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| | Wednesday, January 23, 2019
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Cocke Legislative Body
The Cocke County Legislative Body meeting Tuesday evening gave tentative approval to a plan to put a road and a construction pad in the new Highway 25E industrial park. The road will lead from Highway 25E to a 15 acre tract which is owned by Eternal Beverage. It is part of a 97 acre site owned by the Glen and Love Shults Estate. Hommel Construction is expected to do the work at a cost of $482,000, funded in the current budget and next year's county budget. Partnership President Lucas Graham said getting an industry into the park will open up additional state funding for future expansion. In other action, the body approved a plan to lease/purchase sheriff's cruisers over a four year period with funding at $85,000 annually. Chief Deputy Derrick Woods said that funding likely will fund 10 to 12 cruisers, and at the end of four years the county will be able to purchase the vehicles at $1.00 each. Elisha Henry, the new manager of the Friends Animal Shelter which is under contract to accept county animals, said the beleaguered shelter is doing well. Recently the previous shelter manager was charged with animal cruelty after a malnourished dog was found at the shelter. "We are forming a relationship with UT Veterinary School, and Beat the Heat is helping us to get a veterinarian in-house. We will get vet services as well as rabies and spay and neuter, one day per week, sharing the vet with four other shelters who also get the service one day per week," she said. Henry pointed out that the shelter already has a surgical suite which recently has not been utilized. Commissioner Forrest Clevenger again raised the issue of overtime costs in the county fire department. He argued for more support for the volunteer fire departments around the county, pointing out that residents in outlying communities pay for the county fire department with their tax dollars, but because they are more than five miles from the fire station, they do not qualify for reduced fire insurance premiums. Fire Chief Keith Large said he is willing to help the volunteer agencies to reduce their ISO rating. Mayor Crystal Ottinger provided the body with a letter detailing the reasons for the excessive overtime in the fire department. She said the drought in recent years meant lots of fires requiring overtime, and the fact that the department has three firefighter vacancies results in more overtime. The mayor reported that more employees are being hired. Commissioner Terry Dawson reminded the body that volunteer firefighters also are called out to provide emergency medical lift assistance. Mayor Ottinger also said that Tuesday was the deadline for applications for a new EMA Director and a new county animal control officer. Mayor Ottinger said she has applied for a grant to increase courtroom security, and she said a public hearing is planned for community comments regarding county ADA(Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance. The meeting is planned for the Chancery Court courtroom at 5 pm, January 31.
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