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TOP STORIES FOR
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2001
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Chamber of Commerce President Brad Hurley, Hollow Rock
Mayor Jimmy Lowe, Chamber Chairman of the Board Ruby
Allen, Attache' Steve Johnson, Bruceton Mayor Bob Keeton,
III, Attache' Don Burrell, and County Executive Kenny
McBride.
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The Attache' Group to Locate
Near Bruceton/Hollow Rock |
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By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com |
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Up to 35 new jobs will be coming to Carroll County
by year's end with the possibility of adding up to
50 in the near future. The Attache' Group of
Lilburn, Georgia announced Wednesday, October 19
that it will establish a call center on Roland Mills
Road just outside of Bruceton and Hollow Rock in a
facility originally occupied by the Good Shepherd
Ranch.
The announcement came during a luncheon sponsored by
the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce at the First
Baptist Church-Bruceton. Ruby Allen, Chairman of the
Board of the Chamber said we come together to
celebrate the good news, to make an announcement
about economic development, and to recognize that
"if something good happens in one part of the
county, it is good for all of Carroll County and
reverse is true as well.
"We are not small islands spread out over 599 miles,
but instead we are 30,000 people working together to
make Carroll County a better place to live and
work."
Chamber President Brad Hurley introduced the
principal owners in the new company. Steve Johnson
and Don Burrell started The Attache' Group in 1998.
Locally, the company will serve as a call center for
Dish Network. The center will answer incoming calls
that are generated through other advertising sources
and work with groups such as AAA auto club, and the
Southern Christian Coalition in Georgia.
Hurley said Johnson was previously a managing
partner of the Advanced Technology Division for
Andersen Consulting. He was the co-founder of
StarTouch International, Ltd. and spearheaded the
re-engineering of the IT department of Ryder
Systems, which resulted in a service improvement of
23 percent. Johnson is a graduate of the University
of Alabama.
Burrell is the Executive VP of The Attache' Group.
He is recognized as an industry expert in satellite,
biometrics, and telecommunications. He led sales and
marketing efforts resulting in sales of over
$170,000 million with the states of Indiana,
Illinois, and Mississippi for the design
development, implementation and operation of EBT
(Electronic Benefits Transfer) systems. He helped
coordinate the integration EBT system for Vice
President Al Gore and his national performance
review team of HHS Secretary Shalala, USDA Secretary
Espy, and Federal EBT Task Force and other human
services directors and project directors for 14
states. He has over 25 years experience building and
leading integrated domestic and international sales,
consulting and marketing operations in the
information technology services market. He is a
former captain in the USMC and a graduate of the
University of Tennessee where he received a degree
in economics.
Johnson said he made contact with the Carroll County
Chamber of Commerce through the Atlanta Georgia
Chamber of Commerce.
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Carroll County Emergency Management Agency
Anticipates Threats |
The Carroll County
Emergency Management
Agency, under the
direction of Janice
Newman, has called a
meeting to discuss
terrorism in the county
on October 26. Expected
at the meeting are at
least 30 persons
including the county
executive, town mayors,
hospital personnel,
emergency medical
services, fire chiefs,
county sheriff, public
utilities personnel,
school superintendents,
members of the rescue
squad and the media.
The meeting comes in the
wake of increasing fears
following the September
11 terrorist attack of
the World Trade Center
towers and the Pentagon.
Letters delivering
anthrax spores over a
widening circle of
victims have exacerbated
fears associated with
the war against
terrorism.
Janice Newman explained
the purpose of the
meeting: "There are
eight municipalities in
the county and we feel
like we need to come
together as a county and
discuss the anthrax
threat and the bomb
threat and look at what
each group has in place
as far as procedures and
find out what we need to
be doing as a group. We
are trying to plan and
be as prepared as
possible in the event of
a problem and work
together."
Ironically, the Carroll
County Emergency
Management Agency along
with TEMA (Tennessee
Emergency Management
Agency) and many of the
public entities cited
for inclusion in the
current planning session
met on August 30 this
year for a "table top
terrorism exercise". The
activity alerted
personnel to issues
needing further planning
and coordination in
order to make the best
use of the county's
resources in the event
of a real terrorist
attack. The current
meeting will build upon
that knowledge to create
a cohesive unit of
response in the event of
an emergency.
An item of concern is
that only three
certified hazardous
materials technicians
are available in the
entire county. Hazmet
technicians are trained
in the proper
identification and
handling of hazardous
materials while
maintaining safety
precautions and
minimizing the impact of
threatening situations.
Asked if a threat is
believed to be imminent
within the county, Ms.
Newman responded, "We
are anticipating
possibly something to
happen. We're hoping it
will only be a threat.
We've never had to deal
with terrorism in the
municipalities or
county. We just need to
be alert."
She acknowledged the
fact that "people are
scared". Most important
in the event of an
emergency or terrorist
assault is to remain as
calm as possible and
call 911, counsels Ms.
Newman. More information
about emergency
preparedness for
terrorism can be found
on the TEMA Website at
http://www.tnema.org/EmerPrep/EP-DP.htm.
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Upcoming Festivals and Fall Events |
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By Linda Bolton
linda@mckenziebanner.com |
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Several schools,
churches and
organizations are
planning events to
provide an alternative
to Halloween mischief,
while providing a safe
place for children and
young adults to
celebrate the onset of
the fall season.
MCKENZIE ELEMENTARY
FALL FESTIVAL
McKenzie Elementary
School will hosts its
annual Fall Festival,
sponsored by the P.T.O.
on Saturday, October 27.
The festivities will
begin at 11 a.m. and
conclude at 2 p.m. There
will be games,
activities and contests
with prizes awarded. It
will be a day of fun for
the entire family.
Game tickets will be
available at the door at
a cost of four for
$1.00. Some events will
require one ticket,
while others will
require more.
Activities will include
a cake walk, bake sale,
silent auction, face
painting, baseball
throw, pony rides, fish
pond, soccer kick, bean
bag toss and others.
There will also be a
costume contest during
the event. A country
music band featuring
Jenny Lynn will provide
entertainment.
Plan to enjoy lunch
along with the
activities. Food
concessions, including
hamburgers, hot dogs,
pizza and nachos will be
available in the
cafeteria.
All proceeds will be
used by the MES PTO to
meet the needs of the
MES students.
WEST CARROLL PRIMARY
FALL FESTIVAL
West Carroll Fall
Festival will be held
Saturday, October 27,
5:30 -8:15 p.m. at West
Carroll Primary School
on Highway 105 in
McLemoresville. Events
will include the
crowning of a Fall
Festival King and Queen
at 6:00 p.m., hamburger
supper from 5:30 -6:00
p.m., and games,
contests and prizes from
6:15 - 8:15 p.m..
Money for the King and
Queen contest should be
turned in by Thursday,
October 25. Donations of
two-liter drinks to use
at the hamburger supper
and bingo prizes can be
turned in through
Friday, October 27.
Kindergarten through
second grade students
will be presenting a
patriotic musical
program during the
hamburger supper from
5:45 -6:00 p.m.
Games will be held in
the classroom including
Bingo, Toy Walk, Fish
Pond, Sweet Shop, Cake
Walk, Bowl-A-Rama, Wheel
of Fortune, Bean Bag
Toss, Spook House and
more. Tickets for games
are $.25 each. Most
games will require one
or two tickets.
Admission will be $1.00
for adults and $.50 for
children. Admission will
be 1/2 price with a PTO
membership card.
FIRST BAPTIST HARVEST
FESTIVAL
First Baptist Church in
McKenzie will host a
Harvest Festival on
Wednesday, October 31
from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Offered as a positive,
safe alternative to
Halloween, the festival
will provide fun for all
ages and candy for
children through the
fifth grade.
There will be games and
contests for the
children. There is no
cost to attend. Costumes
may be worn, however, no
undesirable costumes
such as witches,
creatures, etc. please.
For more information,
call the church office
at 352-5391.
CLARKSBURG HAUNTED
TRAIL
Clarksburg Relay For
Life team will sponsor a
Haunted Trail at the
Clarksburg Walking Track
October 26-27, beginning
at 7:00 each evening.
Admission is $3.00 per
person.
Haunts to endure along
the trail include a
morgue, chain gain,
fortune tellers and
several "spooky"
characters.
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Hollow Rock Water Problems May Lead to Refusal of
Housing Grant |
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By Pat Cole
pcole@mckenziebanner.com |
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Mayor Jimmy Lowe told board members that the town
had been approved for a 100 percent half million
-dollar Housing Rehabilitation grant. This grant
(which was previously refused on two occasions)
allows for refurbishment of homes owned by the
elderly and low-income persons who meet certain
criteria. It also provides the service at no cost to
the homeowner as long as they continue to live in
the homes for a five-year period. The board approved
application early this year and Mayor Lowe noted his
surprise that it had been granted so quickly. If
accepted, the grant will benefit approximately 20
families living on High and Holcomb streets and
Lewis Circle.
However, problems with the town's water department
have brought sanctions from the state and the need
to resolve that issue might result in having to
refuse the housing grant. The state has told the
town that they need to install meters at all homes,
have an on site laboratory for testing the town's
water supply and initiate refurbishment of the
town's water tanks. While a grant might also be
possible for these repairs and improvements, the
town cannot apply for such a grant until they have
exhausted the one which has been approved and that
could take at least a year or more. The mayor
suggested that a meeting be set up with a
representative of TLM, Jim Crouch, Brian Caton and
David Sands to discuss water problems, tank
refurbishment, etc. to determine a course of action.
If the town can gain a delay for immediate solution
of the water issue, it can accept the housing grant.
Hollow Rock Mayor Jimmy Lowe and City Attorney Butch
Maddox informed board members that the sale of the
medical building to the town would be complete on
Thursday, October 25 at 10:00 a.m. Mayor Lowe noted
that as soon as the final transaction was completed
the town would quickly take care of refurbishment,
painting and minor carpentry work which would be
needed before moving into the new facility. Those
items listed during the regular board meeting
included: removing one wall, closing the office area
for security reasons, changing a lock on the police
evidence room, a 220 plug in the kitchen and repair
of a couple of walls. City Recorder Vivian Grooms
noted that approximately $11,000 was available in
the community center fund for the renovations, which
will take place. The fund has been in place for a
number of years and since the new facility will
include an area for community functions, the money
can be used for this purpose. Mrs. Grooms told board
members that a $5,000 donation had been made by Mr.
Leon Crews and a plaque would be placed in some part
of the facility to recognize that donation. She also
noted that an additional $2,000-3,000 had been
placed in the fund over the years and with interest,
the amount now available was slightly over $11,000.
Mayor Lowe also told board members that a new stove
and refrigerator would be purchased for the kitchen
area. Mayor Lowe also suggested that the town place
a permanent sign outside the facility enclosed in a
brick base, noting the cost might exceed all other
repairs that will be made.
Woodmen of the World has already donated two flags
and two stands for the new facility and Mayor Lowe
expressed his appreciation to that.
The Yard of the Month was awarded to the Jerry
Massey home at 145 Oak Street. Mr. Massey had been
advised of the award, but noted he would be
attending his grandson's soccer game that evening.
Vice-Mayor Greg Hilliard invited everyone to enjoy
the Shriners Trail Ride the following weekend and
assist them in raising money for the Shriners
Children's hospitals. He noted there would be
catfish and barbecue for sale and an auction with
many unique items.
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Phone (731) 352-3323 or
Fax (731) 352-3322
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
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