Tag Archives: Randy Porter

A new coalition in Tennessee is aiming to mitigate flood damage throughout the state by calling for better preparedness and more legislative action. The group called Flood Ready Tennessee is made up of elected officials, homeowners, small business owners, faith leaders, and community members. Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said that he joined the group because he believes there is ... Read More »

Putnam County is the 17th largest county in the state after the U.S. Census data was released. The population total is 79,854, with 10.4 percent growth. Mayor Randy Porter said it was an unusual census, with delays in the numbers being released and pandemic issues during the data collection. Porter said that talk around the 2020 census is that numbers ... Read More »

The process is moving quickly after this week’s $98 million bond approval by the Putnam County Commission. Mayor Randy Porter said the process is getting an extra push because of the current low interest rates Porter said the county’s bond rating will go out to interested bidders, then typically large banks will compete to be the lowest bidder on the ... Read More »

Putnam County Commissioners agreed to an option with a Nashville-based firm to purchase the 41.41 acres of the Putnam County Fairgrounds. The purchase price: $12.42 million. Commissioners voted 24-0 Monday night to move forward with Baker Storey McDonald of Nashville to recruit major retailers to the site off South Jefferson Avenue. The developer would have until February 23, 2022 to ... Read More »

The Upper Cumberland Regional Airport will continue discussions with a promoter who wants to begin an October event. Airport Manager Dean Selby said the Florida-based promoter has been involved with major air shows. Selby said he did not want to reveal his name until they were further long in negotiating an agreement. The promoter wants to work with the airport ... Read More »

Putnam County Commissioners voted 17-4 Monday night to purchase two parcels of land adjoining the current county landfill. County Mayor Randy Porter said the $280,000 purchase will extend the life of the landfill some 20 years. “I don’t think any of us want to go looking for a new place for a landfill so this is a good deal for ... Read More »

Three major Putnam County roofing project bids have come in roughly $1 million under projected costs. Mayor Randy Porter said roofing improvements will occur at the County Justice Center, Avery Trace Middle School and Cookeville High School. Porter said that in total this work will cost just under $2.7 million. “Kind of almost the opposite going on with roofing than ... Read More »

The Putnam County Commissioners budget committee saw a seven percent increase in county general fund expenses as budget deliberations began Monday night. County department heads requested 18 new employees in the $43 million budget, led by six paramedics, three firefighters and two new 911 dispatchers. County Mayor Randy Porter said he thought the department heads put together a reasonable budget. ... Read More »

A private developer wants to purchase the 30 acres atop Shoney’s hill just off Cookeville’s South Jefferson Avenue. County Mayor Randy Porter said the property appraised for some $300,000. The developer has offered “two to three times that amount.” Porter said no deal has been worked out. “I’m coming back to you to see if that’s something that you’re interested ... Read More »

Putnam County Director of Schools Corby King said the system could be back to using portable classrooms if the community does not resume work on a new K-8 school. At a joint work session of county commissioners and school board members Tuesday night, King said enrollment numbers had increased some six percent in the four years prior to COVID-19. “If ... Read More »