Anderson County Animal Control Officer Damon McKenna, who also is director of the county’s animal shelter, holds shelter cat Tippy at the facility on Blockhouse Valley Road in September 2022. McKenna took over the position in August 2022. - G. Chambers Williams III
A dispute between Anderson County Animal Shelter Director Damon McKenna and some shelter volunteers has resulted in a call by some volunteers for the appointment of an oversight board for the shelter by the County Commission.
The proposal has been put on the agenda for a vote by the commissioners at their meeting that begins at 6:30 p.m. Monday (Feb. 24), and those seeking the appointment of the board are asking for help from the community to persuade the commission to approve the resolution.
County Commissioner Joshua Anderson, who also is a past chairman of the commission, posted this comment on Facebook Monday:
“The current shelter is housed near the Blockhouse Valley recycling collection center. We’ve purchased property from the city of Clinton and secured a USDA loan to build a new animal shelter.
“The current resolution being considered on Feb. 24 is for the creation of an animal shelter oversight board. It failed to pass last year, [but] will be up for vote again in front of [the] full commission.”
Visitors check out the dam, spillway and Norris Lake from the overlook above the dam on Sunday morning (Feb. 16). TVA said the lake was three feet above its normal summer level on Monday after several days of heavy rainfall. - Emma Jayne Williams
With more than 4.5 inches of rain falling in just under four days in the Clinton area, Norris Lake was sitting at three feet above its normal summer level on Monday, but continued to hold water back safely to minimize any flooding downstream, the Tennessee Valley Authority said Monday.
Residents in many areas of Anderson County had to deal with standing water in their yards, but there were no immediate reports of any serious flooding of homes or businesses.
Still to come: Snow is in the forecast for today and Thursday (Feb. 19-20). The National Weather Service on Monday issued a “winter weather advisory” beginning at 2 a.m. today (Wednesday).
As for the heavy rains, on Monday TVA warned in a social media post to “expect very high flows on the Clinch River below the dam, including at Clinton and Oak Ridge,” as the high volume of water created by the past week’s storms moves through the area.
“More than 16 feet of water is being stored in Norris Lake after heavy rainfall over the past week, increasing the water level in the reservoir to 1,023 feet, three feet above the normal summer pool,” TVA posted on its Facebook page Monday afternoon.
“Low-level sluice gates are now open, and both generating units are at full capacity at Norris Dam to recover flood storage,” the post added.
The site for the new Claxton Elementary School is the former site of Crossroads Christ Fellowship Church. Plans call for using th existing building, but expanding it with new construction. - Tony Cox
Anderson County plans to build a new $28.475 million Claxton Elementary School, and now has a solid plan for how to pay for it.
But the county says that it will not involve a tax increase.
The county Board of Education approved the plan unanimously on Thursday (Feb. 13).
Board member Jo Williams made the motion, and Don Bell seconded.
Director of Schools Tim Parrott said the school system will likely approve a contract with Merit Construction by the end of February to build the school.
Merit will have 672 day to finish the project from when it signs the contract, Parrott said.
The new school will be at the former Crossroads Christ Fellowship Church site at 105 Fellowship Lane.
Plans call for making use of an existing building from the church, but adding new construction to it.
The Anderson County Board of Commissioners and its Nominating Committee are looking for someone interested in serving on the county’s Civil Service Board.
Whomever is appointed will serve the remainder of a term that expires on Sept. 30.
In accordance with state law, the county’s Civil Service Board is composed of three members selected by the County Commission.
According to an announcement from the commission, all members of the board shall be over 18 years of age, of good moral character, and citizens of the United States and the state of Tennessee, and they must reside in Anderson County.
Additionally, they must not currently “hold any elected or appointed [government] office within the county.”
Interested residents are advised to send a resume or pick up a request to serve form at the County Commission’s office, 100 N. Main St., Room 118, Clinton, where it is posted outside the office door. The form also may be downloaded from the website andersoncountytn.gov.
Deadline for consideration as a nominee will be noon on Friday, March 7.
The Nominating Committee will meet at 5 p.m. Monday, March 10, in Room 118A to select an applicant for the position.
For more information, contact Annette Prewitt at 865-463-6866.
