Battelle grant to help county schools
A new $15,500 grant will help Anderson County Schools with the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum.
The school system and the Anderson County Commission approved this grant from the company Battelle at their April meetings.
It was one of several grants related to schools the County Commission approved at its Monday, April 22, meeting.
The commission also approved $675 from donations to the schools to help families with food insecurity.
It approved $100,000 from the unassigned fund balance for Norris Elementary School STEM designation, bleacher rentals, school outcome incentives and high school volleyball expenses. The commissioners approved all three of these measures together.
Commissioner Anthony Allen made the motion, and Commissioner Aaron Wells seconded for these three measures, which passed unanimously, although Michael Foster and Robert Smallridge were absent for this and other votes.
The commission also approved a transfer of $10,000 to help the Clinton High School RoboDragons travel to a robotics competition in Houston. They competed against other teams from around the world including Turkey, Israel, Brazil, Mexico, Australia, The Netherlands, and others April 17-20.
“We are incredibly grateful for your support and look forward to representing Clinton, Anderson County and East Tennessee in the competition,” said RoboDragons coach Jimmy Davis in a letter to Foster, included in the consent agenda. Commissioner Robert McKamey made the motion and Allen seconded. It passed unanimously.
It wasn’t just school measures that got grants recently. The commission also approved accepting a grant from the state to give $150,000 to the Emergency Medical Services fund. It took funds from another state grant of $10,0000 to give to the Sheriff’s Office for recruitment and retention. It also designated $3,500 from yet another grant to go to Drug Court for supplies. Commissioner Sabra Beauchamp made the motion, which passed unanimously, and Allen seconded.
It also approved $10,000 from the unassigned fund balance to extend the contract of a part-time contractor at the Drug Court.
EMS
The commissioners approved applying for an Appalachian Regional Commission grant to help with an Emergency Medical Services training facility and to staff it for three years. The facility is planned to be about 6,000 square feet.
County Mayor Terry Frank has said on earlier occasions that she hopes for it to be in Rocky Top.
Rezoning
The commission voted to rezone property at 1442 Lake City Highway from a rural residential to a commercial district.
Veterans
The commission approved spending $2,444 to allow the Veterans Service Office assistant to work 40 hours a week instead of the current 30.
Senior Center
Commissioners approved spending $48,511 of the county’s funds to repair the Senior Center’s roof.
Animals
Commissioners also approved agreements between the Anderson County Animal Shelter and Little Lake Pet Lodge in Oliver Springs and the Anderson County Fairgrounds. Under the agreement, the shelter can use these other locations to house pets during emergencies.
Elks
The commission also approved a resolution honoring the Atomic Elks Lodge 1301 and Robert Bohanon Temple 1381 as well as different people involved in it over the years, such as Eddie Wilkes, E. Yvonne Joyce, Tina Henderson Porter, J.H. Bohanon, Clarence Buckley, David Washington and George Phipps.
