Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Cocke CLB
The Cocke County Legislative Body(CLB) meeting Monday evening heard another perspective on medical marijuana. State Representative Jeremy Faison has introduced legislation in the General Assembly to legalize medical marijuana as 30 other states have done. The lawmaker argues the natural plant is the treatment of choice for a number of medical issues, and he argues it is a viable alternative to opioids. Dr. Horace Brown, speaking on behalf of the East Tennessee Baptist Association, said those supporting medicinal use, want it legalized for "more than medical purposes." "What about flashbacks. I've worked many accidents and there was only one way to explain what caused the accident, and that was flashbacks. And what about chromosome crossovers. There's enough malnormality in the world today, why bring more?" The commissioners approved the hiring of Heather McGaha as the county's new Finance Manager. McGaha who is currently employed at a Morristown CPA firm, will begin her new job after tax season. The manager said she was interviewed for the post by Mayor Crystal Ottinger and former Finance Manager Anne Bryant-Hurst. Commissioner Cindy Holt questioned the hiring process which did not include input from the CLB. Chair Clay Blazer said he reviewed the resumes of the applicants after he asked to see them. Sheriff Armando Fontes introduced the department's second K9, Hammer, handled by Deputy Aaron Loveday. The dog was donated to the department. And the sheriff detailed a recent federal food purchase with the assistance of EMA Director Kevin Benton, who told him about a state food purchase program. " I've been able to purchase 34,992 meals for the jail at $.18 per meal. The federal government has spent quite a bit of money acquiring lots and lots of food that is sitting in warehouses. So the average jail meal for us costs $1.15 to $1.25 per meal, so I saved $37,441. The food includes meats, fruit and vegetables, and cheese, which was prepared for victims of disasters. It was transported free of charge by Deputy Tony Bailey who has his CDL, with the use of a company truck. Commissioner Terry Dawson expressed concern that Waste Management is not picking up garbage on a continuous basis leading to complaints from residents. He asked that a company representative be asked to attend a meeting for a discussion of the issue. Meka Henderson of Keep Cocke County Beautiful reported the most recent Litter Index showed that litter has increased 22 percent in the past year. She said various avenues are being explored to reduce litter and graffiti, as well as trashy areas around homes and illegal dumpsites. Commissioner Jimmy Lindsey proposed the recruitment of organizations around the county who may want to volunteer to keep their community beautiful. The body approved a 65-foot easement across a county-owned plot at the Highway 25/70 and Highway 411 intersection. The approval is for a planned transmission line to feed the new substation in Chestnut Hill. Jimmy Robertson of Newport Utilities said the easement is for a location along Willis Road.


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