The Putnam County School System will begin exploration of possible contractors and costs to renovate the current Park View Elementary School. The School Board approved a request for proposals Thursday night to begin that process. The school system has discussed renovating the facility to be used as a centralized Pre-K Center for the elementary schools within Cookeville. Director Of Schools ... Read More »

Cookeville City Council agreed to spend $1.14 million in additional money on Spring paving Thursday night. The revenue generated, in large part, by higher interest rates on the city’s investments. Finance Director Brenda Imel outlined numerous other budget adjustments Thursday night as the fiscal year draws toward an end. Sales tax revenue, for example, has exceeded projections. “We originally budgeted ... Read More »

The Putnam County Schools want to use more than $8 million in new state funding to increase salaries and add new personnel. Director of Schools Corby King highlighted a first draft of the new fiscal year budget Thursday night. King said they believe the new state funding formula should produce an additional $12 million in revenue, though final numbers will ... Read More »

Dr. Melody Presley has been named the new principal at Cookeville’s Park View Elementary. Presley has spent the last 13 years as assistant principal at Avery Trace Middle School. She replaces Bobby Winningham who is retiring at the end of the school year. Presley has served as teacher, coach and administrator at Avery Trace for 18 years. “Dr. Presley has ... Read More »

A proposed daycare project in Van Buren County could be stopped before it starts. The county commission’s steering committee B heard from Mayor David Sullivan Tuesday night. Sullivan said he had made several phone calls and discovered that previously discussed daycare subsidies for were not available. “See according to some of the paperwork that I found,” Sullivan said. “It said ... Read More »

Middle Tennessee Natural Gas will improve safety measures through a new federal grant. The utility received more than $311,000 to modernize its safety equipment. Cliff Swoape is Director of Human Resources and Communications. He said they saw during the 2020 Cookeville tornado the value of emergency equipment such as leak detectors. “We were able to go in with those laser ... Read More »

White County Budget Committee discussed potential options for employee raises Monday night. As the budget process begins, the county has revenues of just over $15 million with a shortage of some $789,000. The committee asked to look at three different pay scenarios including a graduated scale, a flat $2 per hour increase, and a 3 percent increase. Commissioners discussed moving ... Read More »

Putnam County’s first budget proposal shows an increase in expenses of some $10.4 million. County Mayor Randy Porter shared the roughly $58.4 million in department head requests with the County Budget Committee Monday night. “Just remember, it’s a process,” Porter said. “We always make it. We’ll just have to work through it. Don’t get aggravated, don’t get upset. Don’t get ... Read More »

The Monterey Board of Aldermen passed its new fiscal year budget on first reading Monday night. However, the budget passed on just a four to three vote. Aldermen divided over $35,000 budgeted for a new position of Assistant to the Cultural Administrator. Finance Committee Chair Bill Wiggins said the position was needed to allow the Cultural Administrator to fulfill his ... Read More »

Putnam County Sheriff Eddie Farris wants to add roughly 60 new positions to help staff the new justice center. A CTAS study shared with the County Budget Committee Monday night suggested the county needed at least 110 new employees to operate the expanded facility. “I don’t think we can afford 110 new employees,” Farris said. “If we see we can’t ... Read More »