections, Appointments, and Confirmations

Election of chair

Dusty Jordan was nominated for chair, nominations were closed, and he was elected by acclamation without opposition.

Election of vice chair

Nick Bentley was nominated for vice chair, nominations were closed, and he was elected by acclamation without opposition.

Public Comments

No public commenters were present.

Approval of Agenda

The committee approved the agenda as presented, without discussion.

Approval of Minutes

The committee approved the minutes of the August 10 meeting without changes.

Department / Official Reports

Finance Director report

Finance Director Crystal Fitzgerald said the financial report was “pretty much in line” with the prior year.
She highlighted that, following a June resolution to begin taking property tax a little early, the county had already collected about $260,000 in property-tax revenue by the end of September.
The September financial summary was approved.
Because the action required a recorded vote, the committee held a roll-call vote: Steve Gianakos, Dusty Jordan, Marcy Tidwell, Nick Bentley, and Ronald Coates all voted yes; the motion passed unanimously among members present.

Unfinished Business

No unfinished business was raised.

New Business / Agenda Items

No new business was raised.

Announcements

The chair explained for a newer member that state legislation had separated finance from budget, and that the school board, highway department, and county mayor each have a seat on the finance committee.
He said the committee’s primary duty is to approve the financial summary prepared by Crystal Fitzgerald, after which it goes to the full county commission for approval or rejection at its later meeting.
The chair corrected himself on the timing of the full commission meeting, indicating it was the fourth Monday.

Adjournment

The committee adjourned by motion and second, with no opposition noted.

Key figures and statistics

Figure	Type	Context / topic
5	Attendance	Members present at roll call
2	Attendance	Members absent at roll call
August 10	Date	Prior meeting minutes approved
$260,000	Revenue	Property-tax collections received by end of September after earlier collection authorized in June
September	Reporting period	Financial summary approved
June	Date	Earlier property-tax collection authorized by resolution
Fourth Monday	Schedule	Full county commission meeting timing referenced by chair

Personnel changes

Name	Role / office	Change	Context / topic
Dusty Jordan	Finance Committee Chair	Appointed	Elected chair by acclamation
Nick Bentley	Finance Committee Vice Chair	Appointed	Elected vice chair by acclamation

Laws and policies

Citation / name	Level	Type	Context / topic
June resolution to take property tax a little bit early	County	Resolution	Cited as the basis for receiving early property-tax collections by the end of September
State legislation separating finance from budget	State	Law	Referenced in explanation of committee structure and membership seats for the school board, highway department, and county mayor

Nick Bentley. Here. Chris Chilton. Ronald Coates. Here. Shelley Perinato. Here. Steve Giannakas. Here. Dusty Jordan. Here. Marcy Tidwell. Here. Five present, two absent. We have a quorum. Our first order of business is election of chair. Do I have any nominations for chair? I nominate Dusty Jordan. I'll second that. Do we have any more nominations? I move that all nominations cease and Dusty be elected by acclamation. Second. Okay, Dusty Jordan is elected chair at this point in time. I will turn the meeting over to Dusty. It is time to elect a vice chair. I hear a nomination for vice chair. I'll make a nomination for Nick Bentley for vice chair. I second that. We got Nick Bentley as nominated for vice chair. Do I have a second? I second it. I'll second it with Ronald Coates. Any other nominations? I move that all nominations cease and Nick be appointed by acclamation. Second. All nominations cease. We do not move that all nominations cease and Nick be elected by acclamation. All in favor say aye. Aye. I have a public comment. Is there anybody on there, Ronald, that you can see? There hardly ever is for me. No, there's nobody on there. All right. Y'all got an agenda in your packet? I had time to look over it. I know Chris and I, well, there were four of us here. You weren't on here last year, were you? No. There were four of us here. Any motion to approve the agenda from last month? I mean, the agenda for tonight. I'll move. Motion by Ronald. Second. Second by Steve. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. You also got in your packet the minutes from the previous meeting. Which one was that, the first one? August the 10th. August the 10th. Anybody got any questions on the minutes? Motion to approve the minutes. Motion to approve the minutes. Second. Second. Second. Any discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? All right. Moving on. That's the financial report. Had a chance to look at it. Crystal, is there anything? Everything was pretty much in line. Yeah, everything was pretty much in line with last year. I did want to point out that, you know, we did that resolution in June to take property tax a little bit early. At the end of September, we had already brought in $260,000 worth of property tax. Wow. That's good. They've been really busy today, too. But if anybody has any questions on anything, just let me know. Any questions for Crystal? I accept the motion to approve the financial summary for September. Second. I'm trying to set another risk. Four minutes now. I'm going to be out of my record. All right. Motion and second. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? We'll have to do a roll call for that. I'm sorry. Dusty gets forgetful. Steve Giannakis? Yes. Dusty Jordan? Yes. Marcy Tidwell? Yes. Nick Bittling? Yes. Ronald Coates? Yes. All present voting yes. Motion passes. All right. I've got a yellow business, Crystal. I've got a new business. Hearing none, I'll take a motion to adjourn. I'll go forward, David. For Nick's sake. Well, when I was first elected, I think the finance and budget, we lived all together. And the general assembly passed legislation that said finance be separate. And so the school board, highway department, and county mayor would have a seat on the finance. So that's one reason it's so short. Our primary duty is to approve the financial summary that Crystal supplies. And it'll be approved again or not in the third Monday in the full county commission. But that's the main reason for this point. And I'll have to find it again to Shelly whenever she gets here. Fourth Monday. Did you say third Monday or did you say fourth Monday? Fourth Monday. OK. Well, I may have said third. I don't know. I'm telling you, I'm easily confused today. All right. Unless anybody has anything else, say motion to adjourn. Motion to adjourn. Motion to adjourn. Second. Second by Nick. All in favor, then leave. But you'll have to be back in a few minutes.