LED Billboards Coming to Cleveland?
by Ashley Murphy

Thursday, July 29, 2010
On Wednesday, July 28th a City Planning Committee met to discuss the possibility of LED billboards coming to Cleveland. Factors to be addressed will include how long an image can be displayed, its brightness, how far apart the billboards can be, etc.
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Government Revisits Plans to Combine Planning Departments
by Ashley Murphy

Thursday, July 29, 2010
Keith Holloway opened Monday night's meeting with a recommendation not to combine the City and County Planning Departments. Holloway stated that it is in the best interest of both parties and the citizens. However, it would be more convenient for the people of Cleveland and Bradley County if the Planning Departments were housed in the same building. This would save a whole lot of back and forth running for services.
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Commission Approves to Appoint Judicial Commissioners
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, July 19, 2010

The Bradley County Commission had a quick voting session Monday morning. Two items made up the agenda and several road changes and appointments made up the consent agenda.
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Tasso Resident Claims Disrespect from Construction Workers
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, July 19, 2010
The Cleveland Municipal Airport Authority held their regular monthly meeting on Friday, July 16, 2010. During this meeting the CMAA received updates about the various activities that were taking place around the new airport site.
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911 Center Growth and Community Growth High on List
by Jamie Ramirez

Wednesday, July 14, 2010
The first item on the Cleveland City Council's agenda was a concern about trash along Wildwood Avenue. This was put forth by Pastor George Pulson from Big Spring Baptist Church speaking on behalf of Martha Griffin. Griffin had taken several pictures of the trash along Wildwood Avenue and obvious signs of property neglect. The pictures will be turned over to Code Enforcement and consideration will be taken on those properties the city would be able to take care of. Griffin also showed concern about residential property that has been unkempt. A lot of the businesses in the area have been shut down and the properties have been neglected either by those business owners or by the residents living in the area.
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Dr. Denning Announces Retirement/Projects Headline City Schools
by Jamie Ramirez

Tuesday, July 13, 2010
The Cleveland City Board of Education held their regular monthly meeting on Monday, July 12, 2010. First was the reading of the agenda. After a vote on the movement of the regular agenda, the Director Updates were given by Dr. Rick Denning. Updates were given for the construction work being done at Stuart Elementary; lighting work and tile replacement will be finished by Friday July 16th.
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Warrant Writing to Be Turned Over to Detention Center?
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Court Clerk Gayla Miller opened the Bradley County Commission meeting this afternoon with a request to pass a resolution turning the duty of warrant writing over to the Bradley County Juvenile facilities. Miller stated that this is an action that needs to be done due to the time constraints on weekend writers and the amount they are being paid to do the job.
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Personal Electronic Devices Now Allowed In School
by Ashley Murphy

Friday, July 9, 2010
The Bradley County Board of Education met in their regular monthly meeting last night. Several good news reports across the county made Director of Schools Johnny McDaniel's list. Many teachers and students throughout the school districts were honored or recognized for their accomplishments.
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Commission Approves 2010-2011 Budget
by Ashley Murphy

Wednesday, July 7, 2010
After a quick appointment from Mayor D. Gary Davis, Commissioner Ben Atchley opened the meeting with a discussion about this year's budget. Atchley explained to the public how the budget is set up, beginning with department heads, who work out their own budget and submit them separately. Once submitted to the Mayor, the Mayor and Finance Director Lynn Burns make a proposal.
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Council Hears Airport Budget Update
by Jamie Ramirez

Wednesday, June 30, 2010
During Monday's City Council meeting David Kelley came before the councilmen and councilwoman to request the expansion of the Family Resource Center at the old Blythe Elementary School. Currently there are other programs taking up the space at the old school such as Boys and Girls Club, a Head Start program and the New Hope Pregnancy Center. A modular would be placed on the property until something more long-term could be implemented. The purpose for this modular at the Family Resource Center is to help pregnant teens get the help and education they need. They can go to school while their own children go to school in the same place and there would be no need to send them somewhere else. Kelley stated the project must be completed by Fall of 2010, per government granting request.
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Commission Sets Agenda for Post Holiday Meeting
by Ashley Murphy

Wednesday, June 30, 2010
The Bradley County Commission held a relatively quick meeting Monday night. But in those few minutes, set a rather lengthy agenda for Tuesday, July 6th.
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Erin Fuller Announces Candidacy for Bradley County Mayor

Erin Fuller, resident of the Tasso Community in Bradley County, has announced her run as an Independent Party candidate for Bradley County Mayor. Her full announcement is available by following the link below.
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Commission Hears Budget Appeals
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, June 21, 2010
The Bradley County Commission met Monday for their voting meeting. John Ross Cabin issues opened up discussions. Currently, the cabin is in the process of receiving a new roof. It is also being hoped that a driveway can be installed leading to the cabin. Funds for projects on the cabin will be helped along a bit by the commission, as they gave $5,000 to be placed towards the cabin's preservation.
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Commission Hears Citizen Concerns
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, June 14, 2010
Beth Foster with Dixie Day Spay and Neuter came before the Bradley County Commission today to express concerns for animals in the area that are being taken to the local animal shelter. Foster stated that an estimated 200 dogs are being "put down" every week in Cleveland and not enough privileges have been allotted for her organization to come in and take pictures of the animals.
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Discussion Surrounds Possible Merge of Planning Departments
by Ashley Murphy

Friday, June 4, 2010
A meeting between the Bradley County and City Planning Departments was held Thursday evening, June 3rd at 5:30 p.m. at the Chamber.

The meetings, known as the Joint Planning and Inspections Study Committee, has met several times since the Fall of 2009. The committee was formed to investigate options for combining planning and inspections functions of Bradley County and City offices.
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Economic Development Council Discusses Community Growth
by Ashley Murphy

Friday, June 4, 2010
The Economic Development Council held their regular bimonthly meeting on Thursday, June 3rd at the Chamber of Commerce.

Lisa Pickel updated the council on Existing Industry. To date, there have been three completed surveys and sixteen industry visits to the Cleveland area.

Cleveland Utilities and TVA sponsored a Lean & Clean Energy Workshop on May 6th, which had fourteen attendees from various industries.
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Wilkerson Creek Dominates Commission Discussion
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Opening the Bradley County Commission meeting last night was Johnny McDaniel, Director of Schools, with the proposed 2010-2011 Bradley County Schools Budget. He stated that the budget is completely balanced and reflects educational priorities. McDaniel then turned the podium over to Rick Smith, Chief Financial Officer for the school system.

Smith stated this had been the most challenging budget in at least 20 years. The sales tax budget fell short by about $1 million due to the sales tax falling short and the economy also not fairing so well. It was estimated last year to run Parkview would cost over $800,000. Now, Smith has condensed that budget to a little over $700,000.
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Agreement Finally Reached for Right of Way
by Mary Hunter

Tuesday, May 25, 2010
A City Council meeting was held Monday, May 24th, 2010. The following are the events that took place: 

Mayor Tom Rowland is receiving therapy for an injured knee due to a wreck this month. He is said to be receiving therapy for 6 weeks, however, he is in high spirits and looking forward to returning.

Devon Nicole Vaughn, Cleveland's 2011 Junior Miss was recognized at the meeting. Her parents are Joe and Cheri Vaughn. Her college preference is Samford University and she wants to become a Nurse Practitioner. Vaughn holds a 4.0 grade point average and attends First Baptist Church. Vaughn was given the Seal of the City and a Certificate of Commendation.
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Airport Construction 5 Weeks In
by Ashley Murphy

Friday, May 21, 2010
The Cleveland Municipal Airport Authority held their regular monthly meeting today in the Council Room of the Cleveland Municipal Building.

Mark Paslick from PDC Consultants was present with several pictures from the construction site. After five weeks of Phase I Construction, development has began to show. Excavation is continuing with land clearing and several ponds have already been dug for water containment.  Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has been out to review the site after a four inch rainfall came through the area over a day and a half period. Paslick stated that TDEC has negative comments to report about the airport site.
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Commission Discusses Wilkerson Creek Issues
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, May 17, 2010
The County Commission held a voting session at 10 a.m. this morning, however, only one item was on the agenda to be held for a vote. The commission unanimously approved a resolution put forth by Mayor D. Gary Davis to adopt the updated Five-Year Strategic Economic Development Plan. This is a joint plan with efforts contributed by Bradley, Charleston and Cleveland. It includes many factors that each entity hopes will bring economic development and growth to the area.
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BB&T Gains City Line of Credit Account
by Mary Hunter

Friday, May 14, 2010
A special called meeting was held by the Cleveland City Council on May 13th. These are the details of the meeting:

Bank bids were received to obtain an account for the city's line of credit. The recommendation was BB&T with 100% of federal funds, total interest of 500,000 being $102.74 and a letter of credit for a 3 year term with no termination fee.
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Board Discusses RT3 Funds
by Ashley Murphy

Thursday, May 13, 2010
The Cleveland City Board of Education held a special called meeting this morning at 8 a.m. to discuss Race to the Top funds for the City School System. Several teachers and administrators were brought together for input on what they believed to be the most important issues; the Race to the Top funds would then be allocated and spent accordingly. A list of seven activities was compiled and the school board voted unanimously to approve the program.
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City Council Revisits the Discussion of SWAPs
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, May 11, 2010
The Cleveland City Council opened their regular session Monday afternoon with Joe Ayers of Morgan Keegan, the city's financial adviser. Ayers was present to discuss the city's SWAP agreements and the city's consideration to terminate them. These particular SWAPs center around two 2001 bonds issued to the city in order to build Cleveland Middle School.

Council members approved a resolution, submitted by Councilman Richard Banks, asking attorneys William Young, Jr. and Joseph Peiffer to investigate possible claims the city could have if the SWAP agreements were terminated.
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Commission Holds Joint Meeting with Council
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, May 11, 2010
The Bradley County Commission held a joint meeting with the Cleveland City Council on Monday, May 10, 2010. The main purpose of the meeting was to hear about the growth of Cleveland and Bradley County. Doug Berry of the Industrial Development Board gave several updates regarding industrial and business growth for the area.
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"Possibility" for Park View to Open for New School Year
by Ashley Murphy

Friday, May 7, 2010
The Bradley County Board of Education held their regular monthly meeting on Thursday, May 6th in the Administration Building on Bradley High School's campus. The following are highlights from that meeting.

Director of Schools Johnny McDaniel opened the meeting with several good news reports from County Schools. Angela Lawson has been announced as the new Principal at Blue Springs Elementary School.
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Royal Oaks Residents Say Commission Isn't Doing It's Job
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Several issues were brought up during Monday night's County Commission, two regarding residential situations. Judy Massengale from the Mulberry Subdivision in District 2 had environmental concerns in her neighborhood, due to a neighbor not mowing their lawn. Massengale stated that this neighbor's yard is only mowed an average of twice a year. She asked that the commission possibly pass an ordinance to keep issues like this from arising in neighborhoods.
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City Schools to Receive Over $800,000 in New Lighting
by Mary Hunter

Tuesday, May 4, 2010
The Cleveland City Board of Education held a meeting on May 3, 2010. The following are the events that took place:

In the first Spotlight, recognition went to the Cleveland Middle School Dance Team, the Raiderettes. The dance team has won various awards such as first place in Junior Jazz, first place in Junior Pom and first place in Junior Hip-Hop at a competition that took place in Disney World. The dance team has competed with and beat schools as far away as the countries of Venezuela and Ireland. Kelly Owens is the instructor of this talented CMS Dance Team.
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Propostition for New Building Codes Comes Before Commission
by Ashley Murphy

Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Chairman Louie Alford opened Monday night's County Commission meeting by commending members of the Bradley County Fire and Rescue. The BCFR was started in 1958 and has since grown to include 120 volunteers, as well as many full time employees who give their time and services to Bradley County.
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Council in a Bind Over Police ATVs
by Mary Hunter

Wednesday, April 28, 2010
A City Council Meeting was held on Monday, April 26, 2010 at 4:00 p.m. These are the events that took place:

A memorial for Harlin Painter started off the meeting; Mr. Painter passed away on Friday, April 16, 2010 at his home. Painter was appointed the City Attorney from 1960 to 2007. During his 47 years of  service to the city Mr. Painter held many leadership positions. He was an active member of the Lions Club and elected President three times. He also served as President of the Bradley Co. Bar association and was an avid member of Broad Street United Methodist Church for 48 years. Harlin Painter has been said to be a hard working dedicated man, who had the courage to stand for what was right.
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International Baccalaureate Program Introduced
by Mary Hunter

Wednesday, April 28, 2010
A recent Retreat was held by the Cleveland City Board of Education, on April 23, 2010. These are the following items discussed:

The idea of an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program was presented to the School Board. The program, if implemented, would consist of an $8,500 application fee and a $9,600 annual fee per student. The course could, also, potentially be offered to middle school students. In order to apply for the IB Program, students must follow certain requirements that have been set in place.
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Chris Weir Focused on Jobs and the Economy

Thursday, April 22, 2010
Chris Weir, a candidate for Bradley County Mayor, announced his jobs package, "BACK TO WORK - Jobs and Economic Recovery Plan for Bradley County" to an enthusiastic group of citizens and small business owners on Monday.
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Lisa Stanbery Support Letter

Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Please follow the link to see submitted letter of support.
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Lengthy Debate Ensues Over Farmer's Market
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, April 19, 2010
Commissioner Louie Alford opened today's commission meeting by recognizing the Bradley County Emergency Management Agency. EMA Director Danny Lawson and a few representatives were present to accept the certificate of recognition.

Mayor D. Gary Davis requested a vote on a resolution congratulating Volunteer Electric Cooperative for their 75 year milestone in Bradley County. Commissioner Jim Smith made the motion to accept the resolution and it passed unanimously.
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Several Projects Are Lined Up for the City of Cleveland
by Mary Hunter

Tuesday, April 13, 2010
A City Council meeting was held Monday, April 12th 2010. These are the following events that took place;
Mike Weston, a new building inspector for the City of Cleveland was introduced to the council. Weston is a resident of Cleveland, and comes by way of an architectural background.

The Cleveland Boys and Girls Club member Maria Hernandez is the winner of the Tennessee Youth of the Year award. Hernandez shared a speech with the council and received a seal of the city pin from Mayor Tom Rowland. Hernandez is a senior at Walker Valley High School.
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Sheriff's Department Requests New Tracking Software
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Commission Chairman Louie Alford opened the Bradley County Commission meeting Monday night with a presentation to representatives of the Bradley County 911 Center. Last year, the commission passed a resolution commending the 911 Center employees for all of their hard work and dedication to the county and it's residents.

Captain Steve Lawson of the Bradley County Sheriff's Department introduced Kevin White of the Criminal Investigative Division to give a presentation on a new locator program for stolen goods. The program is set up for pawn shops, secondhand dealers, coin dealers and scrap dealers.
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Submitted Political Letters
Friday, April 9, 2010

The following is a list of political letters submitted by readers regarding candidates in the upcoming elections. If there is anyone wishing to submit such a letter, please e-mail them to The People News. However, in order to be printed or placed online, all letters must have the original writer's full name, address and telephone number. Only the name and town will be shown.
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Board Has Lengthy Discussion About Political E-mail
by Ashley Murphy

Friday, April 9, 2010
The Bradley County Board of Education held their regular monthly meeting on Thursday, April 8, 2010. The following are highlights from that meeting.

March was a "very productive" month for construction at Park View Elementary. The retention pond is almost complete at the site and geothermal drilling is still ongoing. Electrical work is set to begin in the building and shingle roofing should be complete in about 30 days. Target date for completion is still the end of August 2010.
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Board Adopts New Textbooks for Local Schools
by Mary Hunter

Tuesday, April 6, 2010
The Cleveland City Board of Education held their regular monthly meeting on Monday, April 5, 2010  at the Administrative building on the E.L Ross  campus. First on the Agenda were the Spotlight recognitions.

In the first spotlight, the Board recognized 11th graders Joey Archer and Emily Reed for attending the SCOPE Conference in Nashville on March 12, 2010. SCOPE stands for Student Congress on Policy and Education.
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Commission Gets Tied Up In Senior Coalition Vote
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Chairman Louie Alford opened Monday night's County Commission meeting with a presentation of a resolution that was passed in December of 2009 commending our local law enforcement agencies. Sheriff Tim Gobble and several representatives from the Sheriff's Department were present for the special recognition.

Commissioner Ed Elkins announced that the Cleveland Civitan Club will be hosting the 2010 Bradley County Special Olympics on Saturday, April 24, 2010 at Cleveland High School from 9 a.m. to Noon. Volunteers are still needed and anyone wishing to do so may contact Gary McDonald at 423-339-2885.
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Purchasing and Development High on List for EDC
by Ashley Murphy

Friday, April 2, 2010
During the Economic Development meeting on Thursday afternoon, much time was spent reviewing the Bradley County 2009 Three Star Program and Five Year Strategic Economic Development Plan for Bradley County, the City of Cleveland and the City of Charleston. Bradley, Cleveland and Charleston combined (along with donations) are spending nearly $200,000 for the Strategic Growth Plan Study in hopes of bettering the community.

This review was to update any projects currently on the list, or remove completed projects, to prepare the Programs and Plans for 2010. An establishment of such a plan could enable Bradley and Cleveland to receive additional and discounted grants, which is why the government sees this as such a necessary program.
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City Council Has $135,000 Allocated for Waterville Irrigation Piping
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Included in the packet for the Cleveland City Council meeting on March 22nd was a memo to Janice Casteel stating that a Traffipax representative was in discussions with another vendor who was potentially willing to accept the camera operations from Traffipax and continue running the red light cameras in Cleveland. However, due to the approval of a previous motion to decommission the red light cameras by March 31st, the red light cameras will cease to operate.

The City of Cleveland will still process those violations through March 31, 2010 and Traffipax will continue to mail the citations and accept payments for 60 to 90 days afterwards. The city's target date for Traffipax to stop receiving payments is June 30, 2010.
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Resolution Regarding Property Tax Payments Proposed
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Commissioner Lisa Stanbery opened Monday night's County Commission meeting with a proposed resolution to form a Joint City and County Senior Citizens Coalition. This resolution is a follow-up to the recently held Senior Citizen's Fair and will help to keep more information out in the public and easily accessible.
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Airport Contraction and Groundbreaking Set for April 12th
by Ashley Murphy

Friday, March 19, 2010
The Cleveland Municipal Airport Authority held their regular monthly meeting on Friday March 19, 2010 at the Cleveland Municipal Building.

Mark Paslick and Tony Manci of PDC Consultants were in attendance to give updates on issues surrounding the airports. Manci stated that he has consulted with the contractor regarding Phase I of the process and the contractor hopes to start on April 12th, weather permitting. If rains move in and keep up, this construction start date could be pushed back.
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Attorney General's Opinion Could Upset Local Sheriffs Election
by Ashley Murphy

Thursday, March 18, 2010
Questions have been asked at state level if a sheriff's deputy can legally run for the office of sheriff, and is it permissible for an employee of the department to raise political contributions to run for any elected office?

There seems to be a growing consensus that includes an opinion by the Tennessee State Attorney General that it maybe unlawful for any employee of a sheriff's office that receives federal funds, including those in Bradley County, to run for political office.
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Mayor Candidates Speak at Republican Women's Forum
Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Recently, three candidates for Bradley County Mayor were present at the Republican Women's Forum to address the crowd. D. Gary Davis, Lisa Stanbery and Chris Weir each addressed the audience in their own way. Current Mayor, D. Gary Davis did not prepare a speech, but rather spoke freely regarding the issues he believed were at hand in the county today. Chris Weir and Lisa Stanbery submitted their speeches to The People News and those wishing to read them individually may click on the appropriate links below.
READ LISA STANBERY'S SPEECH HERE
READ CHRIS WEIR'S SPEECH HERE

Many Questions Go Unanswered During Monday's Commission Meeting
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, March 15, 2010
Once again, Bradley County has been recognized for its excellent budgeting process. Mayor D. Gary Davis presented County Finance Director Lynn Burns with the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for 2009. The award is the highest form of recognition in government accounting and financial reporting. Bradley County was just one of 17 local governments in the State of Tennessee to receive this award for 2009.
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More Residents Speak About Bow Street
by Ashley Murphy

Friday, March 12, 2010
The Cleveland City Council heard from several residents on Bow Street yesterday regarding the speeding problem happening along the stretch of road between Jill Street and Blythe Ferry.

Todd True, who previously owned the home that Kim Pesterfield and her family now reside in, came on behalf of the residents and expressed his concern for the safety in the area. True stated that speeding was a problem along that road even when he lived there.
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Park View Elementary Construction Underway
by Ashley Murphy

Friday, March 12, 2010
Angie Lyon of Kaatz, Binkley, Jones and Morris Architects updated the Bradley County School Board on current construction projects happening in the County school system.  Lyon stated that Valley View renovations are near completion and the final touches will be done while school is out for Spring Break next week.

Park View Elementary has begun geo-thermal drilling for the wells, which will supply heating and cooling at the new school. Derek Martin of American Constructors added that the building construction is picking up and going well. The gym will be the next priority and over the past month, a week has been gained on the intended completion date. Martin stated in this meeting, that the date for possible completion could be around July.
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Good News From the County Trustee's Office
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, March 8, 2010
Bradley County Trustee Mike Smith opened today's meeting with a bit of good news. The Tennessee State Comptrollers Office has allowed Bradley County to extend maturity on the Hospital Funds up to 10 years. This allotted time is the max that the funds can be extended to.

By increasing the investment period to 10 years, this should amount to about $3.2 million dollars in additional interest revenue generated by the Hospital Funds.
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Spotlights Light Up Board Agenda
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, March 2, 2010
The Cleveland City Board of Education had a full agenda for their March 1st meeting. First order of business was to approve the consent agenda. Items approved included fundraisers, field trips and changes to the Cleveland High School Course of Study and changes to the current curriculum.

Several Spotlights also filled the agenda. The Board thanked The Breakfast Club for their generous donations of supplies to Cleveland City Schools each year.
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Residents Oppose Neighbors Rezoning Request
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Last night's commission voting session also acted as a public hearing regarding a rezoning request on Blue Springs Road. The audience held several residents who greatly opposed the request and wished to make their voices heard.

Commissioner Mel Griffith, however, pulled the request from the agenda, due to many questions that yet to be resolved. Commissioner Ben Atchley disagreed and placed the item back on the agenda, so that the residents could voice their concerns.
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Dalton Pike to Be Dedicated to Long Standing Commissioner
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, February 22, 2010
Commissioner Ben Atchley opened Monday night's meeting with some disappointing news. Atchley, who would be entering his third term as District 1 Commissioner, has withdrawn his candidacy.

Atchley stated that this position requires 100% of dedication to properly serve those in the 1st District and that his "heart is just not in it to run for a third term." Several of the other commissioners thanked him for his service and the time that was served together.
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Resident Fears for Children's Safety on Bow Street
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, February 22, 2010
Amy Hicks of Helping Paws Healing Hearts opened today's meeting. Hicks came to ask for support from the City of Cleveland to help keep this non-profit program alive and free in our community. Hicks also brought with her one of her co-workers, a black Labrador mix named Daryl. Daryl is just one of two of the paws helping in this program. The other is Larry.
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Airport Construction Creeping Closer
by Ashley Murphy

Friday, February 19, 2010
The Cleveland Municipal Airport Authority held their regular monthly meeting today at 9 a.m. in the City Council Room of the Cleveland Municipal Building.

Chair Lynn DeVault officially opened the meeting with discussion surrounding the new airport. The Environmental Permitting Appeal will go before the Water Board in Nashville next month on March 16th and 17th.
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Residents on Old Chattanooga Pike in Need of Water Line
by Ashley Murphy

Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Amy Moore, County Commission Legislative Assistant, brought forth requests from residents to use HCI funds for Cleveland Utilities to install a water line to their county homes. The extension will serve houses from 1320 to 1518 Old Chattanooga Pike. Cleveland Utilities will contribute 50% of the costs, residents 25% and HCI 25%.
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Possible Industrial Site May Be Lost
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, February 16, 2010
The Bradley County / Cleveland Industrial Development Board held their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 at 8 a.m. in the board room of the Chamber of Commerce. The following are highlights from that meeting.

First order of business, after approving the minutes of January 19, 2010, was to elect officer for the Calendar Year 2010. A motion was made to allow all current positions to refilled by their current holders. After a unanimous pass, Ross Tarver maintains the position as Chairman, Scott Taylor as Vice Chairman, George McCoin as Secretary / Treasurer and Tony Young as Vice Secretary / Treasurer.
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Multiple Resolutions Gain Commission Approval
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, February 16, 2010
A North Lee Elementary field trip was to be held today and the attending fourth graders were going to interact with the commission and hold mock meetings. However, due to the weather, the trip was cancelled. Hannah Moore, Legislative Assistant Amy Moore's daughter, was present and opened the County Commission voting session with the Pledge of Allegiance.

After the Pledge and Invocation, Mayor D. Gary Davis brought forth a resolution to support the construction industry and the rights of sole proprietors, partners and up to three members of an LLC in the home building trade. There are proposals in the State Legislature to force a financial burden of workers compensation premiums to a sole proprietor, partner or member of an LLC during economic times when they can least afford it.
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Senator Corker Visits Bradley/Cleveland Chamber of Commerce
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, February 15, 2010
Senator Bob Corker visited the Bradley/Cleveland Chamber of Commerce today to discuss business and politics with local government officials and members of the business community over lunch.

Corker touched on several different topics going through the legislature right now, including health care reform, social security, tax credits and the current financial situation in the United States. Corker stated that it took both parties, Republicans and Democrats, to contribute to the country's current state and that no blame should be pointed in any one direction.
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Weather Still Dampens Parkview Completion Outlook
by Ashley Murphy

Friday, February 12, 2010
The Bradley County School Board held their regular monthly meeting on Thursday, February 11th at 5:30 p.m. in the Administrative Building on the Bradley Central High School Campus.

Superintendent Johnny McDaniel had several good news items to report from the different schools across the county. A large number of students from Lake Forest Middle, Michigan Avenue Elementary, North Lee Elementary and Ocoee Middle school who won in the 4-H public speaking contest.

The Bradley Central wrestling team won the State Duals Championship held recently in Franklin, TN. This win makes the 20th state championship for the Bears, and the most championships won by a team in Tennessee.
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City Ends Red Light Camera Program Due to "Financial Loss"
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, February 8, 2010
Karen Stanley of the United States Census Bureau was present for the City Council's work session today, updating everyone about census information and why it is so important. She stated that several census workers will be out soon, going door-to-door collecting census information from those who were unable to go to a local office or fill out forms beforehand.

Stanley made aware, that census workers will be identified by a badge stating that they are with the United States Census Bureau. They will also be caring a bag with print similar to their badge and will hand a privacy notice over upon first arriving. Stanley also pressed that no census worker will ever ask for social security numbers or banking information and to never give out such information. It's time to start gathering census statistics and Stanley wanted to make these factors known to everyone.
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Resolution on Unfunded Mandates Proposed
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, February 8, 2010
A request from Mayor D. Gary Davis will be voted on during the next commission meeting on February 15th at 10 a.m. Mayor Davis presented a resolution to ask the State of Tennessee to not pass down any unfunded mandates to local governments.

Commissioner Ed Elkins expressed his agreement with the resolution and requested that language be included to pass this on to other local governments so that they, too, could be included. Mayor Davis stated that this same resolution was already being presented and voted on by other commissions across the state of Tennessee.
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The Economic Development Council held their first meeting of  2010
by Tonya Brantley

Friday, February 5, 2010
Economic Development Council Chairman, Tom Wheeler welcomed several new members of the Economic Development Council during the first meeting of the new year. Updates were given on a variety of topics including, Wacker, New, Ongoing and Existing Industry Projects, Workforce Development, The Strategic Plan, Exit 20 Local Interstate Connector Project, the Corridor K Project status and Connected Tennessee.

Chamber of Commerce President, Gary Farlow reported that Wacker Chemie is on schedule now that Wacker's engineering team has been freed up from a project they were working on in Germany. Wacker has been successful in getting $128 million of the $280 million they had applied for in Federal alternative energy tax credit as part of the stimulus package. Farlow stated Wacker has to have all of their permits in place by the end of the year. Farlow said, "Wacker plans to break ground by the end of this year and begin construction in mid to late 2011 and is scheduled to be in pre-production by 2013. Wacker had several changes made in regards to the location of the access road. The road will be moved more to the eastern property line and then through part of Olin Chemical's property so the road wouldn't go directly through Wacker's property for security reasons.
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Sheriff's Budget Amendment Requests Questioned
by Ashley Murphy

Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Commissioner Lisa Stanbery was present at today's Finance Committee meeting to question items she had found on a recent audit. Stanbery said that percentage rates had fluctuated greatly and certain findings were not reported to the commission.

County Finance Director Lynn Burns stated that it was not procedure to have to notify the commission and that one of the three notes had been paid off, in full. Meaning that could have been reasoning behind some of the changes. Burns said that she will look into these items and come back at a later date with the answers.
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Cleveland City Board of Education Approves Title I Status System-wide
by Tonya Brantley

Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The Cleveland City Board of Education held their regular monthly meeting on February 1, 2010. The following are highlights from that meeting.

Autumn O'Bryan, Cleveland Central High School principal, presented the Cleveland High School (CHS) compliance proposals for graduation requirements starting with the Class of 2013. The Tennessee Diploma Project has been approved by the State. According to O'Bryan, the State only requires 22 credits, however most places will not accept State diplomas anymore. CHS requires 28 total credits to graduate. The proposal requires freshmen students to take four credits of English, science - including biology and either physics or chemistry, and math - including Algebra I, Algebra II and geometry. Students must also take two credits of a foreign language, three credits of history, one and a half credits of physical education / wellness and  a half credit of personal finance. Much like college students, O'Bryan stated, students must decide on a focused area of study requiring three credits in their chosen study.
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Local Resident Receives Honor For Saving Four Men
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis opened Monday night's voting session by recognizing Philip Earhart, an officer with the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency. Earhart, along with Officers Matt Majors and Ben Davis, thanked and honored Michael Stewart for saving the lives of four men.
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Resident Accuses County of Lying
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Monday night's County Commission was kept rather short, until it came time for communication from the audience.

Erin Fuller from Royal Oaks Subdivision was present to give a presentation on her findings regarding airport airspace zoning and possible compensation, herself and other residents believe they are entitled to. Fuller accused County Attorney Joe Byrd and County Planner Corey Divel of purposely displacing themselves from the meeting in order to avoid her questions.
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Airport Compensation Discussion Still Dominates
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, January 19, 2009
The Bradley County Commission was off for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, but came back to session today for their regular voting meeting. The first order of business was to officially nominate and elect a body to fill the empty 6th District Commission Seat. Chairman Louie Alford opened up public nominations and Ray Kerr expressed his interest in the position. Commissioner Mel Griffith nominated Willodyne Smith, wife of former 6th District Commissioner Roy Smith.
Law states that a commissioner must place public nominations on the list, but no one volunteered to place Kerr's name alongside Smith's. This left Willodyne Smith as the only name. Vote was taken and Smith became the new 6th District Commissioner.
Judge Michael Sharp was present to swear Willodyne Smith and she then took her seat with the commission to participate in her first official meeting as commissioner.
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Airport Construction Delayed Due To Weather
by Ashley Murphy

Friday, January 15, 2010
After having a month off, the Cleveland Municipal Airport Authority came back to their regular meeting today. Opening the meeting was an update on appeals regarding environmental permits. Stites and Harbison, legal council for CMAA, has been given an order granting petition to intervene and to defend citizen challenge to environmental permits.

A motion was also approved by the CMAA to allow Stites and Harbison to use PDC Consultants and S&ME to assist in the appeal process. They would like to use these companies for their expert advice and opinion regarding the work they have done with the new Cleveland Airport and what findings have been produced.
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Bradley County B.O.E. Discuss Completion of Construction Projects
by Tonya Brantley

Thursday, January 14, 2010
The Bradley County Board of Education received updates on the renovation construction at Valley View and estimates for the completion of construction for the Fine Arts facility at Bradley Central High School and Park View Elementary School. The Valley View Construction is close to being completed, while construction for the Fine Arts facility should be completed by this fall. Park View Elementary School was on schedule to be completed before the start of the 2010 school year, however, due to weather conditions it doesn't look to be completely ready for occupancy at that time. Several other topics were discussed during the Bradley County B.O.E. regular meeting including naming a section of roadway on the Bradley Central High School campus in honor of the late Coach Robert Maupin.
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City Board of Education Votes on Fundraisers, Chair Positions
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, January 12, 2009
The Cleveland City Board of Education held their first regular monthly meeting since returning from the holidays on Monday, January 11, 2009. First order of business was to approve the consent agenda, however, board member Steve Morgan asked that the approval of fundraisers be pulled and voted on separately.

After approving the consent agenda without the fundraiser approval, the board moved on to review the 2009 annual report. There were concerns brought about by board members regarding the per pupil expenditures for the City of Cleveland. Currently, the State of Tennessee spends approximately $8,518 per pupil, while the City of Cleveland is lacking on their spending with $8,438.
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Council Receives Update on Strategic Growth Plan
by Tonya Brantley

Monday, January 11, 2010
The Cleveland City Council received an update from Greg Dale of McBride Dale Clarion Consultants on the Strategic Growth Plan which will address several concerns including employment projections, land use, common goals, schools and more. A final draft of the plan is expected to be completed in six months and presented to the governing bodies. Several other topics were discussed during the council's regular session including a resolution in recognition to The Voices of Lee of Lee University and a policy on residency requirements for city council appointments to committees and boards.
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Micro-Vote vs. Optical Voting Machines
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, January 11, 2009
Opening Monday's County Commission work session was Milan Blake with a presentation from the Election Commission Office. The presentation was regarding voting machines currently being used for local elections and optical voting machines that the State is wanting to switch to.

Bradley County currently spends approximately $40,000 per election using the micro-vote electronic voting machines. Switching to optical voting machines could cost an estimated $49,000 more than what Bradley County is now paying. The State of Tennessee would incur all costs for Bradley to obtain the machines alone, but additional printing, storage and employees drive up costs.
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Circuit Court Clerk's Budget Hit Hard
by Ashley Murphy

Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Circuit Court Clerk Gayla Miller was present at the Finance Committee meeting held Wednesday to seek more funding for Jury and Witness Fees in her budget. The significant increase in spending was due in part to the trials of the defendants of the Valentine's Day murders.

There are three defendants in this particular case, and all were originally scheduled to have the same trial, which would have resulted in Miller's office remaining inside their planned budget. However, due to legalities and changes made by the District Attorney's office to how each defendant would be tried, the cases were then scheduled separately. This made three high priority trials in one budget year, resulting in increased spending.
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Residents Won't Be Receiving Airspace Compensation
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, January 5, 2010
The Bradley County Planning Commission held a public hearing to listen to concerns of citizens regarding compensation for airspace above their property. County Planner Corey Divel briefed the commission on the requests of residents. Residents asked for the commission to either un-adopt the airspace zoning regulations or reimburse property owners 2-4% of their property values for use of airspace.
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County Lifts Purchase Order Freeze
by Ashley Murphy

Tuesday, January 5, 2009
The commission's first meeting of the new year came with good news from the Mayor's office. Financial Advisor Lynn Burns gave an update on the purchase order freeze that was issued on September 22, 2009. Due to the cooperation of Department Heads and Elected Officials in the General Fund and with the help of the Trustee's Office in monitoring cash flow, the county did not have to borrow money this year.
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Commission Says Good-Bye To Long Standing Commissioner
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, December 21, 2009
Sixth District Commissioner Roy Smith stated today that he would be turning in his resignation. After 28 years of service on the Bradley County Commission, Smith's resignation will go into effect on December 31, 2009. Smith stated, "I want to thank all of the people who have supported me over the years."

Commissioner Mel Griffith made notice that there will be no more voting sessions before the new year and made a motion to appoint Willodyne Smith Sixth District Commissioner. The unanimous yes vote led to Smith being appointed to fill Roy Smith's Sixth District position for the remainder of his regular running term. Willodyne Smith is Roy Smith's wife and has been in attendance to several of the commission meetings. She will take her spot starting at the next commission meeting on January 4, 2010.
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Commission Discusses Growth Plan and Financing
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, December 14, 2009
Craig Mullinax, Chair of Growth Coordinating Committee, made a presentation to the County Commission regarding the amendments to the Growth Plan. Charleston and Cleveland have already adopted this plan and now it will be up to the commission to make a final vote.
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Committee Discusses Lighting and Employee Benefits
by Ashley Murphy

Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Issues regarding recreational lighting and the county's post-employment benefits were the two topics that dominated the Bradley County Finance Committee meeting held on Wednesday afternoon. 

Bradley County will be entering into contracts with Cleveland Utilities and Volunteer Electric Cooperative to light the Industrial Baseball Park, off of Urbane Road, and the Charleston Football Field, located at Charleston Elementary School.
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Commissioner Refers Resident's Request to Planning Commission
by Ashley Murphy

Monday, December 7, 2009
A lengthy discussion opened the Bradley County Commission meeting on Monday, December 7. Before the previous meeting's minutes were approved, Commissioner Jeff Yarber presented a motion to reconsider to add the fire truck purchase packet to the