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Putnam County will begin its budget work with a first budget committee meeting April 15. Commissioners ratified County Mayor Randy Porter’s nine-person committee selection. The committee includes David Andrews, Grover Bennett, Ron Chaffin, Kathy Dunn, David Gentry, Adam Johnson, Dale Moss, Ben Rodgers, and Jonathan Williams. The state mandates commissioners’ approval of a budget calendar. Porter’s calendar has commissioners considering ... Read More »

Pickett County Schools expect to have a new bus and a van for its CTE programs delivered any day now. Pickett CTE Director Kenny Tompkins said the van was scheduled to be delivered in mid-February, but it has not arrived yet. He said the van will be used to transport students to competitive career events across the state. The bus ... Read More »

A new capital campaign underway to raise money for a new Warren County Black History Museum and Cultural Center. Museum Director Mickey Gwyn said the city of McMinnville donated the property that once housed the city’s black high school, Bernard High School. He said the building will be a replica of a seven-room “Rosenwald School,” schools built in the South ... Read More »

A move by Putnam County Clerk Wayne Nabors to use collected fees for employee bonuses drew the ire of several Putnam County Commissioners. Nabors received commission approval to use some $20,000 in restricted money to provide bonuses to employees inside the County Clerk’s Office. Restricted funds are generated by the department and can only be used for certain purposes, based ... Read More »

The TSSAA would consider the possibility of bringing the high school football championships back to Cookeville upon the completion of Tucker Stadium renovations. TSSAA Assistant Executive Director Matthew Gillespie said a return has been discussed. Cookeville lost the State Championships in 2021. He said the TSSAA has maintained a strong relationship with Cookeville and Putnam County in the years since. ... Read More »

Crossville looking at the formation of a Sports Authority to serve as a financing mechanism for the Recreation Center project. Crossville Mayor RJ Crawford said a Sports Authority would allow the city to leverage water rates and sales tax revenue to lower bond obligations. He said the residents of Crossville have made it clear that if building a rec center ... Read More »

UCHRA considering agreements with local EMS departments to ensure that residents can receive transportation services during extreme weather. Executive Director Mark Farley said during the early January storm, UCHRA Public Transportation did not have vehicles equipped to travel safely on local roads. He said many residents missed medical appointments without the service. “It could be a number of different things ... Read More »

A Putnam County non-profit that provides beds to children in need receiving an employee community grant. Spectrum donated $2,500 to the Cookeville chapter of Sleep In Heavenly Peace Wednesday. The money goes to build beds for children in foster care. Chapter President Madie Larsen established the local chapter in July, 2022 with a mission “no kid sleeps on the floor ... Read More »

Developers moving forward in the process to build a Cookeville VA Clinic can request an option extension after a Tuesday night County Commission vote. Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said the Veterans Administration has notified the parties that it plans to make an announcement on the clinic during first quarter 2025. It is unclear whether that means fiscal year or ... Read More »

White County Commissioners hope to add some $1 million in annual sales tax revenue by adding a referendum to the August county general election ballot. Commissioner Derrick Hutchings told Commissioners Tuesday night the resolution would increase the county’s sales tax from 2.25 percent to 2.75 to match the rate in Sparta. He said the extra funds could help with employee ... Read More »