Tag Archives: Mayor Randy Porter

A 30 percent increase in household garbage over the past three years has caused Putnam County to start planning a transfer station expansion. Mayor Randy Porter said engineers have been at the South Jefferson Avenue location checking the feasibility of an on-site expansion. “The transfer station, it’s getting to the point it can’t handle the daily load, which almost is ... Read More »

The Putnam County Redistricting Committee has moved forward with two plans to present to the full commission next month. Seven district and 12 district plans were approved Tuesday with no recommendation from the committee. A work session has been scheduled for November 8th after Member Jonathan Williams said officials should have a week to digest the changes. “Something like this ... Read More »

TVA and the natural gas company Enbridge Gas are planning a 117-mile pipeline expansion that would cut through the Upper Cumberland region. The natural gas line would run through Fentress, Jackson, Overton, and Putnam Counties following along the already-established East Tennessee Natural Gas System. Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said the northern tip of the county would be impacted. “They’re ... Read More »

A $1.6 million expansion of the Putnam County Health Department received approval from the county commission Monday. Commissioners voted to allow Mayor Randy Porter to hire a construction manager not exceeding $850,000. Porter said the state health department will provide the remaining $750,000. “It has one entrance and one exit, and that presents a problem with them seeing hundreds of ... Read More »

The Putnam County Commission approved employee stipends Monday to all full-time and part-time employees that qualify. Mayor Randy Porter recommended first responders to receive $2,000 and other full-time workers $1,200 through the counties American Rescue Plan funding. After several motions, amendments and lengthy discussion during Monday’s meeting, Commissioner Darren Wilson made the motion to increase the one-time bonus. “If this ... Read More »

Federal and state COVID funding has created the perfect opportunity to explore fiber internet connections for most Putnam County homes. Mayor Randy Porter said the state has $400 million allocated for local broadband grants. The county has some $15 million coming from the American Rescue Plan. “They’re going to be looking at projects specifically where a county would put some ... Read More »

Putnam residents who do not have access to public water should expect a notification from the county in the coming days. Mayor Randy Porter said under served areas will either receive a letter or phone call to gauge interest in getting water. “Tennessee Tech is partnering with us on this also to have an intern to work and our goal ... Read More »

Employee stipends and extending sewer to Tennessee Avenue among the Putnam County plans on spending its American Rescue Plan funding. Mayor Randy Porter shared his recommendations to the county commission Monday. Porter said county employees that worked in-person during the pandemic should receive a one-time bonus. “Most of our employees were there everyday still working serving the public, and so, ... Read More »

Putnam County will receive some $11.3 million dollars from TDEC for water expansion projects. Mayor Randy Porter said the funding comes from the state’s portion of the American Rescue Plan. “What they are going to do is ask the county’s to work with the city’s and water utility districts to come up with projects that will either extend water lines, ... Read More »

Putnam County Commissioners will move their county commission meetings back to the Cookeville Community Center. Mayor Randy Porter said that after conversations with Chair Mike Atwood, they made the decision citing concern over rising COVID numbers. “I know our hospital is feeling the effects and having a lot of COVID cases and is kind of maxed out right now so ... Read More »