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Engineers will determine if the Hawkins County Health Department facility in Church Hill ca handle the weight of a proposed new metal roof.
jbobo
Hawkins County Commission

Engineer will study options for leaky roof at Church Hill health department

Installation of a metal roof has at the Church Hill Health Department been estimated to cost $43,000, but the county will also have to hire an engineer to determine of the structure can handle the weight of the addition of a gabled roof.

Oct 11, 2019 at 5:30 PM
Commissioner Charlie Thacker, who is vice-chairman of the Public Buildigns committee, holds up a photo Wednesday of a the "sign in a bucket" that Hawkins County buildings manager Sarah Davis wanted removed from the Main Street entrance of the Courthouse Annex building in time for Heritage Days this weekend.
jbobo
Hawkins County Courthouse Annex

Commissioners OK removal of 'sign in a bucket' from Hawkins Courthouse Annex

Hawkins County buildings manager Sarah Davis received permission Wednesday to remove the Courthouse Annex sign which has been an eyesore on Main Street in Rogersville for too long.

Oct 10, 2019 at 10:30 PM
On Wednesday the county commission's Public Safety Committee agreed to advertise for bids to repair the reading room's rotting exterior, which as been estimated to cost $38,650.
jbobo
Hawkins County Commission

Rogersville library's rotting reading room to be repaired

On Wednesday Rogersville building inspector Steve Nelson told the county commission's Public Buildings Committee that the estimate cost to repair the library’s reading room is $38,650.

Oct 10, 2019 at 1:19 PM
A man dumps trash at the Carters Valley convenience center near Church Hill in a file photo from this past July.
jbobo
Hawkins County Commission

Fee that could have put Hawkins garbage man out of business overruled

ROGERSVILLE — Hawkins County commissioners said Friday that a man who takes garbage to the landfill for 413 residential customers can continue using the Carters Valley site without paying an extra tipping fee — at least for the time being.

Oct 10, 2019 at 11:16 AM
Hawkins County Commissioner John Metz, upper row second from right, suggested Monday that a motion made by Commissioner Mike Herrell, upper row second from left, to transfer the power of appointing committees from Mayor Jim Lee to newly elected commission chairman Rick Brewer, was motivated by "personal vendetta".
jbobo
Hawkins County Commission

Attempt to remove Hawkins mayor's power to appoint committees fails

Second term Hawkins County Commissioner Rick Brewer was elected commission chairman Monday evening by a single vote, but an attempt to give him the power of appointing committees was defeated.

Sep 26, 2019 at 10:45 AM
Fire photo from a Mount Carmel fire in 2018. On Monday the Hawkins County Commission approved a one time $4,000 stipend for all 12 fire departments in the county. Among the needs most identified by VFDs is the need to replace expired bunker gear, which can cost up to $10,000 per set.
jbobo
Hawkins County Commission

Hawkins commission gives volunteer fire departments $4,000 bonus

Hawkins County volunteer fire departments, which have been reporting a variety of needs they can't afford to pay for, will receive an extra $4,000 this fiscal year from the County Commission.

Sep 25, 2019 at 9:34 AM
Newly elected Hawkins County Commission chairman Rick Brewer, standing, decided to pull his proposed $10 wheel tax reduction Monday after three commissioners, including Dawson Fields, left, suggested that now is not the time to cut county revenue by $500,000.
jbobo
Hawkins County Commission

Hawkins $10 wheel tax cut pulled over unknown future expenditures

By the time a third Hawkins County Commissioner began to voice opposition to a proposed $10 wheel tax reduction Monday, its sponsor, Rick Brewer, decided to pull the resolution.

Sep 24, 2019 at 11:00 AM
Hawkins County Mayor Jim Lee and 911 director Gay Murrell
jbobo
Hawkins County Central Dispatch

Hawkins mayor won't sign 911 contract unless director leaves

“You've got to have a reason to get rid of somebody. You can't just do it because you don't like them, dislike them, or whatever.” — 911 board chairman Mike Herrell

Updated Sep 18, 2019 at 11:19 AM
In this file photo Commissioner Rick Brewer speaks out against the proposed Hawkins County wheel tax increase during a 2017 commission meeting.
jbobo
Hawkins County Commission

Can Hawkins County afford a $10 wheel tax cut?

On Monday, the Hawkins County Commission will consider Rick Brewer's new proposal to reduce the wheel tax by $10 beginning June 1, 2020. That would set the total cost of tagging a vehicle in Hawkins County, including the state fee, at $86 annually.

Sep 17, 2019 at 9:30 PM
When Jim Lee, standing far left, was elected county mayor last year, however, he chose to adopt an alternative role on the commission, foregoing the chairman position and instead accepting the statutory power to veto commission decisions.Hawkins County Commission chairman Mike Herrell, upper row, far right, told the commission during Monday's meeting he will step down as chairman next month and resume his position as a regular commissioner.
jbobo
Hawkins County Commission

Hawkins County Commission will vote in new chairman on Sept. 23

Hawkins County Commission chairman Mike Herrell announced during last week’s meeting he will step down from that position in September and resume his role as a regular commissioner.

Sep 3, 2019 at 7:30 PM
Hawkins County commissioners approved the 2019-20 budget Monday with no tax increase, but a proposal to reduce the wheel tax by $5 was delayed due to its sponsor being ill.
jbobo
Hawkins County Commission

Hawkins Commission approves budget, postpones vote on $5 wheel tax reduction

That proposed $5 wheel tax reduction would lower the overall cost to tag a car in Hawkins County from $96 to $91. It would also reduce annual county revenue by a little more than $250,000, increasing the deficit to nearly $260,000.

Updated Aug 27, 2019 at 9:12 AM
File photo of HCEMS's station on McKinney Avenue in Rogersville. Hawkins County EMS has struggled to keep employees, but a proposal to would eliminate the county ambulance three-franchise renewal process might have the intended effect of helping HCEMS retain staff.
jbobo
Hawkins County EMS

Proposal eliminates Hawkins EMS franchise, creates joint venture with county

Hawkins County EMS has struggled to keep employees, but a proposal to would eliminate the county ambulance three-franchise renewal process might have the intended effect of helping HCEMS retain staff.

Updated Aug 20, 2019 at 9:25 AM
Hawkins County Sessions Judge Todd Ross, shown here in a file photo, hopes to use a restricted fund in the budget which is supported by a $100 fee paid per DUI conviction to establish a halfway house for recovering addicts. That fund may start to deplete, however thanks to a Budget Committee decision Thursday.
jbobo
Hawkins County Commission

Cost of GPS, drug patch program may end hopes for Hawkins halfway house

“There is a sizable reserve, and as long as nobody comes back and says that it is not permissible, that is money we have set aside that we could use.” — finance director Eric Buchanan

Aug 4, 2019 at 12:30 PM
Budget Committee chairman John Metz and Commissioner Valarie Goins react Thursday following a 4-3 vote to reduce Hawkins County's wheel tax by $5. The move, which was opposed by Metz and Goins, throws the county's proposed budget, which was almost balanced, into a $260,000 deficit.
jbobo
Hawkins County Commission

$5 wheel tax cut passes Hawkins committee by one vote

“I will go on record and say I’m not responsible for this because history will show I was Budget chair for a foolish decision.” — John Metz

Aug 2, 2019 at 8:47 AM
Judy Woods-Trent is sworn in as the new District 7 member of the Hawkins County Board of Education by County clerk Nancy Davis during Monday's Hawkins Commission meeting. Trent was elected by the commission 12-9 following a 10-10 tie with fellow retired teacher Alice Brooks.
jbobo
Hawkins County Board of Education

Retired teacher elected by commissioners to complete Hawkins BOE term

Retired teacher Judy Woods-Trent was elected by the Hawkins County Commission Monday evening to complete the term of school board member Holly Helton who resigned last month to accept a teaching position at Cherokee High School.

Jul 24, 2019 at 6:45 PM
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