Tag Archives: UCDD

Another signal of the lack of childcare in Putnam County: the most recent state child well-being report, where Putnam ranked 85th in childcare cost burden. UCDD/UCHRA Executive Director Mark Farley said the two biggest issues are affordability and capacity. He said that stems from the difficulty of opening a daycare facility in general. “Work with our state partners the various ... Read More »

Upper Cumberland Development District opening registration for a program series that seeks to add a new perspective to the stigma of substance abuse. Recovery2Work Employment Manager Mikel Miller said “Let’s Talk Stigma” came about through a partnership with the University of Rochester. He said the series is meant to be more of an immersive conversation than a simple lecture, utilizing ... Read More »

UCDD wants the state to make a one million dollar childcare grant program into a reoccurring opportunity. The state funding was used for nine projects that created some 300 additional childcare spots in the Upper Cumberland. Executive Director Mark Farley said the development district wants to get more operations licensed by state. “We have a lot of small operations where ... Read More »

UCDD’s SHIP program will host the first in a series of classes to help Medicare beneficiaries get more clarity in their policies this Tuesday. SHIP/SMP Volunteer Coordinator Erin Perdue said that SHIP stands for State Health Insurance Assistance Program. She said that SHIP offers free and unbiased Medicare counseling to beneficiaries and their loved ones. “There are approximately 100,000 Medicare ... Read More »

UCHRA and UCDD has received a clean audit in all of its divisions. Executive Director Mark Farley said this is the fourth or fifth year that the organizations received no findings. “We’re very proud of the team our finance department has,” Farley said. “We have a lot of state funding and federal funding that flows through our office. They do ... Read More »

Jackson County Mayor Randy Heady reappointed as chair of the UCHRA and UCDD Executive Committee Wednesday. Smith County Mayor Jeff Mason once again will serve as the vice-chair. The secretary for the development district will be Fentress County Executive Jimmy Johnson. As for the human resource agency, Byrdstown Mayor Sam Gibson will be its secretary. The appointments were recommended from ... Read More »

Promoting the Cumberland Historic Scenic Byway a focus for UCDD Historic Preservation Planner Mark Dudney. The development district was recently awarded an annual grant to continue funding the position. With the roadway listed on the National Scenic Byway register, Dudney said preserving its history and promoting tourism will be a main project for the upcoming year. “There is a real ... Read More »

There is a need for more industrial sites in the Upper Cumberland. UCDD Executive Director Mark Farley highlighted the issue when he encouraged local mayors to target land during a recent executive committee meeting. White County Executive Denny Wayne Robinson said there is a high demand for sites. ‘We have sold everything that we have,” Robinson said. “We’ve been real ... Read More »

As the region’s leaders outline goals for the next five years, UCDD Executive Director Mark Farley emphasized the need to find more land for industrial development. Recruiting more industry was one of the goals included in the UCDD Executive Committee’s five-year plan approved Wednesday. Farley said mayors need to educate their council or commission on the importance of having land ... Read More »

Three hundred childcare slots and over 50 jobs will open thanks to a state grant program benefiting seven Upper Cumberland counties. Lending and Economic Development Director Megan Choate said the additional childcare space comes from nine projects that received state funding. “This is the first year that they have allowed a change in their community development block grant funds to ... Read More »