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T U E S D A Y 161st YEAR • NO. 285 MARCH 29, 2016 CLEVELAND, TN 18 PAGES • 50¢ Commission opens talks on new budget, taxes Finance leader says county Requested budget increases trying to avoid fire tax hike averaging about 1.8 percent By BRIAN GRAVES The mayor also remained consistent, as By BRIAN GRAVES The mayor said the largest request came Banner Staff Writer he did last year, saying the fire fund would Banner Staff Writer from the Bradley County Emergency Medical have been kept level if only the long-range Service, for $162,000. Bradley County Commissioner Milan plan had been followed. The requests are in and county depart- Second largest was for the quadrennial ment heads have kept their wish lists to a Blake, who serves as the governing body’s “It was deviated from with 28 percent Blake reappraisal program for $144,000. finance chairman, said Monday if there is a salary increases. We were already cutting it minimum. “It jumps up every four years,” Davis way to avoid an increase in the fire tax close. The salary increase put us below the Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis pre- explained. “It goes back down the next three there will be a diligent effort to avoid that minimum reserve benchmark,” the mayor sented the County Commission with a book years.” increase, and what is now on the table “is said in that interview. of all requests and explanations of those He said the Justice Center request came just a recommendation.” Davis continued, stating had the salary requests at the Monday night work session. in third at $122,000. Blake’s comments came during the increase for Bradley County Fire-Rescue Thursday was the deadline for those “I do have to point out the No. 1 largest Commission’s work session and was in ref- not been passed, “I might have had to do requests to be turned in to the mayor’s decrease in dollars was the [Sheriff’s Office] erence to comments County Mayor D. Gary some budget cuts, and there might have office. at $275,000,” Davis said. Davis made to the Cleveland Daily Banner been fewer equipment purchases for two or “The overall requested increase for the He noted commissioners have three weeks in an interview about the budget process three years, but we would have followed the next year is 1.8 percent,” Davis said. “That’s to review the documents and determine which appeared in Monday’s edition. long-range plan.” very good. If we gave everybody what they which department leaders they want to In that interview, the mayor noted, “The The latest plan, which came through both are asking for, that’s what it would be. But, bring in to question concerning the budget fire tax will be in the budget as a committee that’s without any raises, so we still have recommendation.” See FIRE TAX, Page 10 Davis some work to do.” See BUDGET, Page 10 Inside Today THREE NEW Livability police dogs are now members of marketing the Cleveland Police Department, as package the CPD has increased the number of dogs in eyed by the K-9 unit. The new dogs, and their handlers, Council include, from left: Rocco, with Community exposure Officer Jacob Varnell; Max and plan to cost $30,000 Officer Mike By JOYANNA LOVE Harris; and Aries Banner Senior Staff Writer and Officer Tyler Mustangs struggle McGuire. The city of Cleveland is consid- The Walker Valley Mustangs Banner photo, ering hiring marketing company struggled with early errors that ALLEN MINCEY Livability to broaden the exposure led to a loss to Soddy-Daisy on the community gets from those the baseball diamond. The outside its borders. Bradley Central Bears stayed hot Mayor Tom Rowland is recom- with a win over East Hamilton mending that the city go with the and the Cleveland Blue Raiders Tier 2 package, which would cost dispatched McMinn County. The CPD K-9 unit sniffs out City Council $30,000 a year. However, the city Lee men’s golf team holds first hopes to split the cost with Bradley place at the UNA Spring Classic County and the Cleveland/Bradley in Muscle Shoals, Ala. See Chamber of Commerce. Sports, Pages 11-13. Law enforcement trio introduced to governing body Presentations have been made by Livability to each of these groups, America’s recycling By ALLEN MINCEY Gibson said at one time, the police Varnell. The three officers went through a but none has committed to fund- Banner Staff Writer department had four dogs in the unit. thorough process of selection to be trainers. ing. interest dwindling? The most recent canine, Strykr, recently “This is a big commitment,” Gibson said. Livability pro- The Cleveland City Council went to the retired. Mike Harris, who now works with “They go home with them, they put ken- vides search America’s commitment to recy- dogs at its Monday afternoon meeting. one of the new dogs, was his trainer. nels in their yards, they train them every engine optimiza- cling seems to be on the slide, The Council was able to meet the three Gibson said Strykr was involved in many day. They have to be very dedicated. They tion Internet and that’s an unfortunate direc- newest members of the Cleveland Police cases over the years, including helping are dedicated to their jobs and dedicated strategies for tion for any country whose future Department, as Rocco, Max and Aries were with the situation after five servicemen to their handlers.” small to medium- and environmental integrity rely introduced to the governing body. The were killed in Chattanooga in 2015. The canines have already been in serv- sized cities. on the good decisions of people. three are the CPD’s K-9 unit. Harris’ dog — Max — also works with ice. They were helpful in a recent arrest “It really helps Read one person’s perspective “We are excited to have them,” said others at Bristol Motor Speedway twice a when 24 pounds of methamphetamines put you on a on this developing trend in a Cleveland Police Chief Mark Gibson. “It’s year and will be going to the race next were seized, were involved in the arrest of national platform guest “Viewpoint” published on been a while since we have had three dogs. month to work with other security. Harris a man who ended up trying to hide in his and helps tell Page 14 of today’s edition. The program has kind of gone to the way- will accompany Max. attic, and were brought on scene after a your story,” said Rowland side because of budget issues, and we are Along with Max, the other two canines student claimed he had an explosive device Jarek Swekosky, Forecast very greatful that we could bring them in are Aries, who has Tyler McGuire as his senior vice presi- and implement them.” trainer, and Rocco, who is trained by Jacob See CPD, Page 10 dent. Livability.com provides a Web page with infor- mation about the city. How much Bradley County to sell property dirt cheap information, Today looks to be sunny, with a By BRIAN GRAVES a single dollar. property tax revenue of all five parcels would images and other high near 66. Tonight’s forecast media content Banner Staff Writer The addresses of the sites for sale and the barely equal $500 per year. Estes calls for mostly clear skies, with a new minimum bids are Johnson Boulevard He also said having the parcels under coun- appears on the low around 43. Wednesday should Bradley County is going to have a yard sale S.E. ($1,000), Glensara Drive N.W. ($1), 139 ty ownership could cause liability problems. site is determined be sunny, with a high near 71. — quite literally. Dempsey Circle SW ($750), Westland Drive Tax committee chairman Dan Rawls and by the level of service for which the Five parcels, being sold for unpaid taxes, S.W. ($825) and Jonathan Drive SE ($1). committee members Blake, Thomas Crye and city has paid. South winds of 5 to 15 mph could “It’s nice to have a third party gust as high as 20. Wednesday did not receive bids meeting the minimum “We had offered to sell them originally for Bobby Goins all voted to offer the parcels at prices set by the Commission’s tax committee. tell that story. We had one mayor night calls for clouds and an 80 the amount of the taxes alone,” Freiberg said. the reduced rates, pending approval by the Following a report from Crystal Freiberg, “One of the properties, we have actually tried full Commission. say that we’re like Consumer percent chance of rain, with a low county attorney, committee members to sell twice.” Freiberg reported three of the parcels from Reports for cities. … We promote around 60. unanimously voted to sell three of the prop- She said the county could stop trying to sell the last tax sale in February resulted in a net over 50,000 communities across erties at 50 percent of the original mini- them or lower the minimum bids. total of $1,973, and have been deeded to the Index mum and two of them for the token price of Commissioner Milan Blake noted the total new owners. See LIVABILITY, Page 10 Classified................................16-17 Comics...........................................6 Editorials......................................14 OCC shoeboxes making their Horoscope......................................6 Obituaries.......................................2 Sports......................................11-13 way to kids around the world Stocks............................................4 By JOYANNA LOVE TV Schedule..................................7 Banner Senior Staff Writer Weather..........................................9 “It represents every child, Shoeboxes filled in November are mak- 23,869 children that are going Around Town ing their way across the world to children to receive a gift, many of them who may have never before received a for the first time, and hear the Nathan and Tona Headrick gift.

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