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Coffee County Budget and Finance Committee approved the majority of funding requests for area nonprofits that were presented during a joint meeting of the Budget & Finance Committee and the Health, Welfare and Recreation Committee April 18. These requests will be included in the county’s annual budget which will be voted on by the Coffee County Commission in June.

Requests that did not change from last year were not voted on, but simply included in the upcoming budget.

Nonprofit organization requests that were approved by the committees include $75,000 for the Coffee County Rescue Squad, $10,000 for the Coffee County Humane Society, $6,000 for Tennessee Backroads Heritage, including $3,000 to replace the Civil War marker at the historic courthouse. That money will come from tourism funds that are connected to the hotel/motel tax.

The committee raised proposed allocations to Tullahoma and Manchester Municipal Fire Departments for mutual aid requests to $15,000 each and the Tullahoma Airport Authority to $16,200, while the Civil Air Patrol request was raised to $2,500 for the organization that operates out of the Tullahoma Airport.

Coffee Count Childcare requested funds, but the committee felt that the non-profit’s no-rent use of a county building was enough of a contribution. Additionally, members shared a need by Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for a new facility after it vacates the New Manchester office in Tullahoma.  

Requests from Experience Tennessee, and a $15,000 request from the Tullahoma Arts Center was postponed. The Tullahoma Arts Center will be invited to present its request in person to the committee. Members present questioned setting precedence by allocating funds there.