| |
| | Tuesday, September 22, 2020
|
Cocke CLB meeting
Members of the Cocke County Legislative Body, meeting Monday evening re-elected Clay Blazer as chair and Norman Smith as vice-chair. Also sworn into office were Property Assessor Angie Ray Shelton and her staff; First District Constable Josh Spurgeon and Cocke County School Board members; Rose Lovell, John P. Johnson and Jimmy Stokely. The body agreed to apply for a state grant of up to $300,000, to upgrade recreational opportunities at Northwest Elementary School. Recreation Director Scottie Thornton said if approved, the funding will require a local match. Commissioner Terry Dawson reported that the county is still waiting on state approval to move ahead on the landfill expansion. Because the landfill is full, the county is paying GFL Environmental, Inc., about $80,000 monthly to landfill local garbage in a Lowland landfill. The body agreed to move the cardboard recycling responsibilities to the landfill supervision. Dawson also reported that the Solid Waste Board meets the first Thursday of the month at 6 pm, in the Chancery courtroom. First Call EMS has come under fire recently regarding a number of issues; response times, staffing, the number of available ambulances and the frequent request for lifting assistance. Dawson said he understands a volunteer firefighter called in to offer lifting assistance sustained a back injury, and he questioned whether First Call is liable for such injuries as a result of lifting. All of the volunteer fire departments in the county have been invited to attend the next Public Safety Committee meeting where those issues will be discussed. Commission members agreed that the salary of Finance Manager Heather McGaha should be tied to the lowest salary received by county elected officials, currently $83,500 annually. The salaries of elected officials are set annually by the state based on the population of the county. Commissioner Forest Clevenger questioned the proposal, saying if a finance Manager does a poor job, that individual should not get an automatic salary, but the commission decided if that were to occur the county mayor has the authority to terminate the employee. At the request of Steve Davidson of the Cocke County Library Board, the commission gave approval to the purchase of property for a new Cosby Library. "We want to purchase a building to remodel from Phyllis Gentry. This will allow visibility accessibility for the library. We have the money, which we raised through fundraisers over years and years, so we are not asking you for money". The body also gave Newport Utilities a right-of-way for a planned wireless broadband tower in the Edwina community.
|
Return to Today's News Stories - Front PageThursday, April 29, 2021
US 411 Project News
Mill Creek Wildfire Update
More Bad News For Smokies' Fans
Wednesday, April 28, 2021
Mill Creek Wildfire doubles in size
Goodbye Smokies?
Keep Cocke County Beautiful
Cocke Co. High School Remote Learning today!
Tuesday, April 27, 2021
The fireflies are coming!
Burnout Operations on MillCreek wildfire today
Gas prices drop
Tennessee keeps all US House seats
Monday, April 26, 2021
Boat accident victim ID'd
Traffic stop yields drug arrest
Cocke County Wildfires
Friday, April 23, 2021
Leaving WNPC
Mathis announces candidacy
Newport drug roundup
Cruise Against Cancer
Jobless numbers
|
|
|