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Commission accepts multiple grants and a $60,000 settlement; approves animal-shelter agreement and stormwater change order
Summary
Hamblen County commissioners approved several no-match grants (homeland security, recovery-court awards, TDEC hurricane solid waste, and a $1.4M local health services grant), accepted a mediated $60,000 settlement from Holston Connect, renewed the Morristown Hamblen Humane Society shelter agreement, and approved a change order on the Brady Drive stormwater ARPA/TDEC project.
At the finance committee meeting, commissioners approved a slate of grants, an animal-shelter agreement and a litigation settlement.
The commission authorized completion and submission of the FY26 Homeland Security application (District 2) after EMA director Ricky Perky described prior uses of the grant (portable radios, generators, turnout gear and other equipment) and noted the program is 100% federally funded with no local match. The body also approved two state recovery-court grants presented by the mayor — a $103,000 Tennessee Certified Recovery Court award and a $180,000 Tennessee Certified Mental Health Recovery Court award — both described as no-match funds to support counseling and alternatives to incarceration.
Mayor Cutshall also presented a TDEC Hurricane Helene solid-waste mitigation grant of $284,661.75 to purchase a track hoe, two 40-yard roll-off containers and a 40-yard compactor box for recycling; commissioners noted this was found by the county grant administrator and praised the savings. The commission also accepted a Tennessee Department of Health local health services grant of $1.4 million, described as a mix of federal and state funds that will support local health department operations and services at the pending Oak Tree Plaza facility.
County counsel Mr. Capps summarized a mediated settlement with Holston Connect, describing it as a distributed settlement across affected jurisdictions; Hamblen County’s share was $60,000, to arrive within approximately 90 days with no fees deducted. The commission voted to accept the settlement.
The commission renewed an agreement with the Morristown Hamblen Humane Society (effective July 1 for one year, with an option to extend) and clarified the difference between animal control (city/county service that picks up stray animals) and the humane society (shelter housing). The county also approved a change order on the ARPA/TDEC Brady Drive stormwater project to remove a damaged maple tree and repave impacted road sections, with the mayor stating all change-order costs will be paid from the grant award (no county funds).
