W E D N E S D A Y 162nd YEAR • No. 58 JULY 6, 2016 CLEVELAND, TN 28 PAGES • 50¢ County OKs next step in industrial park project By JOYANNA LOVE Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce. the hotel motel tax increase. The along with the city, for all the infrastruc- Banner Senior Staff Writer Commerce, said the certificate was Commissioner Bobby Goins said he Cleveland City Council also approved ture is not just for the industrial park required before local governments could recently took a tour of the property with borrowing $3 million for the infrastruc- per se, but there is going to be a lot of Progress is being made on the Spring borrow money for construction. Berry and enjoyed the experience. ture needs in this year’s budget. benefit in that whole area,” Branch Industrial Park. “In order for us to go forward with the “As it is currently proposed, we are Berry said an application has already Commissioner Milan Blake said. “It is During a voting session Tuesday, the infrastructure phase, we need to update asking the city and the county to each been made to the Tennessee Valley that whole area around Exit 20 that will Bradley County Commission approved a all of our baseline studies because they provide $3 million in funding assistance Authority for grading work at the site. benefit from this investment that we resolution which authorizes the mayor are 4 years old. So, we have gone … to develop the property,” Berry said. This is a $500,000 request. make.” to apply for a Certificate of Public through that process. We also have an “The $6 million request does not cover “The earliest I think we could secure Berry said there are about 400 acres Purpose and Necessity from the state updated financial condition,” Berry said. completely all of the expenses we antici- all the funding would be September or of potential commercial and mixed use Building Finance Committee. He said the committee reviewing the pate. We are actually holding off on a October,” Berry said. property which will benefit from the The Cleveland City Council passed a document would be made up of state portion … to try to secure grant assis- The hope is to bid the project this fall infrastructure being put in place. Retails similar resolution during its June 27 leaders, developers, bankers and addi- tance.” and have construction begin early next shops, restaurants, office space, apart- meeting. tional residents of the state. The Bradley County Commission year, with the park being completed in ments and hotels have been listed as The certificate is required for the proj- The actual application is 584 pages, included funding for infrastructure at July. Berry said talks with potential potential projects. ect to move forward. according to Berry. the park in its 2016-2017 budget industries will be conducted during this It has been estimated that 3,000 jobs Doug Berry, vice president of He said commissioners are welcome approved Tuesday. The funding will be time. Economic Development for the to view the document at the Chamber of borrowed and paid for with funds from “The money that we are providing, See PARK, Page 6 Inside Today County will County ask TDOT adopts again for speed limit budget; increases no tax SRs 306, 308 hike on are involved By JORDAN HENSLEY property Vols land five Banner Intern Many times a decrease in a on watch lists speed limit on a state road will Increase in fire Five Tennessee Volunteers be requested by the Bradley have been named to the watch County Commission. tax is included lists for the 2016 Maxwell and However, a request to increase the speed limit on Highways 306 Contributed photo Banner photo, CHRISTY ARMSTRONG By JOYANNA LOVE Bednarik Awards. The university “THE BOOK BARN” is what students call the “THE TIGER’S LAIR,” the Little Free Library announced Tuesday it has settled and 308 seems to have stalled. Banner Senior Staff Writer At the Bradley County Little Free Library at Charleston Elementary at Hopewell Elementary School, playfully offers a Title IX lawsuit for $2.48 million. books to students and families at the school and The Bradley County The Atlanta Braves lost again to Commission meeting Tuesday, School. It was built and painted to reflect the First District Commissioner Charleston area’s agricultural heritage. in the community. Commission passed the 2016-17 the Philadelphia Phillies. Not fiscal year budget Tuesday, keep- everyone is happy about the Terry Caywood updated the Commission on the lack of ing the property tax rate at $1.87 changes brought about by the Rio per $100 of taxable property. de Janeiro Olympics. See Sports, progress made on increasing the speed limit. They’re little, they’re free This has been the property tax Pages 13-15. “We still haven’t heard from rate in Bradley County since [the Tennessee Department of 1999. However, the fire tax did Billboard urges Transportation],” he said. increase to 4.21 cents per $100 of On May 11, 2015, the Bradley Tiny libraries still popping up taxable property for Fire District 2 love, not hate County Road Committee voted to and 4.41 cents per $100 of recommend accepting the traffic assessed value for District 1. With the subject of billboards Commissioner being in the news lately, here’s study presented for local children and families by Buck Dan Rawls was another one, but with a unique By CHRISTY ARMSTRONG potential for getting more books the lone dissent- twist. Featured on one of those Campbell, and to request TDOT Banner Staff Writer into more homes. ing vote on the electronic pedestals at Exit 27 on HIDDEN “I love the concept,” said budget. Interstate 75, the message is to increase the Little Free Libraries are con- speed limit on Sheena Newman, Bradley Commissioner clear, clean and to the point: tinuing to pop up to help put LEVELAND County Schools’ supervisor of Mike Hughes “Hate cannot drive out hate, only the two state books into the hands of local C highways from elementary education. “It’s was absent for love can do that.” Read about it children and families. another vehicle that can be the vote. on Page 16 of today’s edition. 45 mph to 50. A Little Free Library is an Though this idea is fairly new The Road used to help children.” Rawls thanked outdoor cabinet full of books to the Cleveland area, it is con- The county school system Committee has tinuing to spread as school and all of those who Caywood which allows people to take, had worked on Davis Forecast to wait on leave or trade books for free. community leaders see their approval from See LITTLE, Page 6 the budget, but TDOT before any expressed doubt changes can be about it. made since they “I have a prob- are state road- lem with one ways. department in A little over a here that adds year later, some employees. Caywood asked I don’t feel that Today’s forecast calls for mostly the Commission we got the cloudy skies and a 40 percent straight scoop Alford to send a formal chance of showers or thunder- request to TDOT on that. I am still Blake storms, with a high near 89. Tonight about the increase in the speed waiting for the should see clouds and a 40 percent limit. documents that I was promised chance of precipitation, with a low The Commission approved the that I never received to quantify around 73. Thursday calls for partly resolution and Chairman Louie the need for those employees … cloudy skies and a 40 percent Alford sent the formal request to because of that, I cannot support TDOT in May. this budget,” Rawls said. chance of rain, with a high near 93. Rawls was referring to person- Afternoon heat index values could Before voting on the latest res- olution, 3rd District nel added in the Bradley County be as high as 101 degrees. Commissioner Milan Blake Justice Center budget. The asked Caywood to refresh his department presented a request Index memory on the history of the Banner photo, CHRISTY ARMSTRONG Banner photo, CHRISTY ARMSTRONG for funding for three positions. In highways. “THE CANOE” at Waterville Community HOME OF THE FALCONS, Oak Grove a Finance Committee meeting, Classified................................17-19 “It used to be 55 and they Elementary School serves as the school’s Little Elementary School is also home to a Little Free Rawls asked for a review of Prison Comics.........................................26 slowed it to 45,” Caywood said. Free Library. Students and community members Library which provides the community with Rape Elimination Act require- Editorials......................................16 alike are free to take, leave and trade books there. access to books all throughout the year. Horoscope....................................26 See SPEED, Page 6 See BUDGET, Page 6 Lifestyles.................................21-23 Obituaries.......................................2 Stocks............................................4 Sports......................................13-15 Dr. Russell Dyer reception slated Thursday TV Schedule................................27 By LARRY C. BOWERS Cleveland’s new director of schools, and he and the candidates trimmed to two, five of Weather........................................11 Banner Staff Writer officially took over July 1. seven school board members visited the Knox Dyer is replacing Dr. Martin Ringstaff, who and Shelby County communities of the two The Cleveland City Schools system has a was fired from the position in February for finalists. Around Town new director, and the community has the conduct unbecoming a schools official. Dyer received a unanimous vote from six opportunity to welcome him to Cleveland this Dyer, who has spent his 20-year career in school board members attending a called Vicki Kellar chasing down a week.