Cookeville Considering The Creation Of New Community Development Department

Cookeville considering creating a new city department for community development.

“I think this is the best way to move forward,” City Manager James Mills said. “I think it provides the best in terms of efficiency and effectiveness.”

The proposal by Mills to council during a Monday work session would abolish the Planning Department and Codes Department. The Community Development Department would include three divisions: Planning, Codes, and Community and Economic Development.

“The only substantial change is that there would no longer be a Planning Department Director or a Codes Department Director,” Mills said. “My proposal is to appoint Jon Ward, the Planning Department Director, to be the director of the Community Development Department, and we’re going to create a Chief Building Official who will oversee the Codes Division.”

Melinda Keifer will continue in her role as the Economic Development Coordinator part-time.

Mills said that there is a possibility of the city becoming a metropolitan statistical area later this year, based on census data. If that happens, Mills said they would create a fourth division for transportation.

“Because that will require additional personnel, we will get more federal and state funding to run that but we’ll cross that bridge at that time,” Mills said. “But there could potentially be four divisions in this department.”

The council will consider the change Thursday night.