W E D N E S D AY
jANuARY 27, 2016
161st YEAR • NO. 232
CLEVELAND, TN 26 PAGES • 50¢
Comp plan, MPO projects top priorities: Casteel By JOYANNA LOVE Banner Senior Staff Writer
Updating the city compensation plan and budgeting the Cleveland Urban Area Municipal Planning Organization project local requirements need to be a funding focus for the Cleveland City Council in the coming years, according to City Manager Janice Casteel. Casteel listed them as areas of focus during the city’s Strategic Planning Session.
However, she said the most important thing is for the City Council to have a plan that it reviews every year, so department heads know where they are headed. Since Monday’s Council session focused on capital projects, a plan for funding the classification compensation study was not outlined. This will be a part of the budget process. Casteel said the challenge for the budget this year would be to fund the comp study and the needed capital proj-
ects. “You have asked that we don’t raise taxes,” Casteel told City Council members. “And, we have tried to give you a plan that does not require a tax increase.” Prior to the budget retreat in March or April, Casteel will ask Council members which plan they would like. Steve Thompson of Burris, Thompson & Associates has recommended that the city consider a pay range system or modify the plan to where step pay
increases are 2.5 percent. The current plan has step pay increases at 3.5 percent. Casteel said the economic situation and the loss of the fire contract with the county have made it impossible to fund the step some years. Even if the current plan is kept, Thompson has suggested eliminating the first step and bringing those 37 people up to step two. He also recommends “some additional 3.5 percent increases to address compression among mostly
two- to six-year employees.” “The main issue when it comes to maintaining a comp plan is funding — doing a step,” Thompson said. Because funding has not always allowed for the step increases, Thompson has recommended the pay range approach. Councilman David May said the compensation plan needs to keep up with the market rate. See MPO, Page 5
Inside Today
Arena’s grand opening set for April 5 School board hears updates By LARRY C. BOWERS Banner Staff Writer
Bradley still on top The Bradley Central Bears and Bearettes remained undefeated in district basketball with a pair of wins at East Hamilton. The Walker Valley Lady Mustangs easily handled the Ooltewah girls. In district wrestling, the Cleveland Blue Raiders fought to a win over Walker Valley, while the Bears beat up on Soddy-Daisy. See Sports, Pages 19-21.
Award is perfect fit for Cheryl Dunson
Photo courtesy of Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce
DEVELOPMENT OFF APD 40 will be used for the new Spring Branch Industrial Park once completion of an interchange is done. The development will be near Interstate 75 Exit 20.
Future bright at Exit 20 Mayor compares impact to Wacker project By ALLEN MINCEY Banner Staff Writer
When the 2016 recipient of the Robert W. Varnell Jr. Leadership Award was announced at the 90th annual meeting of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce, it was a perfect fit. That’s because it was presented to a Cleveland resident who epitomizes service above self. She is Cheryl Dunson, executive vice president of marketing for Santek Waste Services Inc. Read about her in the editorial on Page 18 of today’s edition.
Forecast
Today looks to be partly sunny, with a high around 45 degrees. Tonight’s forecast calls for partly cloudy skies, with a low around 28. Thursday should be sunny, with a high near 54. Thursday night calls for mostly clear skies, and a low around 31.
Banner photo, ALLEN MINCEY
MAINSTREET CLEVELAND members heard Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis’ State of the County address Monday at their monthly meeting. Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland will give his State of the City address on Feb. 22.
Development in Bradley County led to the use of Timbuk 3’s “The Future’s So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades” with a PowerPoint that Mayor D. Gary Davis presented to MainStreet Cleveland on Monday at his “State of the County” address that tours the civic club route about this time each year. However, the mayor instead decided on a different tune, Bachman-Turner Overdrive’s “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet.” The county leader also targeted many of his comments not just to the completion of the revamped Exit 20 interchange, but the ongoing work just up the road on APD 40. “We could talk about things going on in our county for a long, long time — the Greenway, our audit, our long-term debt, our bond rating, and we received the annual budget award, which I believe is 10 years in a row and something that I am very proud of,” Davis said. “We have another ambulance station so we have grown that to six and I am very proud of that.” He spoke of the progress on the veterans home, expansion at the Bradley County Judicial Complex and renovation at Lake Forest Middle School. He also used the MainStreet Cleveland presentation to speak quite proudly on the Exit 20 completion and the development in that area off Interstate 75. “Exit 20 improvements was something
Around Town Glenda Scoggins enjoying retirement and working part time ... Linda Gambill expressing how happy she is that she has only two more treatments ... Emma Moore, Abigail Brannen, Sheeko Ndegwa, Kendra Edwards and Nazareth Curtis painting pottery masterpieces ... Angie Ledford talking about her Pomeranian.
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that was very much needed in our community and, after four years of construction and 400 or so construction workers in our community, will be missed,” the county mayor said. “Now, we are working on the interchange there that will open up the area, and this is huge. “There will be hundreds and hundreds of acres of property that will be open for the first time,” Davis said. “We have already purchased 350 acres of land there for the (Spring Branch) industrial park, and this will also allow for areas of commercial development. “Once this interchange is completed and the park is developed, I am confident that we will begin filling it up,” he added. “I feel that Exit 20 is something that we will look back on in 10 years and say it was the biggest thing that has happened, other than the Wacker project. “Other than the Wacker project, the commercial development and industrial See EXIT 20, Page 8
See ARENA, Page 5
BHRC board hears report on imaging By LARRY C. BOWERS Banner Staff Writer
The Bradley Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center has taken some giant leaps in availability of technology for the betterment of residents. It was discussed Tuesday night at the facility’s board meeting that the county’s care-treatment center has contracted with a new company, which is providing on-campus digital imaging transmissions for See BHRC, Page 8
Index Classified................................23-25 Comics.........................................16 Editorials......................................18 Horoscope....................................16 Lifestyles.................................13-15 Obituaries.......................................2 Stocks............................................4 Sports......................................19-21 TV Schedule................................17 Weather........................................11
“I feel that Exit 20 is something that we will look back on in 10 years and say it was the biggest thing that has happened, other than the Wacker project.” — Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis
The Cleveland Schools Site Committee, headed by Dr. Murl Dirksen, visited Stuart Elementary School Tuesday for its January meeting. Dirksen and committee members Dawn Robinson and Peggy Pesterfield were joined by Board of Education members Charlie Cogdill, Tom Cloud and George Dirksen Meacham, though Steve Morgan was unable to attend. Director of Schools Dr. Martin Ringstaff and several administrators were also present. There were only three items on the day’s agenda, but each was extensively discussed. Schools Maintenance Supervisor Hal Taylor provided school officials with an update on
Event commemorates the legacy of Ashlyn By CHRISTY ARMSTRONG Banner Staff Writer
The Ashlyn Taylor Lamberth Memorial Scholarship Fund hosted its first official fundraising event on Tuesday night. Friends, family and strangers alike gathered to celebrate her legacy by providing opportunities to students like her. “Thank you for investing in our future,” said her father, Anthony Lamberth, to supporters. Ashlyn Taylor Lamberth was a 17-year-old recent graduate of Bradley Central High School who was killed in a car accident on May 20, 2015. She was working at a local
“We wanted to give someone the chance to have the opportunities she was unable to have.” — Anthony Lamberth early childhood education center called Ms. Carol’s Playschool and had plans to attend Lee University in the fall on an academic scholarship. During her time at Bradley Central, she was known for her love of music and was a member of the VocalMotion show See ASHLYN, Page 8
Banner photo, CHRISTY ARMSTRONG
ANTHONY LAMBERTH is joined by his wife, Princess, at right as he speaks about their late daughter during a fundraiser for the Ashlyn Taylor Lamberth Memorial Scholarship Fund. At left, Emily Rievley speaks about the scholarship’s namesake while accompanied by her brother, Joshua Rievley, who was dating Ashlyn Lamberth when she passed away.