athens tn acfr fy2020 text edition

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CITY OF ATHENS, TENNESSEE 
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
June 30, 2020 
Note 11. Deferred Compensation 
The City and the Utilities Board offer their employees deferred compensation plans created in 
accordance with Internal Revenue Code Section 457. The plans, available to all employees, permit 
them to defer a portion of their salary until future years. The deferred compensation is not available 
to employees until termination, retirement, death or an unforeseeable emergency. 
Note 12. Tax Abatements 
The City of Athens has an agreement with McMinn County and the Industrial Development Board 
of McMinn County for a Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program, as authorized under 
Tennessee Code Annotated 7-53. The program offers real and personal property tax abatements to 
entice new and expanding companies to select Athens as the target of their investment for purposes 
of economic development. 
The criteria for eligibility includes providing new capital investment and job growth in Athens. 
There are also provisions for retained jobs if certain criteria are met. Projects eligible for the 
abatement program include manufacturing companies, distribution centers, data center and service 
projects, research and development projects, and pollution control projects. The program provides 
for a 50% reduction in the real and personal property assessed values for a certain number of years 
depending on the level of investment and/or jobs created. There is also an option for a declining 
balance abatement for up to six years based on the same criteria, which provides for an abatement of 
80% in year one, 60% in year two, 40% in year three, and 20% in years four through six. 
Abatements may be recaptured in any year whereby the criteria are not met. Each agreement 
contains the methodology for calculating the percentage of repayment. The recovery payment is 
due with the annual report of the abatement. 
The City has tax abatement agreements with two entities as of June 30, 2020: 
Percentage of Taxes 
Abated during 
the Year 
Amount of Taxes 
Abated during 
the Year 
E&E Manufacturing 
60% 
$ 
47,540 
Denso Tennessee, Inc. 
50 
104,771 
Note 13. Commitments and Contingencies 
The City Council has approved issuing debt up to $35,000,000 for the construction of a new school 
building. The invitation to bid was issued in November 2020, and bids will be opened in December. 
Bid approval and beginning construction are expected in December also. The new building is 
scheduled to be completed by August 2022. 
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