During this past Monday night’s County Commission Meeting, I withdrew my name from consideration of the September 2017 County Commission Chair Annual Appointment so that I could focus more time and energy on Economic and Community Development initiatives. This is necessary to stimulate and promote growth, attract new businesses, new residents and increase the County’s tax base.
Since February 2017, my office has won many competitive grants to help Carter County with its Economic and Community Development efforts. The new corporate attraction and marketing support video will be released in October 2017 at the Governor’s Conference. I will be taking all necessary steps to ensure the video gets out to the nation and the world. This is an absolute must for Carter County to achieve any real growth. Consequently, I will be contacting and meeting with many businesses over the coming months. I am currently meeting regularly with corporate executives and hotel developers working to bring a new hotel to Carter County. Having a seat on the board of the Northeast Tennessee Regional Economic Development Partnership I, the Board and CEO Mitch Miller are working on several projects that will ultimately help the region (Carter, Unicoi and Washington counties) grow.
The 2014-2018 County Commission has done an outstanding job supporting the growth and development pursuits of my office. The commission’s continued support is a must as my office will be making applications for many competitive grants over the coming weeks and months. Some of which will require matching funds. Rest assured that I will always be readily available to assist the Commission as needed. For it takes all of us working together as one to yield any level of success for our community.
I have never and will never waiver on the commitment I made to the citizens that entrusted me to represent them. As Chair of the Commission (neutral zone), I am very limited as to what I can say from the bench during the Monthly Commission Meetings and not allowed to speak freely on behalf of the Citizens and your wishes. However, sitting in the gallery with you the Citizens of Carter County, giving up the Chair, I am able to represent all 56,000+ Citizens and speak on your behalf, pleading your case and asking for your wishes to be honored. I am also able to veto the budget if it does not meet with your approval. This is permitted to all County Mayors by state statute (if they don’t Chair the Commission). Therefore, serving you and not as Chair of the Commission is in the Citizens’ best interest.
During the months of November and December, I will be holding a series of Mayoral Town Hall Meetings throughout the County to share the video with the residents, my ECD Marketing Plan, and asking for your input and suggestions and answering any questions you may have.
I am extremely excited as to the rate of progress that has been made this past year and will be doing everything within the scope of my office to continue these positive trends. For the latest updates and breaking news announcements from my office, please see the County Home Page Latest News section on the Internet at www.cartercountytn.gov . Great things are happening in Carter County.
Please feel free to contact me at mayor@cartercountytn.gov or by phone at 423-542-1801 if you have any questions or if I can be of assistance to you. My office is located at 801 East Elk Avenue, Suite 201 located in the County Courthouse in Elizabethton. I have an open-door policy and everyone is always welcome.