Grant for development of industrial site at I-40 and 127-N received for Interchange Business Park.

Mayor James Mayberry announces the successful award for the Crossville's industrial site grant.

Said Mayberry, “The City appreciates the confidence of the State of Tennessee in awarding this grant. Cumberland County and the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce have been invaluable partners in this project, the property evaluation program, and economic development. Our community's recent redirection and focus on economic development was jumpstarted by the Horizon Initiative in 2015, an innovative project and collaborative effort between the City of Crossville, the City of Pleasant Hill, the City of Crab Orchard, Cumberland County, Crossville-Cumberland Chamber of Commerce, and educational entities in Cumberland County, Tennessee to develop a comprehensive strategy designed to guide our growth and movement. We look forward to what the future holds for Crossville and Cumberland County in this next step in economic and industrial development.”

The grant is for $500,000 with the city and county both committing $250,000 each to complete the project. 

The proposal is to use a 20 acres site in the Interchange Business Park 

to have a location ready for the construction of a 200,000 square foot building 

with space for loading docks and parking ready for construction to start.

In addition, funds were awarded to the Plateau Partnership Park in Westal. Plateau Partnership Park was awarded $469,350 for construction of the primary access into the park, construction of access road to the site of the proposed wastewater treatment facility, and grading of the wastewater treatment facility site

The official announcement from state is below:

GOVERNOR HASLAM, COMMISSIONER ROLFE ANNOUNCE 

18 COMMUNITIES TO RECEIVE SITE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS 

Grants to prepare industrial sites for market 

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe announced today that 18 communities and local organizations will receive $6.2 million in Site Development Grants. 

The Site Development Grant program, part of the larger Rural Economic Opportunity Act passed in 2016, helps communities prepare industrial sites for businesses. 

“Providing more opportunities for citizens in rural Tennessee is one of our top priorities and with the assistance of the Site Development Grants, the rural communities receiving these grants will be ready for investment and economic success,” Haslam said. “We are strengthening our future workforce through programs like Tennessee Promise, and I look forward to seeing these 18 communities succeed and grow for the next generation of Tennesseans.” 

“I want to congratulate all 18 communities on being awarded the Site Development Grants,” Rolfe said. “These grants are designed to assist rural Tennessee communities to be better equipped for economic growth. We are proud to see these communities investing in themselves and anticipate seeing each community thrive in our state.” 

The grants assist communities in finalizing infrastructure and site improvements for Select Tennessee Certified Sites and sites that will go through the site certification process. The projects prepare the sites for new business operations and jobs. In total, 33 communities have been awarded Site Development Grants with 15 communities receiving the grants in 2016.

“With the help of the Rural Economic Opportunity Act and these Site Development Grants, communities receiving these funds will be one, two and three steps closer to investment and growth. I am excited to see our rural communities have the opportunity to submit sites and compete on an even bigger level than before," Amy New, TNECD assistant commissioner of rural development, said.

The Site Development Grant is part of the suite of Select Tennessee programs and works in conjunction with the Site Certification program. An advisory committee of staff from TNECD, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture selected these 18 sites from a pool of 28 applications. 

The application process was competitive with grants awarded based on benefit to the community, economic impact, leveraged resources, and ability to implement a successful project. 

Each application was supported by the community’s senator and representatives in the Tennessee General Assembly.

Burn ban issued for Cumberland County--absolutely no outdoor burning allowed.

State Agriculture Commissioner Jai Templeton has issued a burn ban for Clairborne, Cumberland, Hamilton, Jefferson, Loudon, Marion, Monroe, Robertson and Sevier Counties. The burn ban is effective immediately and will remain in place until further notice.

The ban applies to all open-air burning including leaf and woody debris and construction burning, campfires, outdoor grills and other fire activity in areas outside of municipalities where local ordinances apply.

“Due to dry conditions and little prospect for rain, firefighters are seeing an increase in fire activity across the state,” Commissioner Templeton said. “The public should use good judgment and avoid situations that cause fire and put citizens, property and emergency workers at risk.”

Under state law, the Commissioner of Agriculture, in consultation with the state forester, has the authority to issue burn bans at the request of county mayors under certain weather conditions. Requests for a burn ban are considered based on a number of factors including weather, climate, fire danger, fire occurrence and resource availability.

A violation of a burn ban issued by the Commissioner is considered reckless burning and is punishable as a Class A misdemeanor which carries a fine of $2,500 and/or up to 11 months 29 days in jail.

The ban includes ALL of the following:

• leaves
• brush
• fence rows
• ditch banks
• construction debris
• boards, plywood, decking, etc.
• fields
• gardens
• wooded areas
• grassland
• campfires
• cooking fires
• grills, charcoal or wood fired (but not natural or propane gas fired)
• burn barrels
• household waste
• cardboard
• air curtain destructors

Final Cumberland Co unofficial results

Complete unofficial results from Cumberland Co.

Presidential Race

Trump 20410
Clinton 5202

US Congress 6th district

Black 18603
Kent 4551

Tennessee 25th district representative

Sexton 19670
Barnett 5035

Crossville city council race:

Shanks 1625
Graham 1352
Harrison 1047
Parsons 596
Warner 507
Brownstead 317
Cooper 269
Manning 155

Early voting lines much of the day as record turn out continues.

Cumberland County election coordinator Jill Davis says they are almost constantly busy and lines to early vote continue during much of the day as locals want to get their votes cast.

According to Davis, as of 10 AM on Wednesday October 26 almost 9000 ballots have been cast and that number includes some 662 absentee ballots.  City voters are also turning out with 1293 votes cast by voters inside the city limits meaning a big turn out will decide the city council race as well.

Lines to early vote aren't always out the front door of the Milo Lemert building 

but a record number of votes continue to be cast. 

Horizon Initiative launches new website.

The Crossville Cumberland County Horizon Initiative has launched a newly designed website that includes lots of local information about the the work of the group, the community and attractions here.

The Horizon Initiative is a collaborative effort between the City of Crossville, the City of Pleasant Hill, the City of Crab Orchard, Cumberland County, Crossville-Cumberland Chamber of Commerce, and educational and other entities in Cumberland County, Tennessee.

he Horizon Initiative came from a series of 19 visioning meetings held across the county with citizens giving their input on what the community needed and what the problems they face were. Horizon now is all of Cumberland County working cooperatively on the dreams of our residents

Link to new Horizon Initiative website.

Fourth grade tours of historic downtown Crossville underway

Main Street in Crossville will have some extra congestion on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the month of September while Cumberland County schools fourth graders will be touring historic downtown and learning about area's history.

 Drives are asked to use extra caution when the children are present.  Each group has a leader with a sign to stop traffic when the the children are crossing roads. 

Fourth grade students from North Elementary School tour Main Street Crossville.

Tours start at the Art Circle Public Library and other stops on the tour are numerous including the county archives, the courthouse, the palace theatre, the depot and more.  They hear stories about the history of the business district along the way, view the mural at Fifth Street and get to go in the caboose at the depot vist the military museum and the military monument.  

Students learn a bit about the rail road that once was an important part of Crossville.

Fourth graders visit the oldest commercial building on Main Street, currently the home of Plateau Properties and was originally built in the late 1800's as the offices of a coal company 

This is the 9th year that DCI has hosted the tours for the students.

DCI's Frances Carson talked to the Crossville city council 

about the 4th grade tours during the August council meeting.

Rowell's Apple House--50 years.

Longtime Cumberland County orchards run by the Rowell family are starting their 50th year and are now open with the first apples now available. Hours are 8 to 4 Monday - Saturday and 12-3 Sunday

Rowell's is located at 6390 Highway 70-E. Different apple varieties will be available as they become ripe.  For more info, checkout their Facebook page 

The Apple House has been a part of Cumberland County for 50 years.

Wonderful apples, grown right here on the plateau. 

Apples are available in Peck, 1/2 pecks and other sizes too.

This word from our sponsor:

Where the Crossville/Cumberland Co. Horizon Initiative Stands.

“What is Horizon?” Allamong explained, “The Horizon Initiative came from a series of 19 visioning meetings held across the county with citizens giving their input on what the community needed and what the problems they face were. Horizon now is all of Cumberland County working cooperatively on the dreams of our residents. I think that the beauty to Horizon is that it really is an umbrella for these dreams, these wishes of our residents to come to pass. Where common groups that share goals and visions can come and be discussing issues that they never really had before.”

Following the announcment that the Chamber of Commerece had exceeded its goal of fundraising to recieve matching funds from Crossville and Cumberland County, some of those invovled gathered for a photo.  Left to right are Brad Allamong, Presdient and CEO of the Crossville-CUmberland County Chamber of Commerce, Crossville mayor James Mayberry, Horizon Initiative steering committe chair Nancy Burns and Cumberland Co. mayor Kennth Carey.

“The Horizon Initiative is not owned by anyone. It is a partnership,” explained Brad Allamong of the Crossville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce.

“What is Horizon?” Allamong explained, “The Horizon Initiative came from a series of 19 visioning meetings held across the county with citizens giving their input on what the community needed and what the problems they face were. Horizon now is all of Cumberland County working cooperatively on the dreams of our residents. I think that the beauty to Horizon is that it really is an umbrella for these dreams, these wishes of our residents to come to pass. Where common groups that share goals and visions can come and be discussing issues that they never really had before.”

On July 14, Allamong announced to the media that the Chamber had donations and commitments totaling $132,000, exceeding the $120,000 they agreed to raise. While the Cumberland County check for their $40,000 is cut to be delivered to the Chamber, the city's action at their meeting also on the 14th was to disburse the funds only upon appointment of an oversight committee and actual receipt by the Chamber of at least $120,000 cash in the bank. Currently the Chamber has several outstanding commitments to reach the cash amount but Allamong told the city council he was confident they would meet that requirement shortly as checks were continuing to come in.

Allamong gave background on how the Horizon Initiative came about, where it is now and where he and other partners hope it will help take the community in the future. “Horizon has it roots in the visioning program that was designed to get input from all Cumberland County residents,” he said. There were 19 different meetings at different locations, often schools and public meeting places where the public was invited to share their ideas and concerns.

“We wanted to have input and views from citizens on where we had been, Where they think we are now and where they'd like the future to be. It's really important to have consensus as you move forward,” stressed Allamong.

As the community learned of the impending loss of local employment through the Ficosa company's relocation to Cookeville, Allamong said that retirees continued to be strong in coming to the community and tourism held it's own. “Horizon became the banner or label of every success that would come out of this plan. The first announcement under the banner was the January announcement of Apex Energy,” explained Allamong. Other announcements included 150 new jobs at Co-Linx and the three state bowling tournaments to be held in Crossville in the next 12 months.

Allamong pointed out that while the city and county were working as partners, something they hadn't often done in the past, those working on the plan realized that if something was going to be done about workforce development, they would also need help from the schools district, Roane State Community College (RSCC) and the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT). As more partners came on board, a simple cooperative agreement was drafted that says “were all going to work together to advance this Horizon plan.”

The Horizon fund raising campaign was, according to Allamong, a pretty good deal for the city and the county. “The city put up $40,000 and the county put up $40,000 and we said we would come with $120,000 and I think going forward, this 60/40 split thing, we're going to continue to pursue that going forward.”

Allamong continued, “The campaign was for some very specific things. We wanted a targeted industry analysis that will give us a professional consultant's look at the resources of Cumberland County, the land, the utilities, the workforce, etc. What are those companies that are in the expansion mode that we could attract and it's in their best interest to be here.”

Currently the chamber gets leads from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development but so does every other community in Tennessee and you're in this competition of comparisons between what each community has to offer.

“With a targeted industry analysis, you are looking for the companies with the best match, the best suited to you. What we hope to get out of a targeted industry analysis, don't tell me I need more ceramics companies, tell me what companies I can attract that will help us anchor those ceramics industries,” explained Allamong.

“Workforce development strategy was another thing we want to do,” said Allamong. “Before we go out and do a bunch of programs, which may well cure some of our workforce ills. Tell us what the strategy is and then the programs follow. The targeted industry with the workforce strategy will tell you that you need to work on bringing these companies here. Once you know the profiles of the companies you're attracting, you turn it over to the education folks and say 'what are we doing to prepare the workforce to accept those jobs in those companies that you're recruiting?' That sounds like a new thing, but it's not.”

In a similar vein, Allamong said that while the area has property available for industry, until the area knows what type of industry it is trying to attract they won't know if they have the right property with the right infrastructure.

"Horizon carries the banner to encompass the vision process, any announcments if it's out of the visnioning plan as a success. One of the nice things about our city, county chamber partnership is that none of us are hung up on the issue of who gets credit," according to Allamong, "The community gets credit and we all win."

Allamong added that some of the recent local political headlines do make his job harder, and he added it would be better to be able to find accord and diplomacy, "Because that's the darndest thhing about Google, you can pretty much find anything out there. But I would love to be known as the community that found solutions to its workforce problems. I wouldn't have to market, they'd come here."

Allamong admitted, “We have done the worst job of communicating, post visioning, where is Horizon. It almost needs its own marketing strategy. We're going to fail if we don't communicate back to the people that wrote the plan. I would love to go back into the communities and periodically revisit visioning.

The Horizon Initiative steering committee is currently meeting monthly and organizing around 6 focus areas. Those focus areas are social, identity, infrastructure, economic, leadership and organizational. Nancy Burns, chair of the steering committee said the group is finalizing their by-laws and currently have 18 to 20 members of the steering committee. Each focus area has a chair and they are working to establish volunteers and work plans to move the project and the community forward.  

Draft language of the Interlocal Agreement between the city and county on an indoor recreation center

A draft of an agreement between the city and Cumberland County on the operation of an indoor recreation center should the county commission agree to allow the bond referendum to be placed on a county wide ballot on the November 8 election.

This draft will be considered by the Crossville city council at their regular July meeting Thursday July 14 and if approved, will be forward on to the county commission for their possible consideration on Monday July 18.

Link to info on the city council meeting

The main points of the agreement are as follows:

1. Purpose of Agreement: The purpose of this Agreement is to memorialize the terms of the

Agreement between the parties for the construction, operation, and maintenance of the Crossville/Cumberland County Joint Recreation Facility and to enhance the quality of life for the Citizens of this great County/City. The terms of this agreement will only take effect in the event that the majority of citizens vote by county wide referendum in the November 2016 election to approve a county property tax increase to pay for the construction of the facility.

2. Real Property Transfer: The City of Crossville will transfer up to 18 acres of land to Cumberland County for a construction site necessary for the recreation facility.
3. Fiscal Responsibility: The County shall be responsible for the cost of construction of the facility which shall not exceed twenty million dollars and contemplated to be an approximate 66,000 sf facility that would include:

• 16,000 sf gym with two high-school size courts and one college size court
• Walking track
• Competition swimming pool with eight, 25-yard lanes
• Warm water pool
• Outdoor leisure pool with deck and water park-type amenities
• Wellness Center
• Martial arts/gymnastics room
• Dance and aerobics exercise room
• Locker rooms

4. The City will be responsible for operating the facility and the cost of such operation. The City of Crossville and Cumberland County shall share equally in the maintenance of the facility once constructed. This Agreement to share equally does not preclude the periodic contribution by either government to a special project on the property.
5. Grants: Grant applications shall be filed in the name of the respective government, i.e. grants funds sought for a program or facility in the City shall be filed by the City. Grant applications for funds sought for a program or facility in both the City and County may be filed by either government. Such applications, however, shall require the approval of both governments. Upon receipt, grant funds and any construction or purchasing required as part of the grant shall be administered by the applicant.
6. Effective Date and Duration: This Agreement shall not become effective until the first working date following the occurrence of all of the following events:

1. The approval of this Agreement, by resolution, motion or otherwise by the respective legislative bodies of the Parties; and
2. The approval of the resolution allowing a county wide referendum; and
3. The passing of a county wide referendum by a majority of the voters.

This Agreement shall remain in effect until terminated upon written notice to the other Party.

Council invited to discuss indoor recreation facility with county building and grounds committee

The Cumberland County commission's building and grounds committee will meet at 4:30 Wednesday afternoon July 6 and have invited the Crossville city council to discuss the proposed indoor recreation facility that is expected to be on the November ballot for a county wide bond referendum.

The meeting will be in the Cumberland Co. Courthouse third floor small meeting room and starts at 4:30 PM.  The public is invited.

The meeting is to discuss the joint operating agreement between the two governments so that the respective attorneys can draft an agreement.  Some basic provisions need to be worked out to move forward with wording the referendum for the ballot.

The referendum  would be capped at a maximum of $20 million expenditure for construction and, if approved countywide, the expected property tax increase would be about 10 cents. The facility would have similar features as the design below but without the outdoor water park.

Crossville looks at joining the county radio system for emergency services

The Crossville city council is considering a large expenditure recommended by the Crossville police and fire chiefs and would put all emergency radio traffic on the county's current digital system.

During a work session June 16, Crossville police chief Rod Shoap explained to the council that he has serous concerns about the current VHF radio system the city is now using and encouraged the city to partner with the county on their new system. According to Shoap, the new county digital radio system is working extremely well and with the city's older system there are times and places that his officers can not adequately communicate to the emergency communications dispatchers, creating what could create a dangerous situation.

Crossville police chief Rod Shoap explains the need for new radios to the city council

Chief Shoap said that even he has be caught in a situation where he could not raise the dispatch on his radio while he was making a stop and had another officer not happened along there was a possibility that something could have gone wrong.

Part of Shoap's presentation included a recording of an example of the problems his officers have been having with there communication.  The video below shows the problems Crossville police officers face with the current system.

Poor radio communication example

In addition, the way the current radios work, the police officers can't talk directly to sheriff's deputies as the tow systems are incompatible with each other. Said Shoap, “The sheriff's office is my best business partner. If I can't talk to him then I'm in trouble. This change will solve all those problems”

County Mayor Kenneth Carey and Emergency Management director Kieth Garrison attended the work session and talked about the system and saying that they welcomed the city to join the system. In addition to law enforcement and fire departments, the system will be fully expandable into the future and allow the addition of utility maintenance, road departments and school buses when the need arises for communication.

Cumberland Co. Mayor Kenny Carey talks about the radio system benefits

Chief Shoap said that in a countywide emergency such as an ice storm, there could be as many as 250 people working in the field and on the radio system. “The radio is as important as the officer's weapon or the firefighter's turnout gear,” stressed Shoap. He added that the current system leaves a very real possibility for a responder to be hurt and the possibility for litigation as well.

Fire chief Mike Turner said, “I think it's time, last week we had a mutual aid fire and we couldn't communicate.” He added, The department is reaching a level of recognition statewide and the biggest drawback is communications. It's a hindrance.”

EMA director Garrison told the council, “For 30 years we've been looking for a good communications system and this is it.”

The total cost of the upgrade is estimated to cost $1,111,497.60 and that would include additional channel capacity for the county's system, necessary software upgrades and radios for police, fire, Catoosa, utility maintenance and Meadow Park. All the current radios used by the city would have to be replaced as part of the upgrade. Some value is expected with the trade in of the current radios that will offset up to about $100,000 of the cost.

According to Shoap, if the funding is approved by July 1 he expects the system would be up and running by October 1 this year.

The council must decide if they want to move forward with the project and the expense and if so, do they want to take money from the rainy day fund balance or as was recommended by city finance director Fred Houston use a short term capital improvement note to be paid back over three years.

The council discussed briefly in the work session that there was support for the three year note and Houston will put that in the 2016-17 budget.