An Award of Excellence Two Years, Has Braves Fell to the Baltimore Monday
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T U E S D A Y 161st YEar • no. 76 JulY 28, 2015 ClEVElanD, Tn 16 PagEs • 50¢ Abbott gets no bond, Shooting victim was openly curses judge neighbor of Blake’s By TONY EUBANK By BRIAN GRAVES Banner Staff Writer Banner Staff Writer An openly hostile Donald Lee Abbott, arrested Monday for the The shooting death of a Cleveland women is a tragedy that literally first-degree shooting death of a Cleveland woman, confronted hit close to home for one county commissioner. Bradley County Sessions Judge Sheridan Randolph with expletives It was Commissioner Milan Blake who answered a knock at his and profanity during his early morning arraignment today. door around 2 a.m. Monday and found the adult son of Marla Sharp Before Randolph ordered Abbott’s removal from the courtroom, he telling him, “Mom has been shot.” declared the suspect will receive no bond, meaning he will remain in Blake paid tribute to his neighbor during Monday night’s County the Bradley County Jail before facing Randolph again on Aug. 4 for a Commission meeting. preliminary hearing on the first-degree murder charge. Halting several times to gather his emotions, Blake talked about the Abbott is charged with the early Monday morning shooting death events from the night, and the neighbor he and his family have lost. of Marla Sharp, the owner of the Little Diner On 1st, a small restau- The 44-year-old Sharp was discovered to have been shot in the rant near the downtown Cleveland area. The two are reported to upper torso at her Westview Drive home and later died of those have been involved in a romantic relationship. wounds. See ABBOTT, Page 13 Donald abbott Milan Blake See BLAKE, Page 13 Inside Today Council Deputy to review kills man endorsing during CU study assault Utility looks at BCSO reports Internet, phone ambush attack By JOYANNA LOVE Banner Senior Staff Writer By TONY EUBANK Banner Staff Writer The Cleveland City Council is Banner photo, JoYanna loVE A Bradley County deputy shot expected to pass a resolution sup- CElEBraTing the latest Government Finance Officers Association Certificate of Achievement porting further study of Cleveland and killed a man who allegedly for Excellence in Financial Reporting were, from left, accountant Mark Lay, senior accountant Amy ambushed her at her home early The heat is on Utilities offering Internet via fiber Newman, Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland, City finance director Shawn McKay, City Manager Janice optics at its next meeting. today. Monday was the first day of “We would like to have the Casteel, and Assistant City Manager Melinda Carroll. The deputy, who has been on football practice in full pads for Council’s recommendation that we the Bradley local high school players. All five continue on the path we are look- County Sheriff’s area schools have begun presea- ing at,” Cleveland Utilities Office force for son camp in full force. The Atlanta President and CEO Ken Webb said An award of excellence two years, has Braves fell to the Baltimore Monday. “… From the standpoint been identified by Orioles in extra innings on the of what would it take to make it Sheriff Eric baseball diamond. NASCAR driv- work, how would it work, how Watson as Tiffany ers were not happy with the rules City’s financial reporting honored could we pay for it, even though we Oakley. package for the Brickyard 400 know we wouldn’t be able to do it By JOYANNA LOVE senting a good financial report,” McKay said. Watson report- race. Boston has decided not to all at one time.” Banner Senior Staff Writer In order to receive the award, the report must ed she is current- seek the 2024 Olympics. See Councilman Bill Estes was meet requirements in a number of categories, ly on administra- Sports, Pages 9-11. “The City With Spirit” has received the and follow the Governmental Accounting tive leave with Oakley ready to support further study on Government Finance Officers Association’s the issue at Monday’s meeting. Standards. pay pending the completion of an The family feuds Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in “It is all about making a report that is read- investigation by the Tennessee However, a vote was delayed so an Financial Reporting for the 27th consecutive official resolution could be drafted. able and understandable to someone who might Bureau of Identification. over inheritance year. not be a financial person,” McKay said. According to TBI Public Other members of the Council “We are proud of this,” Cleveland Mayor Tom The loss of an elderly loved also seemed interested in more The report outlines the city’s organizational Information Officer Josh DeVine, one not only causes grief among Rowland said during the award presentation structure, changes in policies from the previous “At the request of District Attorney study of the possibilities. Monday. the survivors, it sometimes sets A recent feasibility study for year, financial statements and auditor com- General Stephen Crump, TBI the stage for family feuds over He said the city finance team did “an excel- ments. agents are investigating a deputy- fiber to the premises (FTTP) servic- lent job.” who’s inheriting what. See the es being offered by CU found A team of about five people put the report involved shooting this morning in guest “Viewpoint” on Page 12 of “Thank you Shawn (McKay, finance director) together each year. Bradley County.” Internet and phone services would for all your staff does,” Rowland said. today’s edition. be the best options. To determine if the award will be presented to DeVine continued, “Preliminary The award was presented based on the 2014 a particular city, a GFOA panel of five or six information indicates that around “Television as we know it is dis- Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. appearing, and it’s disappearing reviewers reads the report and compare it to the 2 o’clock this morning a deputy Forecast “I’m really pleased that the GFOA continues arrived to her Cleveland home in quickly with all the different to recognize the time and effort we put into pre- See AWARD, Page 13 See COUNCIL, Page 13 See ASSAULT, Page 13 Commission reviews Yarber and Hughes preliminary plans for join ad hoc group Today’s outlook is for partly work-release facility for energy study cloudy skies, with a 40 percent By BRIAN GRAVES By BRIAN GRAVES chance of scattered showers and Banner Staff Writer thunderstorms and a high near 95. Banner Staff Writer Tonight’s forecast calls for partly Bradley County commissioners got their first look Bradley County Commission members Jeff Yarber cloudy skies and a 30 percent at the preliminary plans for a new and Mike Hughes will join an ad chance of rain, with a low around work release addition to the hoc committee to explore the 73. Wednesday should be mostly Justice Center during Monday’s option of a performance-guaran- work session. sunny and hot, with a high near 92. teed utility contract and develop a The news they got was good — it scope of service from which to Wednesday night should be partly does not appear it will cost more request qualifications of firms pro- cloudy, with a low around 73 and a than the $2.9 million originally viding those services. slight chance of rain. estimated, and may end up costing This illusTraTion shows the layout of the proposed work The move comes in response to a little less. a request from the Bradley County Grant Tharp of Cope Architects release addition to the Bradley County Justice Center. The blue area Index is the male dormitory space, green is probation offices and red is Board of Education. Tharp made the presentation to the The board recently passed a res- Mull Classified................................14-15 space that could be leased for services such as attorneys or conces- See FACILITY, Page 13 sions. See STUDY, Page 13 Comics...........................................6 Editorials......................................12 Horoscope......................................6 Obituaries.......................................2 Police consultant’s compensation, work increased Sports........................................9-11 By JOYANNA LOVE that retroactive," Councilman Dale Hughes detectives were promoted two pay grades at Utilities pay comparison plan that will be Banner Senior Staff Writer said. "He made many trips those first few one time rather than the traditional one pay completed by a contractor this fall. Stocks............................................4 weeks. He was here sometimes seven days grade level at a time under the city pay To be fair to employees in all depart- TV Schedule..................................7 The Cleveland City Council unanimously a week." plan. When this happens, the percentage ments, Casteel studied where this hap- Weather..........................................8 approved increasing the compensation to Wallace lives in McMinn County. of increase is more than one pay grade in pened in other departments. its police consultant to include $350 per Hughes had been asked to meet with the pay plan, but less than the final “It doesn’t just impact the police depart- month in travel expenses during a meeting Wallace and City Manager Janice Casteel to increase would be at that level for an ment, it is all departments. There were 75 Around Town Monday. discuss compensation for travel expenses, employee under the traditional model. employees who received a two-grade or Larry Wallace has served as police con- since he had served with them on the “Our promotion policy seems to be in line higher,” Casteel said. “If it is a two-grade Mike Usery finding dimes sultant since March 9. Since then, he has review committee of policies for the recom- with the 2015 study (of a similar promotion promotion it must be at least a 9.3 percent everywhere ..