SPORTS: 2017 Masters opens today, but Dustin Johnson is questionable: Page 13 Messages of leadership: Page 6 Cleveland State Community College Health Fair reaches out: Page 4 162nd YEAR • No. 290 20 PAGES • 50¢ CLEVELAND, TN 37311 THE CITY WITH SPIRIT THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 2017 County departmental budgets asking for less By BRIAN GRAVES truer picture. “This account pays for jury item is being requested by Circuit we were told to ask for the monies [email protected] The Property Assessor’s office is expenses (sequestering if neces- Court Clerk Gayla Miller to be again this year.” asking for an increase of $94,400, or sary) as well as transportation, increased from $35,000 to $45,000. The most significant numbers for Bradley County departments are 12.36 percent. witness expenses and inter- “This account pays for jury expens- increases come from the Parks and asking for a slight decrease percent- The major portion of that request preters for non-English speaking es (sequestering if necessary) as well Recreation Department which is age-wise in total than the requests is the hiring of an assistant to the and hearing impaired [persons] as transportation, witness expenses seeking a 9.34 percent increase, or they submitted during last year’s chief appraiser, which County which will be applied against and interpreters for non-English $89,746. budget process. Assessor Stanley Thompson noted in this account. These are mandat- speaking and hearing impaired [per- “The increase of $14,500 was fig- A review of those departments his request as his department’s ed expenses governed by the sons] which will be applied against ured by adding two additional sea- which come under the General Fund “number one priority.” state.” this account,” Miller wrote in her sonal workers averaging $8.50 at 50 show the total requested as The Board of Equalization is — Gayla Miller request. “These are mandated hours a pay period for ten periods,” $37,368,078 compared to requesting a 55.99 percent increase, expenses governed by the state.” reads Director Andy Lockhart’s $35,802,897 last year. equal to $1,819. The Bradley County Sheriff’s Office request. “This increase can also aid That amounts to a 1.74 percent That board serves under the aus- A 100 percent increase is request- is seeking a 1.85 percent increase in the staffing of the new concession increase for the 2017-18 fiscal year. pices of the county property asses- ed for the line item which is for the totaling $144,562. stand at Elrod Park.” Last year’s requests represented a sor’s office. vocational training building and the However, most of that has been The new park is also listed as a rea- total 1.8 percent increase. The rationale for the increase is SPCA, going from $3,000 to $6,000. requested for the adding back of son for a $5,000 increase in the main- While percentages can be helpful “based upon an expected larger It originally only included mainte- $100,000 in the vehicles’ line item tenence line item for the department. in getting a snapshot of what is amount of appeals from the reap- nence costs for the training building. the BCSO says it decreased last year, requested, the real numbers give a praisal.” The judicial commissioners’ line “due to needs within the county, and See BUDGETS, Page 6 Bradley area CITY EXPECTED TO THRIVE spared from Contributed photo the severest THIS IS A PHOTO published in this week’s Kiplinger Newsletter of SE storms featuring 11 communi- ties across the nation which are expected to Local damage thrive in 2017, including Cleveland. The aerial just tree limbs view is of downtown Cleveland’s courthouse By ALLEN MINCEY square, with the pavil- [email protected] ion at the left, and the Better safe than sorry. famed Craigmiles That was what several in the local region Opera House at right. were saying today as the severe weather that had been predicted to strike Bradley County and Southeast Tennessee on Wednesday and Wednesday night did not occur. That didn’t mean local emergency responders were not prepared. The Cleveland-Bradley Emergency among national leaders among communities expected to thrive in 2017. Operations Center on Guthrie Drive was a By LARRY C. BOWERS busy site Wednesday, as local authorities met [email protected] where people are considering a change of resi- The report emphasizes it’s been a slow climb dence, affordable living, and an opportunistic to ready themselves and the community back from the 2007 Great Recession for the should the weather turn ugly. Members of The city of Cleveland has jumped to the top job market. nation’s major metropolitan areas, but points of another national economic chart, this time The community’s industrial growth with both law enforcement agencies, both fire out job seekers often overlook the small and departments, the Bradley County Emergency with the projection it will be one of the Wacker, Whirlpool, and Amazon (and the soon- medium cities located near or relatively near nation’s most successful (thriving) midsized to-be-open Spring Branch Industrial Park Medical Service, Cleveland the big hubs. Utilities, Lee University, the municipalities during 2017. south of Cleveland) have all contributed to a Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland, once again, The city has already been selected as the No. Kiplinger Newsletter report that lists Cleveland American Red Cross and local 1 community in the nation in jobs growth, and among the top 11 mid-range communities See THRIVE, Page 6 road departments were joined by Gary Austin and Hal Taylor, transportation direc- tors for Bradley County Schools and Cleveland City Schools, respectively. Animal Control board reviewing budget needs The two school system rep- resentatives were interested posed budget, which will keep the $50 adop- by Fivas and John Kimball, city attorney. By LARRY C. BOWERS in information being passed Spence [email protected] tion fee in place — for the time being. The document emphasizes the $50 adoption along by the National McKay also pointed out that the Cleveland fee, a fee required by the city from any adop- Weather Service office in Morristown, which Cleveland’s Animal Control Advisory Board City Council will be discussing the city’s pro- tive owner in order to ensure that the animal is met Wednesday at the municipal building, was cautioning the eastern part of the state. posed 2018 fiscal budget early Monday morn- spayed or neutered, and that it receive vacci- At 10 a.m. Wednesday, they were still calling approved some minor revisions to the city’s ing. nations. adoption agreement for prospective pet owners, for a good chance of high winds, large hail and Attending Wednesday’s meeting were board The agreement states an additional set of heavy rain to hit as late at 10 p.m. in Bradley and considered financial needs of the depart- members Dr. Sally Poston (chair), Dr. James vaccinations may be recommended by the vet- ment. County. Lane, Stephen Kinder, Rachel Veasey, and Tom erinarian, depending on the age of the animal, An early wave of bad weather was predicted Assistant City Manager Shawn McKay and Cassada. Cassada, a Cleveland councilman, to assure adequate protection against disease. Animal Control Director Gene Smith informed for around 2 p.m. to the west of Bradley and Veasey are new selections to the board. It also adds that the adoptive owner agrees County, and to strike this area as early as 4 board members that $39,057 in funds from the “This is the first time in some time that we’ve to pay the city reasonable attorney fees and estate of the late Hugh Gladden have been p.m. This led both school systems to dismiss had all members present,” said Poston. court costs, in the event the city requires the early, as there would be buses on the roads at depleted. Later in the meeting, Poston and Kinder were services of an attorney to enforce conditions of These funds were used to offset the $95 fee 4 p.m. had they kept to their regular sched- re-elected to three-year terms. the contract. ules. charged by community veterinarians in order Beverley Lindsey, assistant to City Manager The city also reserves the right to deny adop- to keep the city’s adoption fee at $50. McKay Both the Bradley County and Cleveland City Joe Fivas, provided the board with a copy of tion of any animal to any person for just cause, school systems released students and faculty did point out that the city is proposing a the Cleveland Animal Shelter’s revised adoption $17,000 line item in the coming year’s pro- agreement. The agreement has been reviewed See ANIMAL, Page 6 See STORMS, Page 6 AROUND TOWN WEATHER INDEX B.J. Walker wondering where he Today looks to be cloudy, with a 50 percent Classified.....................18-19 Opinion...............................16 lost his reading glasses ... Kelly and chance of rain and a high near 55. West winds of Joe Guffey expressing excitement Comics............................ .....8 Stocks...................................4 about their first “grand” bundle of 15 to 20 mph could gust as high as 30. Tonight joy, due in September ... Nancy should be mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. Horoscope............................8 Sports......................... 13-15 6489076 75112 Everett, Gary Gentry and Mary Lou Friday calls for partly sunny and breezy conditions, NASCAR............................17 TV Schedule.........................9 Green stopping in at the newspa- with a high near 59. Winds could gust up to 25 mph. Friday night should be clear and per. cool, with a low around 35.