News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Tennessee Division of Forestry opened a new $1.2 million facility in Crossville Wednesday.
Tennessee Department of Agriculture Commissioner Jay Templeton said the facility is a major improvement not just for the department, but for Cumberland County.
“We’re very pleased with it,” Templeton said. “Just the improved capacity that we have here is tremendous.”
Templeton said the new facility houses all related Cumberland County employees, including burn permit writers, forestry tech, and fire crews.
“Even though some may do different functions, they’re all here in one location,” Templeton said. “It gives us as the Department of Agriculture a place to… have meetings, [and] we can do it here in our own facilities.”
Templeton said a new indoor garage will allow crews to properly maintain equipment without relying on good weather.
“Literally we have had… facilities across Tennessee where, if a dozer needed servicing,” Templeton said, “if it were a rainy day they couldn’t do it. If it were a hot sunny day, they’d have to park it under the ‘big oak tree’.”
The Division of Forestry hosted an open-house as part of the grand-opening. A tree-planting ceremony was also hosted by the Department of Agriculture at the new facility.
