Robertson County Growth Plan: EXPLAINED

Many of you have asked me what the Comprehensive Growth Plan “is” and what it will mean for Robertson County since I had previously discussed it back in October.  It is a project that cannot be easily reduced to a sound bite or a blurb, but my quick two-second response is that it is an “assessment of where we are, and where we would like to be.” Here is a much more thorough explanation of what this project encompasses –

“The Robertson County Comprehensive Growth and Development Plan is an intergovernmental initiative of the County and the Cities of Adams, Cross Plains and Coopertown to create a long-term vision and strategic plan for the County’s residents. Based on a comprehensive and inclusive community outreach process, the 2040 Vision Plan will be created for this county located north of Nashville. Citizens in the County desire to retain the rural, farmland economy that is unique to this region, while managing encroaching growth from the Nashville metropolitan area and capitalizing on opportunities for economic development. This effort includes engaging a broad and diverse population in a variety of formats including one-on-one interviews, community meetings, web-based consensus-building tools and workshops. A final comprehensive plan and strategic plan is the product of this effort.”

As you can see, this project is critical for Robertson County.

Please take a minute to go to the Comprehensive Growth Plan website found here (simply go to the Robertson County Chamber of Commerce website – www.robertsonchamber.org and add “/growth”

In following posts, I will let you know how you can provide input towards this effort. Your input is critical!

Comprehensive Growth Plan: Website

Over the last few weeks, the Robertson County Comprehensive Growth Plan (CGP) has kicked off, and is now in high gear.

One of the partners, the Robertson County Chamber of Commerce has graciously offered to allow the CGP to utilize their website – check it out here: http://robertsonchamber.org/growth

“Bookmark” this website so that you can periodically check for updates and the progress being made with on your CGP.

Election 2012: Voter Leave

Remember over the next couple of weeks, but especially on November 6^th -

Under state law found at T.C.A. § 2-1-106, any person who is entitled to vote in an election held in Tennessee is entitled to take a reasonable amount of time off from work, up to three hours, in order to vote during the time the polls are open in the county where the employee is a resident. The employer may specify the hours during which the employee may be absent, and the employee is required to apply for voting leave to the employer before noon of the day before the election. The state law further provides that the employee cannot be penalized or suffer a reduction in pay due to the absence. There is an exception to this requirement—if the employee’s work period begins three or more hours after the opening of the polls or ends three or more hours before the closing of the polls, then the employer is not required to allow any time off from work.

State law sets the minimum requirements for voting leave, but your county may provide for more time off than is required. Check your local personnel policies. Leave policies for all county offices are filed in the Office of the County Clerk.

The Week of October 22, 2012

MEETINGS SCHEDULED WEEK OF

October 22, 2012 – October 26, 2012

Date & Comm./Board             Time                    Location

Monday- Oct. 22 

EMS                                                               5:00 p.m.                      EMS Building     

Delinquent Tax                                            6:00 p.m.                      Co. Mayor’s Office

Tuesday- Oct. 23

Nominations                                                5:00 p.m.                      Co. Mayor’s

Wednesday – Oct. 24

OPEN

Thursday- Oct. 25

Zoning Board of Appeals                           5:00 p.m.                       RCOB

Highway Commission                                7:00 p.m.                       Hwy.

Friday-Oct. 26

OPEN

MPO: Robertson County is Still Waiting....

You may have seen this story recently – hopefully the MPO (the “Metropolitan Planning Organization”) will make a decision soon as to accepting Robertson County as a member.

I have spoken about the MPO before, but if you need additional information as to just what the MPO is and how this affects Robertson County – more information can be found here.

Welcome! ....to the Tennessee Technology Center.

Bare with me for a moment, the initial segment to this post has to do with Dickson County….

Now, as many of you have asked me before – why are you sharing news from other counties? Well, the simple answer is that I have several Tennessee counties of comparable size, close proximity and others that I keep up with just to learn what is going on in other counties. I like to think that it assists me with what we can do here in Robertson County so as to be the best for our citizens.

Sometimes, as it is with this story out of Dickson County, it coincidentally ratifies just what we are doing here in Robertson County.

The Week of June 4, 2012

MEETINGS SCHEDULED WEEK OF:
June 4, 2012-June 8, 2012

Date & Committee/Board   Time                      Location

Monday – June 4

Finance Committee               4:00 pm            Finance Office

Building and Grounds            5:00 pm            County Office Building

Tuesday – June 5

OPEN

Wednesday – June 6

OPEN

Thursday – June 7

Budget Committee                         5:00 pm                Finance Office

Planning Commission                     7:00 pm                County Office Building  

Friday – June 8

OPEN

Robertson County Director of Schools Search: The Search Continues

From Robertson County Schools –

The Robertson County Board of Education is now accepting application for the position of Director of Schools.

Interested individuals should contact Mr. Wayne Qualls by email at; wayneq@mlec.net

I hope to have more information on the search – mainly, a timeline for your calendars in the very near future.

Looking Forward to Taste of Country USA!

Simply put, I had a blast last year at this event.

The second-annual Taste of County USA is set for June 9 in Robertson County, bringing in thousands of people to Springfield’s downtown square ready to sample a taste of pre-summer fun.

The event, sponsored by the Robertson County Chamber of Commerce, offers free admission to the event spread across several city blocks. More than 50 arts and crafts and business vendors have already signed up to participate this year.

Coming Together for Our Northern Residents

I was pleased to see this funding measure pass at the May Regular Meeting of the Robertson County Commission.

Last week the Robertson County commission approved the funding for treatment of the Red River to kill the larvae of the black fly, the bloodsucking pest that has plagued residents in the northern part of the county this year.

The resolution was brought before the commission after many calls of complaint came to Mayor Howard Bradley from residents living along the Red River. People on both sides of the state line reported swarms of the flies, saying that they couldn’t go outside their homes without being bitten. Mark Hopkins of Enscience, Inc., an expert on the fly who has been working with local government to get rid of them, said that people have told him of infections caused by the bites, as well as others who have been bitten inside their ears or on their eyes by the tiny insects.

It was certainly pleasing to see commissioners from all corners of Robertson County come together to bring much needed aid to residents in the northern portion of Robertson County residing along and near the Red River.  

Mayor Bradley should be commended for his effort to coordinate between Kentucky, Tennessee, Logan County and Robertson County – not an altogether easy task.