TUESDAY 162nd YEAR • No. 170 NOVEMBER 15, 2016 CLEVELAND, TN 16 PAGES • 50¢ Election is certified by Bradley under total burn ban commission All outdoor fires Hints of rain eyed By ALLEN MINCEY Banner Staff Writer Results from the Bradley included: leaves, by meteorologists County presidential election were certified on Monday, with no changes in the official win- brush, everything prior to holiday ners of the races on the November ballot. By BRIAN GRAVES By ALLEN MINCEY Certified Public Accountant Banner Staff Writer Banner Staff Writer Joe Reed presented the certifi- Mayor D. Gary Davis announced Monday a The entire region is among 51 Tennessee coun- cation numbers to the Bradley total outdoor burn ban for Bradley County, effec- ties placed under a burn ban, including Bradley, County Election Commission tive immediately. Polk, McMinn, Hamilton, Monroe, Rhea and Meigs Monday morning, stating there The ban applies to any fire — including cere- counties in the immediate area. No relief from the were no major issues with this monial, cooking and warming fires — that is dry, windy conditions is expected this week, but month’s election. Reed has burning in the outdoors. Confined fires are forecasters said there could be some relief by served as the CPA for the included in the ban. Thanksgiving. election commission for years. Examples of prohibited fires or burning are: Gov. Bill Haslam issued the ban on Monday, leaves, brush, fence rows, ditch which is in addition to bans placed by the See ELECTION, Page 16 banks, construction debris, Tennessee Department of boards, plywood, decking, Agriculture. State Agriculture fields, gardens, wooded areas, Commissioner Jai Templeton Food for local grassland, campfires, cooking issued bans on Sunday for Polk, fires, charcoal or wood-fired Bledsoe and Sequatchie coun- families in need grills, burn barrels, household ties, and for Bradley County on A goal to distribute 750 boxes waste, cardboard, and air cur- Monday. The entire Southeast of food staples and $24,000 in tain destructors. Tennessee area is listed in the donations “People continue to burn and ban. has been set if you drive down almost any The ban applies to all open- by the road in the county, you’ll see air burning including leaf and Davis William Hall what I’m talking about,” Davis woody debris and construction Haslam Rodgers said. “I hope when you drive around and see the burning, campfires, outdoor Christmas piles of leaves everywhere [you will realize] this is grills and other fire activity in areas outside of Basket Fund. a very serious situation.” municipalities where local ordinances apply. The food sta- Davis noted there have already been 12 area “Due to dry conditions and little prospect for ples will be given to families in counties which have implemented burn bans, rain, firefighters are seeing an increase in fire need in the community just before “and the state has suggested we do this.” activity across the state,” Commissioner Christmas. The fund, which is a “We want everyone in Bradley County to know Templeton said. “The public should use good judg- 501(c)(3), is a volunteer-support- there is no burning allowed,” he said noting state ment and avoid situations that cause fire and put ed effort. Donations may be statutes set charges for a violation as being reck- citizens, property and emergency workers at risk.” mailed to First Tennessee Bank, less burning and punishable as a Class A misde- However, relief could be in sight next week as P.O. Box 3566, Cleveland TN meanor. the Thanksgiving holiday approaches. 37320-3566 or dropped off at First Davis added that 300 of the state’s 480 water Chief Meterologist Patrick Core of the Cleveland Tennessee Bank at 3870 Keith St. systems are experiencing some level of drought. Daily Banner’s media partner WDEF News 12, “Water is going to start being a problem,” the “Next week we may break this stagnant dry pat- Inside Today mayor said. “We’re fortunate as far as water sup- tern just in time for Thanksgiving. Several of our ply. Knock on wood. That’s not the case every- computer models are hinting at this and confi- where. The smoke you see today is with practical- dence is growing. ly no fires in our county right now. That’s how “The pattern change starts this weekend with a close they are and how bad it is.” strong cold front moving through with the coldest Davis said all government entities within the air of the season for the second half of the week- county “is in agreement this is something that end and the beginning of next week,” he added. needs to be done.” “Later next week, a storm system from the Pacific Contributed photo may bring some moisture near Thanksgiving Day. County Emergency Systems Director Shawn SMOKE LINGERS over Parksville Lake from wildfires in Polk County Fairbanks said for the past week many have That would be something to really give thanks for. called because they have observed smoke in the and North Georgia. This photograph, by Durant Tullock of the Etowah We’ll know more in a few days.” Chamber of Commerce, was taken around 3 p.m. Sunday from the See FIRES, Page 13 overlook on Chilhowee Mountain. See RAIN, Page 13 County set TDEC deputy director says to borrow problems will be resolved Copeland makes from HCI By BRIAN GRAVES return with Florida By BRIAN GRAVES Banner Staff Writer Banner Staff Writer "We are going to improve the Former Bradley Central Bradley County commissioners heard way we talk at the county office. Bearette Brooke Copeland Bradley County now has every- from the man in charge of TDEC field thing it needs to begin the process That's just simple courtesy that returned to the area Monday night operations Monday, and he said exactly should be going on anywhere." with the Florida Lady Gators, and of borrowing from what is most what they wanted to hear. — Jonathan Burr faced off against the UTC Lady commonly known as the HCI Jonathan Burr, deputy director of Mocs. Area high school basketball funds. TDEC's Division of Water Resources, said action tips off tonight at Walker A resolution has been prepared the department is aware of the problems either in progress, will be done or will be Valley and Cleveland High School. which calls for the county to bor- which have plagued the septic tank per- done at the county's request. The Lee Lady Flames volleyball row $2.2 million from the sale mit program in Bradley County and they The first of these is the hiring of a new team will volley tonight against proceeds of the former Bradley are going to be fixed. inspector for Bradley County. Christian Brothers University. See Memorial Hospital to apply "It came to my attention several weeks Burr said interviews were going to start Sports, Pages 9-11. toward the cost of building the ago there were some concerns and prob- this week; however, a currently certified new workhouse facility at the lems [with] groundwater service being pro- inspector had asked for family reasons to Forecast Bradley County Justice Center. vided for this county," Burr said. "We be transferred to the Chattanooga area. If approved, it would initiate a Banner photo, BRIAN GRAVES talked about it and looked into it quite a "They will be able to start here as soon 20-year note at a variable interest JONATHAN BuRR, TDEC deputy director Today should see hazy sunshine bit. I think we've got a pretty good handle as December," he said. "That's longer than rate of 1.375 percent. The coun- of field operations, Division of Water on where we are, what the problems are I like, but if we were having interviews continuing, as the area remains ty’s payment on the note would be Resources, described an eight-point plan to blanketed in smoke from regional and what we need to do to proceed to today they probably would not be starting due annually on Dec. 1 beginning improve service and efficency to the septic until December anyway. This probably wildfires. A high temperature of 67 resolve them. I assure you that my agency next year. tank permitting process in the county, during is committed to that resolution." is forecast, with little to no wind. “We fronted the first portion on Monday’s Commission work session. Burr had a list of eight items which are See TDEC, Page 16 Tonight should be partly cloudy, with a low around 41. Wednesday calls See HCI, Page 16 for sunny skies and a high near 70. Index Council hears Fivas introduces Classified......................................15 Comics...........................................6 plans by Williams Editorials......................................12 3-year strategic Horoscope......................................6 Obituaries.......................................2 for property work Sports........................................9-11 plan to Council Stocks............................................4 By LARRY C. BOWERS By LARRY C. BOWERS TV Schedule..................................7 Banner Staff Writer Banner Staff Writer Weather..........................................8 Cleveland property owner and businessman Joe Cleveland’s new City Manager Joe Fivas had an V. Williams visited the Cleveland City Council work extensive update for the City Council Monday, Around Town session Monday to explain delays and his inability including plans for the formulation of a three-year to gets property he owns on Church Street into strategic plan for the city. Jo Gilbert making some deli- respectable condition. The plan will hopefully be compiled with assis- cious desserts ... Jim Bryant City staff has been attempting to get Williams to tance from residents in the city’s five districts helping with a writers workshop make improvements to the property at 80 Church through community meetings and a survey to be in Caryn Bledsoe’s class at St., but has had little success.