The Board of Mayor and Aldermen has taken the first step in repealing the equal funding ordinance that they just put into place, voting on first reading to repeal.

At question is the recent ordinance that was put in place by the board of mayor and aldermen that requires equal funding for the Tullahoma Area Chamber of Commerce, the Tullahoma Sports Council and South Jackson Performing Arts Center.

While the measure was passed by the prior city board this summer, the new makeup of BoMA with three new aldermen has brought a fresh look at the equal funding initiative, with some not high on the idea.

Alderman Daniel Berry noted he would vote no to the repeal because he felt repealing the current equal funding policy without a plan to replace it first would not be good government.

“I sat on this board for five years prior and every year we said that we’d deal with it next budget season,” he said. “And every year it continues to slide. I’d rather keep this in place until we have a replacement sitting in front of us.”

Alderman Busch Thoma pointed out the equal funding ordinance was done “real quick” and that there was no real plan on how to properly fund the equal shares to the three entities. He further added he did not like linking South Jackson and the Sports Council with what the Chamber gets annually. Unlike Berry, Thoma felt repealing the equal funding ordinance is the best way to go.

Alderman Mike Dent was all for repealing. “We may as well remove it now,” he said, noting the replacement for the equal funding plan would be discussed in upcoming study sessions as to not leave non-profit funding in limbo.

Mayor Lynn Sebourn pointed out that nothing has been funded as a result of the equal funding ordinance that was recently passed.

The board voted to repeal the equal funding ordinance 4-3, with Aldermen Sernobia McGee, Daniel Berry and Donna Bradford voting against repeal. The vote is the first of three readings to repeal the equal funding ordinance.