UC Mayor Boot Camp Used To Inform Leaders How To Optimize Services

UCHRA Executive Director Mark Farley said the Upper Cumberland Mayor Boot Camp was a great day.

All 14 counties were invited to the workshop. Farley said the time was used to explain what services are available through the agency and development district.

“Our role was to try and impart to them what all programs and how those programs work together,” Farley said. “Many times clients come to us with one specific problem, but the more we can delve into it we can usually help them in three or four different ways.”

Farley said he wants the different mayors to take back what they heard to their communities to identify other needs. Farley said the goal is to fill as many gaps in service as possible in the region.

“Sometimes you can work different programs in conjunction so that you get more benefit out of it, and that’s one of the things we tried to stress,” Farley said. “If we got a program over here that can do certain things if we partner that with another program and that may be inside of our agencies or it may be something that is offered by some other entity here in the region. That we are always going to try and match these dollars up to get as much bang for our buck that we can get.”

According to Farley, two communities did not have representation. Farley said he understands that leaders have conflicts of interest and can not always make each meeting. Farley said federal delegation also attended from the offices of Congressman John Rose and Senator Marsha Blackburn.