SPORTS: LOCAL NEWS: Bears, Blue Raiders atop Bradley Walks TSSAA State wrestling stepping closer scoreboard: Page 13 to event: Page 5 162nd yEAR • No. 249 20 PAGES • 50¢ CLEVELAND, TN 37311 THE CITY WITH SPIRIT FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2017 School board taking fresh A CITY WISH LIST look at system vision, mission Members iron out proposals in event By SARALYN NORKUS Banner Staff Writer CHATTANOOGA — At the Cleveland Board of REPLACEMENT of the Education winter conference, the question that carried Cleveland Fire the group throughout the day was “Who sets the vision and who promotes the school system — whose Department’s current responsibility is it?” training facility, above, is At the end of their planning retreat, the BOE and one of the priorities on the school system administration had a clear answer the “wish list” of Fire to that question, as they worked together to update Chief Ron Harrison. CCS’s vision and mission statement. Harrison is hoping the “The goal was to establish our vision and mission City Council can fund the as a school district. The point of everyone coming construction of a new together was to hear from all different sides, and for tower in the near future, us to come up with a consensus on what we really such as the one in the think we need to be about as we photo at right. move forward from this point to Contributed photos where we will get in the future,” explained Director of Cleveland City Schools Dr. Russell Dyer. “This is one of the most important things we do, because if not done on a frequent basis, you don’t know where you’re going; it’s more shoot- ing in the dark. If you know what your vision and mission truly are, then you can aim towards them and Dyer make sure that everyone is on the Fire Department looking Downtown, Public Works same page.” Dr. Tim Fite of Southern Educational Strategies LLC and Dr. Robert Greene led the group through the deeply into future needs others get Council focus process Thursday, serving as outside voices to help them organize the multiple ideas and thoughts flowing By LARRY C. BOWERS Some of the information con- By LARRY C. BOWERS Myers, and Development and through the room. Banner Staff Writer cerning need was gleaned from Banner Staff Writer Engineering Director Jonathan “Cleveland City Schools should be commended on community meetings in each of Jobe. Both were relatively brief, the fact that they are still wanting to improve,” Green Cleveland Fire Chief Ron the city’s five districts recently, One of the final reports pre- focusing on specific projects said at the beginning of the day. Harrison has some ambitious but some information on needs sented at a strategic planning scheduled for the future, both “You’ve got to know where you are now to decide goals for his department, which he and deficiencies had already been session for city government, and for the short and long term. where you’re going and how to get there — it’s going outlined for the City Council at a reviewed. the City Council, earlier this Prior to these three reports, to take this team to be successful.” strategic planning session this An accompanying report from week was a review of the there were presentations from According to the consultants, the responsibility of week. the strategic planning session is Downtown Cleveland Police Chief Mark Gibson and the BOE is to make sure that every decision is meas- Other department heads also being published in the Cleveland Redevelopment/Revitalization Fire Chief Ron Harrison. Parks ured in child benefits, and that data-driven decisions provided reports to the Council, Daily Banner today, covering Plan by City Manager Joe Fivas. and Recreation Director Patti are accepted, regardless if the data is good or bad. focusing on short- and long-term Public Works, the Cleveland Other reports closing out the Petitt is in the middle of compil- “It’s crucial to understand where you are in student goals for their respective depart- six-hour discussions came from performance,” Greene stressed. “You have to deal with ments. See FUTURE, Page 5 Public Works Supervisor Tommy See DOWNTOWN, Page 5 the facts, both the good and bad ones.” Fite then transitioned the group to a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, or SWOT, analysis. During the SWOT analysis, in-depth discussions Howell, Roberts legislation focused were had about the various topics. The school system’s facilities, faculty leadership, quality of education and competitive salaries were on tackling Tennessee welfare fraud among the most popular strengths. For weaknesses, the room felt that they were over extended and not as By BRIAN GRAVES “Individuals who commit Cleveland Daily Banner in focused as they should be due to a large number of Banner Staff Writer welfare fraud not only steal August that he was planning initiatives, are falling short in literacy support, espe- from taxpayers, they rob a bill that not “will go after cially in the early foundation stage and also felt that State Rep. Dan Howell (R- valuable resources intend- people who are on welfare if many of the schools are overcrowded. Georgetown) said in August ed to reach the most truly they need to be on welfare." CCS’s efforts at expanding the CTE program into he wanted to tackle what he needy Tennesseans.” Roberts pointed out during the middle school level was referenced and the BLADE terms welfare fraud in the — State Rep. Dan Howell a press conference that ana- Project, which is intended for “blended learning and current session of the state lysts with the Foundation for digital enhancement,” was acknowledged as a major Legislature. unanimous vote Wednesday Government Accountability, a opportunity. That process has now afternoon and is now headed Florida-based think tank, When it came to threats, the group was most con- begun. to the full Health Committee estimate that as much as cerned with the unknown factor of the new federal The Program Integrity Act next week. $123 million is lost annually administration and the emphasis on charter and pri- (HB-227) is sponsored by “Sen. Roberts and I have in fraudulent welfare pay- vate schools. They were also worried about the loss of Howell in the Tennessee worked with the Department ments in Tennessee. The FGA teachers due to morale issues stemming from the gov- House of Representatives and of Human Services and has stated that it is funded ernment. in the state Senate (SB-365) Department of TennCare for primarily by individuals, with by state Sen. Kerry Roberts more than two years to craft Having gone over their strengths, weaknesses, Submitted photo the remainder coming from opportunities and threats, the group was ready to STATE SEN. KENNy RobERTS (R- (R-Springfield). a bill that we believe will give private foundations and busi- begin working on a new vision and mission statement. It is designed to find and these departments another nesses. Springfield) and state Rep. Dan Howell (R- eliminate welfare fraud and tool to help reduce welfare Fite reminded them that the enemies of vision Georgetown) are pictured in Nashville as they “This bill creates a system include lack of leadership, unwillingness to make abuse in Tennessee. fraud in our state,” Howell of ‘enhanced verification’ and introduce a bill designed to eliminate welfare The bill passed the House said. See SCHOOL BOARD, Page 5 fraud and waste in Tennessee. Health Subcommittee on a The representative told the See WELFARE, Page 5 AROUND TOWN WEATHER INDEX Patty Scoggins finally getting her Today looks to be sunny, with a high near 66. Church..............................6-7 Obituaries.............................2 brand-new, official Dolly Parton Tonight’s forecast calls for increasing clouds, with a license plate ... Milteen Cartwright low around 45. Saturday calls for cloudy skies and Classified.....................18-19 Stocks...................................4 sporting a new ’do ... Tim Posey a 50 percent chance of rain, with a high near 59. enjoying the fountain of youth ... Erin Comics...............................10 Sports......................... 13-15 6489076 75112 and Cameron Saylors ready for the Saturday night calls for mostly cloudy skies and a Editorials.............................16 TV Schedule.....................8-9 big move into their new home. slight chance of rain, with a low around 45. Horoscope..........................10 Weather...............................11 2—Cleveland Daily Banner—Friday, February 17, 2017 www.clevelandbanner.com OBITUARIES (USPS 117-700) Periodical Postage Paid at Cleveland, TN 37320-3600 Post Office POSTMASTER: Send Address Changes to: Banner, P.O. Box 3600, Cleveland, TN 37320-3600 Online condolences may be Published at 1505 25th Street, NW (P.O. 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