Distribution of payments.

Upon receipt by Limestone County of funds pursuant to Chapter 28, Title 40, as amended, Limestone County, within a reasonable time thereafter, shall distribute the funds so received as follows:

(1) Effective through September 30, 2006, all funds shall be distributed as prescribed by Act 86-550, 1986 Regular Session (Acts 1986, p. 1124).

(2) Effective October 1, 2007, and thereafter, the funds shall be distributed as follows:

a. Before the percentage formula of distribution contained in paragraph b. is applied, the sum of two hundred ninety-three thousand dollars ($293,000) shall be distributed in the following manner:

1. Forty thousand dollars ($40,000) to Auburn University to be used exclusively for the benefit of the Limestone County Cooperative Extension Service.

2. Seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) to the Limestone County Soil and Water Conservation District.

3. Thirty-seven thousand five hundred dollars ($37,500) to the Limestone County Economic Development Association, Inc.

4. Thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) to the Athens-Limestone Public Library.

5. Five thousand dollars ($5,000) to the Houston Memorial Library.

6. Twelve thousand dollars ($12,000) to the Veteran's Museum and Archives.

7. Twelve thousand dollars ($12,000) to each of the 13 volunteer fire departments in the county in existence on January 1, 2006. If a volunteer fire department is decertified as of January 1, 2018, or later, the proceeds provided by this subparagraph to the decertified volunteer fire department shall be distributed equally to the remaining volunteer fire departments.

b.1. After the allocations as set forth in paragraph a. have been completed, the remainder of all funds received by Limestone County pursuant to Chapter 28, Title 40, as amended, shall be distributed as follows:

(i) Limestone County General Fund, 25 percent.

(ii) Limestone County Public Building Fund, 10 percent.

(iii) Special Hospital Tax Fund, five percent.

(iv) Countywide School Fund, 23.5 percent.

(v) Limestone County Board of Education, nine percent.

(vi) Athens City Board of Education, six percent.

(vii) City of Athens, 20 percent.

(viii) City of Ardmore, one percent.

(ix) City of Elkmont, .38 percent.

(x) City of Mooresville, .06 percent.

(xi) City of Lester, .06 percent.

2. For fiscal year 2013, the amount distributed in this paragraph to the Limestone County Board of Education and the Athens City Board of Education is to be distributed as follows:

(i) Limestone County Board of Education, 10 percent.

(ii) Athens City Board of Education, five percent.

3. For fiscal year 2014 and thereafter, the amount distributed in this paragraph to the school districts is to be distributed as follows: Athens City Board of Education, four percent.

4. Beginning in fiscal year 2015, the amount distributed in this paragraph to the Limestone County Board of Education and the Athens City Board of Education shall be determined annually by the county commission based on the average daily membership of the Limestone County Board of Education and the Athens City Board of Education.

c.1. Effective with the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2007, the three percent increase in the in-lieu-of-taxes payments generated by Act 2006-655, 2006 Regular Session (Acts 2006, p. 1793), to counties served by the Tennessee Valley Authority shall be distributed separate and apart from the distribution in paragraphs a. and b. and shall be distributed first to the following entities in the following amounts:

(i) Limestone County Economic Development Association, Inc., fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000).

(ii) Athens-Limestone Public Library, fifty thousand dollars ($50,000).

(iii) Calhoun Community College, twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) to be expended solely for the benefit of the Limestone County campus.

(iv) Spirit of Athens, five thousand dollars ($5,000).

(v) Greater Athens Chamber of Commerce, five thousand dollars ($5,000).

(vi) Athens-Limestone County Rescue Squad, twelve thousand dollars ($12,000).

(vii) Athens State University, fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) to be expended solely for the benefit of the Limestone County campus.

(viii) Limestone County Family Resource Center, twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).

(ix) Limestone County Recycling Center, five thousand dollars ($5,000).

(x) Limestone County Economic Development Partners, Inc., one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) to be expended solely to promote economic development, employment, and growth of jobs within all areas of Limestone County and the City of Athens.

2. Any remaining amounts shall be distributed in equal amounts to the City of Athens and the Limestone County Commission for the express purpose of paying for the debts and expenses related to the Elm Industrial Park. After the retirement of any debts and expenses related to the Elm Industrial Park, any remaining amounts shall be distributed in equal amounts to the City of Athens and the Limestone County Commission for economic development purposes.

d. Effective after April 24, 2012, any increase in the in-lieu-of-taxes payments generated by Act 2010-135, 2010 Regular Session (Acts 2010, p. 190), including any amounts not appropriated under Act 2010-549, 2010 Regular Session (Acts 2010, p. 975), to counties served by the Tennessee Valley Authority shall be distributed separate and apart from the distribution in paragraphs a., b., and c. and shall be set aside by the county commission in a separate fund to be used to establish, equip, and maintain a legislative office for members of the state Legislature serving the county. All decisions concerning the Limestone County Legislative Office, including, but not limited to, revenue, income, purchases, and grants shall be made by resolutions of the delegation adopted by a concurrent majority of the Limestone County delegation, Senators and House of Representatives members, each house voting separately. Such resolution may provide an operational procedure for the delegation office. The commission shall immediately pay such amounts from such fund as the Limestone County Legislative Delegation may request. Such requests shall be in the form of a resolution passed by the county legislative delegation, signed by one Senator and one member of the House of Representatives from the county who shall be duly appointed by the legislative delegation. This legislative delegation shall expend such monies to employ staff, acquire adequate physical office space, equipment, supplies, services, and all other necessary items and may also expend the monies for other purposes, including grants for allowable public purposes at the discretion and direction of the legislative delegation. The persons employed and expenditures of the funds by the legislative delegation shall be in its discretion. Any funds allocated but not spent at the end of the fiscal year shall not be applied for any other purpose, but shall be carried forward and shall remain available year to year for expenditure. The revenue and expenditures of the legislative office shall be audited on an annual basis.

(Act 79-501, p. 914, §§ 1, 2; Act 81-523, p. 883, § 1; Act 83-535, p. 836, § 1; Act 86-494, p. 937, § 1; Act 86-550, p. 1124, § 1; Act 2006-378, p. 975, § 1; Act 2008-95, p. 126, § 1; Act 2010-549, p. 975, § 1; Act 2012-240, p. 467, § 1; Act 2019-266, §1.)