SECTION A
Business & Government
Benchmarks Edition March 13, 2021
Page 2A
The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition
GreenevilleSun.com
Saturday, March 13, 2021
SUN PHOTO BY CICELY BABB
Customers at Flowers by Tammy can use the new “buzz-thru” line for contactless pick up, which was added during the summer.
Businesses Innovated During Pandemic BY CICELY BABB STAFF WRITER Difficulties often lead to innovation, and many local businesses did just that when the COVID-19 pandemic hit locally. While many businesses were forced to close temporarily, some businesses found an opportunity for physical renovations, while others found that operating online worked well for them. Tipton’s Cafe is one local business whose owners decided to add on to the restaurant after being forced to close the dining room. “We started adding on while we were shut down,” said Lindsey Duke, a member of the family behind Tipton’s. “We thought that since the building was so small, people wouldn’t be able to come in and stay six feet apart, so we added on and made it a bigger space to spread the tables out.” Duke said the family already owned the space next door that used to house an antique shop. “We just cut two holes in the wall,” Duke said. The renovation work started when the restaurant closed in March, and Tipton’s reopened in August. Now, the restaurant has more than double its pre-pandemic capacity, but manager Mary Hensley said the restaurant is still not using all of the space. “We’re not doing full capacity right now,” Hensley said. “We spaced out the tables and marked off the first four stools by the register, and when people come up to pay, we try to keep it one at a time. We try to make sure everybody is safe. So far I think we’ve done pretty good.” Despite reduced capacity in the restaurant, business has “picked up tremendously” since reopening, Hensley said, and the restaurant is working on adding weekly specials, like soup beans and corn bread on Mondays. Tipton’s is located at 127 W. Depot St. On Tusculum Boulevard, work was underway last year at Flowers by Tammy to construct a new “buzz-thru” area at the back of the shop, where customers are now able to order and pick up flowers and arrangements without leaving their vehicle. “It was Tammy’s brainchild,” said Summer Smith, who works with business owner Tammy Burgner in the flower shop. Star Mays, wedding coordinator for Flowers by Tammy, said the initial idea involved a mobile camper that could be rented out for events or used on site at the shop to streamline business operations during particularly high-demand times like prom season. Smith and Mays said Burgner had considered adding such a feature to the shop before the pandemic, but it wasn’t until the pandemic hit that it became a reality. “She had kind of thought about it and considered putting one in, but she wasn’t really sure it would
SUN FILE PHOTO
Dusty Psalms Boutique owner Mattie Choate is shown in the physical location for her store, 621 Asheville Highway, before she moved her business entirely online.
be that useful,” Smith said. “Then when the pandemic happened, it was the perfect opportunity to invest and do that.” Instead of the mobile camper, though, the “buzz-thru” is a permanent addition decorated with vinyl decals featuring bumblebee characters and flower trucks, already symbols used by Flowers by Tammy. “There’s a cord on the ground kind of like an old-timey gas station,” explained Mays. “When cars drive over the cord, it alerts us in the shop and someone will come out.” The alert sounds like birds chirping, and through the shop’s security system, those working inside are able to see if someone has pulled up and stopped to wait. Smith and Mays said it has been popular and widely used since it opened last summer. “A lot of people love it because there’s no contact, so its very good for customers who are more compromised,” Smith said. “It’s been good for people with mobility issues, too,” said Mays. “I’ve helped people who saw something they wanted online or have asked for help with shopping. If they want we’ll take pictures on our phones to show them or we can bring stuff out.” It has also served its initially intended purpose to streamline business when things are busy, and Smith and Mays said they have noticed the option is particularly popular with men. “Sometimes around holidays things can get a little crazy in the shop, but this way they can just pull up, and we’ll come out and put
their flowers in the car,” Smith said. “This year was our first Valentine’s Day with it, and it was really nice.” “It was really big for Valentine’s Day,” Mays agreed. “A big majority of people came through the drive-thru to get Valentine’s Day flowers.” Smith said the decals were designed by Signs Advantage. “It is really cute, and it has very helpful and very handy,” said Smith. Flowers by Tammy is located at 515 Tusculum Blvd. For some business owners, renovations were not needed, but shifting operations online turned out to work so well that they have made the decision to move permanently in that direction. Dusty Psalms Boutique opened in February 2020 in the shopping center on Asheville Highway, and almost exactly a year later, the boutique has moved completely online. “Most of my sales were already online anyway,” owner Mattie Choate said. Choate had been using social media all along to post photos of new clothes and items available in the store, and she continued operating the boutique in this format. Customers could shop via the boutique’s Facebook page and arrange pick-up times. “We were forced to close, and we closed on our own decision when cases were getting bad, but I think in general, that’s where everything is moving,” Choate said. “Even though I love to go out and go shopping, and as much as I love brick-and-mortar stores, I think it’s all moving online.”
SUN PHOTO BY CICELY BABB
Mary Hensley, manager at Tipton’s Cafe, talks to Jerry Gillen, who is seated in front of the doorway to the additional dining room area created in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Choate, who also has a separate full-time job, said running her business this way turned out well. “It did make my schedule easier, and now I can do it on my own time and not have to put profit back out into bills,” Choate said. Choate said she primarily uses Facebook and Instagram to run Dusty Psalms. “Businesses have been more creative and resilient than anyone could have thought,” said Joni Parker, general manager of the
Greene County Partnership. Parker said she has seen innovation across the board from business owners who made changes, such as offering curbside services, to continue operating during the pandemic. Whether it was renovations, a complete change in business operations or another means of innovation to adapt to the circumstances presented by the pandemic, she said, “creativity has come to the forefront.”
Benchmarks Advertiser Index A
Benchmarks A Advertisers Index
Businesses Innovated During Pandemic .............................................................................2 New Businesses Opened In Greeneville Commons .............................................................3 Professionalism Across Community Earns Honors.............................................................6 Local Housing Sales Boom During Pandemic .....................................................................9 Ballad Names New CEO For Greeneville Community Hospital ........................................10 Baileyton Has New Leadership For First Time In Decades ..............................................10 Mosheim Saw Changes In Leadership Over Past Year ...................................................... 11
Bachman Bernard Chevrolet • Buick • GMC • Cadillac .................................................... 12 Chasan, LLC .........................................................................................................................7 Consumer Credit Union ......................................................................................................7 Greene County Partnership .................................................................................................6 Industry Guide .................................................................................................................4, 5 Staffing Guide ......................................................................................................................3 Summers & Taylor, Inc. ...................................................................................................... 8 Towne Square Package Store ..............................................................................................6
GreenevilleSun.com
Saturday, March 13, 2021
The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition
Page 3A
New Businesses Opened In Greeneville Commons BY CICELY BABB STAFF WRITER Recent years have brought growth and revitalization for the Greeneville Commons, and despite obstacles presented to businesses by the pandemic, that growth continued over the past year. Even as the spread of COVID-19 forced existing stores to temporarily close their doors and then develop plans to reopen while keeping customers and employees safe, new businesses juggled opening and adapting at the same time. Nova’s Sushi Bar & Grille was the first new business to open in the commons last year. The locally owned sushi and Asian-fusion restaurant appeared quietly and without fanfare with a soft opening in January of 2020, and over the course of the year, the three siblings behind the restaurant added menu items in stages so as to avoid overwhelming the staff. “When you overwhelm the staff, they can’t learn or focus on quality,” said Nene Thirakul, one of the siblings behind Nova’s, adding that his priority for Nova’s is quality over quantity. Thirakul said recently the restaurant has upgraded and changed its menu about 10 times since opening, and it is still not final. “We’re going to keep upgrading, adding and changing things,” Thirakul said. The plan from early on to open a bar in the restaurant to serve beer, wine and sake became a reality in February. “We’ve done a lot of different things and made a lot of real progress with everybody’s support,” Thirakul said. “It’s been a blessing.” Thirakul said that community support made the difference for Nova’s when the restaurant closed its dining room and began offering take-out and limited delivery services only due to COVID-19. “Of course the pandemic affected everybody, including us, but we’re blessed to still be open and have so much support,” Thirakul said. “We’re just going to keep going day by day.” The next new business to open in the Commons was Workout Anytime, which opened May 11 after the pandemic and related restrictions on gyms and such facilities delayed the gym’s opening planned for earlier in the year. “We were going to open in April, but we had to wait an extra month because of coronavirus, because everything was shut
SUN FILE PHOTO
Adam Bible adds the chopped tempura shrimp and spicy mayo combination to the top of a Temptation Roll, one of the many unique sushi rolls that have been offered at Nova’s Sushi Bar & Grille.
SUN FILE PHOTO
Greeneville’s new Xfinity retail store, located in the Greeneville Commons SEE COMMONS ON PAGE 7 between Workout Anytime and Farm Bureau, opened in February.
SUN FILE PHOTO
Construction crews can be seen working inside the Workout Anytime, ahead of when the gym was initially slated to open in April, 2020.
Staffing Guide Contact these businesses for all your employment needs.
Part Time/Full Time | Permanent Hire Opportunities 2702 South Roan Street | Johnson City, TN 37601 423.928.3005
IMMEDIATE OPENINGS John Deere APPLY L ONLINE TODAY!
Lori Waddle
SPHERION.COM/APPLY L (423) 283-0607
LOOKING FOR WORK?
JOIN OUR TEAM
Director Of Operations Phone: 423.525.4130 • Cell: 423.620.3783 Fax: 866.824.8973 • Email: lwaddle@411industries.com
NOW HIRING! 2055 E. Andrew Johnson Hwy, Ste 2A, Greeneville, TN 37745
Call/Text 423.639.0900
ElwoodJobs.com
NOW HIRING
FOR SRK
A SERVICES GROUP, LLC STAFFING • SECURITY JANITORIAL
613 Asheville Highway
(423) 638-1016
Page 4A
The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition
GreenevilleSun.com
Saturday, March 13, 2021
Industry Guide Complete Warehousing, Storage, Transport, Distribution & Inventory Services
Shrink-Wrapping - Bundling - Assembly Pick & Pack - Shipping - Receiving - Kitting Returns - Exchanges - Labeling Custom Pallet & Counter Displays Secure Inside Storage
Quality American Manufacturing In God We Trust Greeneville, Tennessee www.amsee.us www.amsee.org
Join The Leading of Commercial
5080 W. Andrew Johnson Hwy. Greeneville, TN 37743 www.jostinternational.com
Manufacturer Vehicle Systems!
GreenevilleSun.com
Saturday, March 13, 2021
The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition
Industry Guide
Page 5A
Greeneville Iron & Metals 639-1562 65 years years in in the the recycling recycling field field 75
315 Old Stage Road
Greeneville, TN
www.ameriscrap.com
A legacy of service to:
Country Customer Community www.tevet.com | sales@tevet.com | 866.886.8527
Trucking ICC Broker Warehousing & Distribution
EVERHART TRANS R PORTAT T TION INC. 1622 Industrial Rd. Greeneville, TN 37745 cline@etitrucking.com g 423-638-1357 Office
Watts: 800-701-7159 Local: 423-783-9900 Fax: 423-639-1328 423-638-1397 Fax
DAVIS HOSE & SUPPLY, Inc. RK HUGHES MARK HUGHES
Branch Manager
1534 Industrial Road Greeneville, TN 37745
Crenlo Engineered Cabs is always encouraging talented, motivated and energetic individuals to join our team. We have a proud history and a bright future in a great market with incredibly talented employees and amazing customers. We never forget this is a people business built on relationships that withstand the test of time. Our Golden Rule philosophy extends to the off-highway vehicle operators who use our products to stay safe, comfortable, and productive in the agriculture, construction, forestry, military, mining, rail, and specialty truck markets.
engineeredcabs.com/careers 115 Terry Leonard Drive Greeneville, TN 423-798-2420
Our employees are our #1 asset. Koyo Bearings North America, LLC 146 Cutting Edge Court Telford, TN 37690
Page 6A
The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition
GreenevilleSun.com
Saturday, March 13, 2021
Professionalism Across Community Earns Honors Business and professional honor and recognition came to many local individuals and business enterprises in 2020.
TAMMY KINSER Tammy Kinser was honored by the 2020 Hospitality TN Blizzard Conference in Nashville last February. In token of expertise she gained as tourism director for the Greene County Partnership, she was asked to be part of panel presentation by tourism professionals. HTN is a not-for-profit trade association representing the hospitality and tourism industry in Tennessee and its preferred vendor partners. HTN is headquartered in Nashville. The panel discussed “Best Practices in Amateur Sports Marketing” focused on how destination marketing organizations of any size both compete with one another and also work in a complementary fashion. Kinser recently left her GCP position to begin a banking career.
Myron Bernard, second from left, was honored in 2020 for his 50 years as a GMC dealer. Other Bachman-Bernard staff members also received honors for excellence in their work.
CENTURY 21 LEGACY & AGENTS Greeneville’s Century 21 Legacy earned several team and individual awards over approximately the past year. Century 21 Real Estate L.L.C. recognized the Greeneville office in early 2020. Century 21 Legacy received the 2019 Century 21 President’s Award. This annual award is given to independent Century 21 offices that earn the Century 21 Centurion award and the Century 21 Quality Service Pinnacle award in the same calendar year. The Centurion Award is presented to Century 21 offices that achieve or surpass sales production of $2,568,000, or 465 closed transaction sides within a calendar year. The Quality Service Pinnacle Award is presented to independent offices that receive satisfaction surveys for at least 50 percent of their consumers surveyed from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, with a survey score of 95 percent or better for two consecutive years. Century 21 Real Estate honored five individual agents, all associated with Century 21 Legacy in Greeneville. with the Century 21 President’s Producer Award. The annual award is given to sales affiliates who earn the Century 21 Centurion award and the Century 21 Quality Service Pinnacle Producer award in the same calendar year. Local sales associates receiving the award were Brian McAmis, Regie Jones, Mark Williams, Gwen Lilley and Mike McNeese,.
FOOD CITY VOLUNTEERISM HONORS Employees at three local Food City stores were recognized in 2020 for outstanding volunteerism among associates through the
Years as a professional in the tourism field earned Tammy Kinser the honor of being a conference panelist at a tourism conference in 2020.
Food City Claude P. Varney Volunteer Recognition Program. Penny McElroy, John A. Laster and Cardiela Vickery were honored by the Virginia-based grocery chain. Steven C. Smith, Food City’s president and chief executive officer, led years ago in creation of Food City’s Claude P. Varney Volunteer Recognition Program, in memory of the company’s former president and board vice-chairman. McElroy works at the Food City at 905
Attorney Corey Shipley, pictured with his wife, Ashely, was honored by inclusion on a list of rising professionals under 40 years old.
Snapps Ferry Road, Laster at the 509 Asheville Highway store, and Vickery at the 2755 E. Andrew Johnson Highway location. Store winners move on to compete at the district level. Twelve district winners are recognized with an award and a $250 contribution to their chosen charity. Two divisional winners are then chosen and honored with a plaque and a $750 charity contribution. One overall winner is selected to receive the Claude P. Varney Humanitarian Award and to have a $1,250 charity contribution made on the winner’s behalf, according to a news release.“We’re extremely proud of the difference our associates make through their many humanitarian contributions,” Smith said.
who have excelled in their field. Landair is a subsidiary of Covenant. “With over 20 years of transportation experience, Melody brings a wealth of knowledge to the recruiting profession,” said Senior Director of Recruiting Matt Duncan. “She led the way for our organization in recruiting safe, professional drivers for a multitude of accounts. Her ability to recruit drivers with specific endorsements and living within certain domiciles plays a significant role in our continued success.”
LIFE CARE AWARDS STAFFERS
Four staff members of Life Care Center of Greeneville, 725 Crum St., were honored in early 2020 for the excellence of their work. Paula Cox, Vivian Seaton and Betty Kiser SHIPLEY GAINS BUSINESS HONOR were awarded the “CNA of the Year” title for Greeneville attorney Corey Shipley was having gone “above and beyond the call of called “a rising star in business” and given duty.” the “40 Under 40” honor by The Business Cox, who has been an associate of Life Journal of Tri-Cities, which presented the Care Center since 2001, “is hard working, “40 Under Forty” Class in a recent edition. dependable, and takes great pride in her For 27 years, the Johnson City-based pub- work,” a Life Care press release said. “She is lication has annually bestowed honors on 40 an example of devotion to her job.” business leaders, all under the age of 40, for Seaton was selected for the award because professional accomplishments. “many of her coworkers have recognized Shipley co-founded Collins Shipley, PLLC, the extra effort she puts in daily to ensure in Greeneville, in 2017. He began practicing the residents get the care they deserve,” law with The Terry Law Firm in Morristown the release said. Life Care Center staff also in 2014 and served as Special Assistant U.S. noted her willingness to work with others as Attorney from 2015 through 2016. a team. She has worked at Life Care Center With the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Shipley since July 2018. was involved in about 150 prosecutions, Kiser has been with Life Care Center since from a Washington County sex trafficking July 2017. “She is always professional and case to a $15 million Ponzi Scheme. willing to help when needed,” the release said. Kiser was called “a selfless individual” who “demonstrates passion and love for our DUNN NOTED BY PUBLICATION residents and their families.” Melody Dunn, working in Greeneville’s In addition to the three CNAs, Activities Landair office as senior recruiter for the Assistant Mark Laughlin was recognized for Chattanooga-based Covenant company, exemplifying “the Life Care spirit.”Laughlin was named one of three finalists for The Re- has worked at Life Care Center since 2015. cruiting Professional of the Year award from Laughlin was given the Team Spirit Award Transport Topics, a publication serving he because “he goes above and beyond his transportation industry. The award recogSEE HONORS ON PAGE 8 nizes recruiting and retention professionals
•WINE •SPIRITS •BEER
TOWNE SQUARE PACKAGE STORE 200 W. Summer St. Downtown Greeneville
423-639-6521
2021
THE WELL STOCKED BAR
Professional Bartending Service 423.552.3745 Fully Insured
GreenevilleSun.com
Saturday, March 13, 2021
The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition
Page 7A
PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE SUN/ERIC KALTENMARK
Local photographer Eric Kalternmark spent time in April, 2020, photographing some of the stark changes in life locally as COVID-19 spread into a pandemic. The Greeneville Commons parking lot was nearly empty on April 4, 2020. Kaltenmark said at the time that seeing the Commons so empty was surreal and “almost gave a boarded-up feeling.”
offers to help people maintain a healthy lifestyle. Gillespie said that flexibility has helped the gym location succeed. “Since we opened we’re doing pretty good compared to some other locations that opened around that time,” Gillespie said. “Were still not where we could be, but I think this was an area that really needed a good, new 24-hour gym. The coronavirus really messed with things, but at the same time, we did really well given that.” Just next door to Workout Anytime, between the gym and the Greeneville Commons location of Farm Bureau Insurance, the most recent newcomer to the shopping center is a new Xfinity store. The previous location at 241 W.
COMMONS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
down in March and April,” said Byron Gillespie, a manager at the 24-hour gym. Franchise owner Mike King said in early 2020 that the national chain of 24-hour gyms had been eyeing Greeneville for a new location for some time. “We were waiting for a space the size we needed to open up in the Greeneville Commons,” King said. “Greeneville is a community that really matches what our model looks for.” King said that while there were already several gyms and fitness programs available in Greeneville, Workout Anytime would fill a niche with the flexibility it
Summer St. was closed permanently in April, when Comcast was temporarily closing a majority of its retail locations across the country, due to low traffic in the store before the pandemic. At the time, Comcast’s Director of Public Relations in Tennessee Sara Jo Walker said the company was actively seeking a new and larger space in the area for a more modern, redesigned Xfinity retail space. Open since Feb. 17, Comcast’s new local Xfinity customer retail store offers various merchandise including mobile devices and accessories. Overall, according to spokeswoman for Greeneville Commons owner Brixmor Property Group Maria Pace, the Commons remains a popular and sought-after
CCU Making American Dreams Come True!
location for new businesses after the transformation in late 2019 that brought five new national tenants. She said there are three small shop spaces available. “Tenant interest for Greeneville Commons has historically, and continues to be, strong due to the extensive draw of the center which pulls customers from close to 20 miles away,” Pace said. “The center’s draw coupled with its location and accessibility has attracted the attention of retailers who want to enter the market. We have been actively working to add new best-in-class retailers and services.” Additionally, the Greeneville Regional Planning Commission gave preliminary approval in December for a new Tractor Supply Company store to be constructed
adjacent to Burkes Outlet. It would replace the existing location on the 11E Bypass. The Tractor Supply site plan shows the construction of a 22,841-square-foot building to be constructed on the previously undeveloped outer parcel, with a garden center, outdoor fenced display areas and parking lot to be provided beside the building. The next steps are for the Planning Department to approve a final site plan following the necessary approvals from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, and agreements for STNL Development, which develops new Tractor Supply locations, to use the existing stormwater retention system and a section of existing parking lot.
INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
1915 SNAPPS FERRY RD. GREENEVILLE, TENNESSEE
WAREHOUSING • LOGISTICS PROPERTY LEASING
Call one of our convenient locations and ask about our superior mortgage products! Savings • Certificates of Deposit Money Market Accounts Morristown East Service Center 4005 East Morris Boulevard Morristown, TN 37813 423-317-9611
Morristown West Service Center 4918 West Andrew Johnson Highway Morristown, TN 37814 423-586-6006
Myers Street Service Center 1115 Myers Street Greeneville, TN 37743 423-639-6063
Knoxville East Service Center 10238 Kingston Pike Knoxville, TN 37922 (865) 560-5611
Mosheim Service Center 9175 West Andrew Johnson Highway Mosheim, TN 37818 423-422-4507
Knoxville North Service Center Medical Center Powell, TN 37849 865-859-7008
Johnson City Service Center 1919 N. Roan Street Johnson City, TN 37601 423-434-2211
Jefferson City Service Center 1075 North Chucky Pike Jefferson City, TN 37760 865-475-2874
Super Service Center 3634 E Andrew Johnson Hwy Greeneville, TN 37745 423-639-6131
Solid • Stable • Safe
ConsumerCreditUnion.com
• Warehousing & manufacturing space leasing • Flatbed and box trucking services • Food grade storage • Rail spur siding • Trailer & container drop lot
• Cross docking • Repackaging services • Freight consolidation • LIFO/FIFO inventory control • Pallet wrapping • Product assembly
Over 500 jobs provided by the tenants of CHASAN!
423-620-7800 www.chasantn.com
Page 8A
The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition
GreenevilleSun.com
Saturday, March 13, 2021
HONORS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6
duties on a regular basis,” helping around the community with transportation and other areas, even doing so on his days off, the release said.
THE GREENEVILLE SUN The Greeneville Sun in 2020 won 14 first-place Tennessee Press Association statewide awards recognizing excellence in print and online journalism, advertising and circulation. Journalism Awards: In the Tennessee State Press Contests sponsored by the University of Tennessee and the Tennessee Press Association, The Sun won top honors for personal columns, sports coverage and editorial writing in Group III, which also includes newspapers in Clarksville, Sevierville, Paris and Murfreesboro. The Sun’s sports department won first place in the sports coverage category for the second consecutive year. The award recognized the work of Sports Editor Sam Bundy, Assistant Sports Editor Tate Russell and Sports Editor Emeritus Wayne Phillips. For the second straight year, Assistant Editor Cameron Judd won first place in the personal column category. Editor Scott Jenkins won first place in the single editorial category for an editorial titled, “Keep Hands On The Wheel, Focus On The Road.” The Sun won third place in the headline writing category for a package of headlines written by Jenkins, reporter Ken Little and former editor Michael Reneau. Advertising Awards: The Press Association’s 2020 Ideas Contest recognized the best of newspaper advertising and circulation work throughout the state. At The Greeneville Sun, those ads and promotions were created and facilitated by the following Sun staffers: Taunya Blazer, Sandi Blalock, Marie Cox, Brian Cutshall, Roxy
Flora Gray, right, was declared to be a top housekeeper in 2020, and was awarded for it at her workplace, the General Morgan Inn.
Dunn, Rebecca Garay-Leon, Tanya Hensley, Melanie Hilliard, Shirley Jones, Cameron Judd, Dale Long, Della Lowe, Wendy Peay, Kelly Pickering, Jayme Pressley, Tammy Waldroup, Hala Watson and Artie Wehenkel. Sun staff won 13 awards related to print and online advertising. The department swept the Best Special Section category, winning first place for the 2019 Benchmarks Edition, second place for 2019 Greene County Guidebook, and third place for the 2019 Business Card Directory. The advertising department also won honors for: Feature Page: Adopt-APet; Professional Service Ad: Consumer Credit Union Christmas; Website: Greenevillesun.com; Reader Contest: Digital “Home for the Holidays Sweepstakes;” Marketing Materials: 2019 Media Kit. Judges awarded second-place recognition for: Feature Page: Eagle Scouts; Internet Banner or Tile Ad: Attorney Ed Kershaw; Marketing Materials: Get Digital POWER! The department received third place for: Black & White Ad: Greeneville Reds; Internet Banner or Tile Ad: Greeneville Sun Halloween Coloring Contest Circulation awards: The
Sun’s circulation department won nine awards related to its subscription and circulation services. The department won first-place awards for: Single Copy Promotion: Digital Promotes Single Copy Sales; Newspapers in Education Promotion: NIE at The Greeneville Sun; Carrier Recruitment: Earn Money with Your Own Business; NIE Sponsorship Recruitment: Become an NIE Sponsor at The Greeneville Sun!; Internet Subscription Promotion: Try Greeneville-Sun.com/ Free Website Access During Flooding Emergency. Circulation efforts winning second place were: Self-Promotion of a Newspaper: Thanksgiving Rack Card; Rack Card: Fatz Promotion Subscriber Retention Program: Fatz Southern Kitchen Subscription Offer. The department won also won a third-place recognition in the Subscriber Retention Program category for an email alert on opening the newspaper website due to inclement weather.
GCP LEADERSHIP CLASS A group of 20 individuals were honored by their employers and/or other nominators in 2020 by being recommended local
leadership training as part of the 2020-2021 Leadership Class of the Greene County Partnership. The local group of present and future leaders consisted of a fire department captain, a project engineer and a process engineer, a university enrollment representative and a university dean, a plant operations manager, a resource development director, a company controller, a bookkeeper, two employees of the Greene County trustee’s office, two paramedics, a municipal human resources specialist, a bank president, a newspaper editor, a process improvement manager, an engineer/surveyor, a bank training officer, a court clerk and life enrichment director at a senior care facility. The Partnership initiated the Leadership Greene County program in 1995 to support development of leadership resources within the community. Partcipants are recommended by their employers, civic organizations or Leadership Class alumni. Training through the program allows for group interaction, network and idea sharing and friendship development.
FLORA GRAY Flora Gray won the 2020 Housekeeper of the Year
Four Life Care staff members received honors from their employer in the fall of 2020.
award for Greeneville and Greene County following nominations accepted during International Housekeepers Week, Sept. 13-19. Environmental Services Week/International Housekeepers Week is held every year during the second full week of September and is dedicated to recognizing the efforts of hard-working custodial staff members. The Housekeeper of the Year Award recognizes outstanding commitment and performance by identifying a housekeeper who goes above and beyond the call of duty. “The true heroes of any building operation, housekeeping staff have one of the toughest jobs, but also one of the most important,” said Joni Parker, general manager of the Greene County Partnership/Chamber of Commerce. Housekeeping is often referred to as heart of house services and is one of the toughest and most important jobs for every property to ensure guest satisfaction and prevent illnesses. “Properties that aren’t properly cleaned can lead to
illness and productivity loss for the people who visit, eat, live, work and play here in our community” Parker said. Gray, better known as Flo, began her position in housekeeping with the General Morgan Inn in September 2006.
CRYSTAL AWARD FOR BERNARD Bachman Bernard co-owner Myron Bernard received a Crystal Award from General Motors in September in recognition of being a GMC dealer in Greeneville for 50 years. The dealership also received a Mark of Excellence Award, given to dealers for commitment to unsurpassed performance and customer satisfaction, from General Motors on behalf of Buick. Several employees received individual excellence awards. Those employees included Russ Kauffeld, Aaron Miller, Bradley Drew, Sandi Walker, Ted Shown, Darius Hoese, Anthony Knight, Shaun Hinkle, Tim Davis, Terry Rollins, Justin Peters and Russ Bonnot.
GreenevilleSun.com
Saturday, March 13, 2021
The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition
Page 9A
SUN FILE PHOTO
Local realtors and building officials reported an increased interest in over the past year from out-of-state in property and homes for sale, such as this one home Bonita Way in Greeneville seen in September.
Local Housing Sales Boom During Pandemic BY STAFF REPORT Giving final approval in early March to measures that will allow a greater density in some residential developments, the Greeneville Board of Mayor and Aldermen took steps that will help developers and builders meet a growing demand for local housing. That demand was evident over the past year in a real estate market that stayed hot despite a pandemic. In fact, according to the Northeast Tennessee Association of Realtors (NETAR), the average Northeast Tennessee homeowner who sold in January pocketed about 21 percent more on average than a seller in January 2020. That’s about twice the national growth rate. “It’s the best housing price performance since 2013, and consistent with the view that COVID has encouraged potential urban area buyers to move to suburb and rural areas,” the association said, citing Craig Lazzara, managing director and global head of Index Investment Strategy. “Locally real estate professionals, homeowners looking to sell, civic and government officials are scrambling to make the most of keeping up with the higher-than-normal housing demand.” That’s certainly been the case in Greene County. For October, NETAR reported that home sales in Greene County were up 18.3% over October 2020. Meanwhile, realtors locally and in the region said they could sell more houses if more were available. Greene County’s inventory of new and existing homes for sale was down 57% in October compared to the same month in 2020, according to data from NETAR. The number of active listings was down 53% from October 2019. New home construction is a strong market locally in response to the demand. Both the Town of Greeneville and Greene County had strong numbers in regard to issuance of building permits. The Greene County Building Office issued 75 more permits July through October than during the same period in 2020 and issued the most permits in September and October that it had for a single-month period in several years. “I have been in building for 33 years, and I have never been this busy in our career,” Jeff Idell, co-owner of Idell Construction, said in November. “We have a backlog of new projects that could take us into the winter and the spring.”
SUN FILE PHOTO
New construction is one way demand for homes is being met in Greene County.
The recent growth in sales also has more cash buyers, Landers continued, as many people from out of state are purchasing houses in Greene County for less than what they earned from selling their previous home. Realtors do not anticipate the current sales trend to end anytime soon. “Short-term outlook for the prime spring and summer buying and selling season is for little change,” NETAR said in its March update. “Some buyer fatigue has been cited as a headwind as has predictions that mortgage rates will begin increasing. Neither is expected to have a significant effect on sales or price performance.” During October, the median list price for homes in Greene County was $210,000, up 23.6% over the previous year, according to NETAR data. The median list price for the first 10 months of 2020 was $179,900 up 12.51% from the first 10 months of 2019. The median sales price of $216,000, was up 32.52% from October 2019. The median sales price of $169,900 was an increase of 13.76% from the first 10 months of 2019.
HOME SALES The number of days a listing stays on the market and new pending sales provide data about the market itself, but also serve as indicators of demand, according to NETAR. As of October, half of the home sales in Greene County had occurred in 66 or fewer days, according to the NETAR data. Gail Landers, an agent with Century 21 Legacy, said at the time that many homes receive multiple offers, often after the property is on the market only a day or two.
NEW CONSTRUCTION New residential construction remained strong in Greeneville in 2020, according to the town’s Building Department. Greene County Building Official Tim Tweed told the Greene County Planning Commission the volume of business in his office had not slowed down at all during the pandemic and had increased for most categories of permits. The number of permits in September, 84, was the highest number tissued by the Greene County Building & Zoning Office
in a single month in several years, Tweed said. That number was then exceeded in October when 91 permits were issued. In the previous three months, there had been 43 permits issued for single family residences and 12 for residential additions by the county. Sixty permits had been issued for placement of double-wide and single-wide manufactured homes. A large number of permits had also been issued for projects such as roofs, renovations, additions to garages, porch overhangs, decks, carports and porches in the previous three months. The building permits reflect the experience of local builders. For Idell Construction, once the pandemic began in March, much of their residential construction stopped for about two weeks, Jeff Idell said. Then, the company started getting numerous phone calls about the units and other new construction, and decided to resume work on projects under construction. At the peak, Idell said he was receiving about seven calls a day about properties or new home construction. Inquiries about new construction and properties have come from people out of state, who “are wanting to leave the big city areas and move into rural areas,” he said. The interest in finding property for new construction or to purchase a new home also brought business to local campgrounds. Jerry Ayers at Lazy Llama Campground said in November that about half of the business for the campground for the past few years has been from people looking for property or building a house. For the past few years, a number of people have used the campground’s extended stay sites to
Landers said that Greene County realtors have heard that sentiment from people looking for property and houses. People have a desire for space, not necessarily acreage but a home that has a yard, she said, while others are looking for that acreage. “We are blessed in Greene County that we have more rural properties than most of the counties that surround us,” she said. “They used to call Greene County a diamond — a diamond in the rough, but now more people are discovering what we have.” In addition to space, realtors are hearing other motivations for people to look for property here. “There are lots of reasons, and everyone has a different reason,” Landers said. Some people want to find a place where they can be part of a community or are looking for a REASONS FOR GROWTH great place to raise their children The overall market growth has in good school systems, she said. several primary drivers, said Don Others have a relative or friends Fenley, market research data ana- here, attended school here or lyst with the Northeast Tennessee just liked the area while driving Association of Realtors. through. “Record low interest rates, an “We are a nice, friendly commuunleashed work from anywhere nity and people are attracted to trend, a dramatic inventory that,” she said. “Some are looking shortage, and, as strange as it may for a more country atmosphere sound, the pandemic are major and want to live in a communidrivers of the housing market’s ty-minded neighborhood. We are explosive growth,” Fenley said. “It blessed to have those. We care has thrown into sharp relief just about people here and about takhow important a home is to an ing care of our community.” individual and family’s safety and Greeneville Building Official well-being. Local buyers whose Bert Seay said that additional new home plans were stymied reasons include Tennessee’s lack by the pandemic returned with a of a state income tax, the general vengeance when the initial ecolow cost of living in this area, nomic shock had passed.” natural beauty of the area, low The pandemic “was also a mag- crime rates, good schools and a net drawing more traffic to the respectful culture. Tri-Cities,” he continued. “Many “It depends on the person and who felt the need to escape hardtheir stage of life,” he said. “It hit areas jumped to take advanseems to me that our area appeals tage of what the local market has to many segments of the populato offer.” tion for a variety of reasons.”
either search for property to build a house or for a house, Ayers said. The extended stay sites are for people who stay longer than a month. The local builder experience is common to those nationally. Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes increased five points to 90 in November, shattering the previous all-time high of 85 recorded in October, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Index. The pace of single family starts in October was the highest production rate since the spring of 2007 across the nation, according to data from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Census Bureau.
Page 10A
The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition
GreenevilleSun.com
Saturday, March 13, 2021
SUN FILE PHOTO
Greeneville Community Hospital East is seen in this file photo. Ballad Health in February named Eric Carroll the new chief executive officer for Greeneville Community Hospital.
Ballad Names New CEO For Greeneville Community Hospital Eric Carroll Succeeds Tammy Albright In Leading Local Health System Facilities In February, Ballad Health named Eric Carroll the new chief executive officer for Greeneville Community Hospital. Carroll had previously been assistant vice president and administrator of Unicoi County Hospital. Carroll begins his new role on April 1, according to a release from Ballad Health. He succeeds Tammy Albright, the hospital’s former president, who is now leading Ballad Health Behavioral Health Services. The health system recently announced the establishment of Strong Futures, a residential and outpatient holistic care program for pregnant women and mothers from the region
Eric Carroll
who suffer from addiction that is under the auspices of Behavioral Health Services and will initially be based at the former Takoma Regional Hospital facility. “Eric has a breadth of experi-
ence that has prepared him for this role,” said Stan Hickson, president of Ballad Health’s Southwest Market, which includes Greeneville Community Hospital. “He has proven experience inspiring teams and investing in the community he serves, which will be a benefit to our Greene County patients and team members as we continue to forge a new path forward for Greeneville Community Hospital. “Crucially, Eric will lead new growth opportunities for this community’s health care, so everyone in Greene County and beyond will have access to the high-quality health care they deserve,” Hickson continued. A trained radiology technologist and native of Lee County, Virginia, Carroll has steadily gained experience in leadership roles, taking on jobs of increasing responsibility in Florida and the Appalachian Highlands until
joining Ballad Health in 2015. Carroll led Unicoi County Hospital through its development, construction and initial years of service in their replacement hospital, which he helped open in 2018. “Twenty-two years ago, I first walked through the doors of what was then Laughlin Memorial Hospital as a radiology student,” Carroll said. “It gave me chills to come back to this hospital for my CEO interview – it was a very full-circle moment.” “Everything in my career has led to this new role, and I’m honored and excited to begin my work in Greene County,” he continued. “This is an excellent opportunity to make an impact in the community, and I can’t wait to get started.” During his time at Unicoi County Hospital, Carroll engaged in numerous community efforts, including a role as president and chairman of the board
of the Unicoi County Chamber of Commerce and board positions with CASA of Northeast Tennessee, Monroe Foundation and Unicoi County Little League. “I have a deep passion for community, particularly in business, economic development and children’s causes,” Carroll said. “Being so involved in the Unicoi County community was one of my greatest points of pride, and I look forward to doing the same in Greene County. “One of Ballad Health’s central tenets is that we’re more than a health system – we’re committed to improving life, in all directions, for everyone in the Appalachian Highlands. That’s the promise and goal I want to bring to Greene County, and I’m ready to work to make it happen.” A search for a replacement for Carroll at the Unicoi County facility is underway, according to the release.
Baileyton Has New Leadership For First Time In Decades BY STAFF REPORT The past year brought big changes to local government in Baileyton. After the August elections, the town’s municipal board was made up of recently elected officials for the first time in 40 years. And for the first time in Baileyton’s history, one of those board members is a woman. While some changeover had taken place in the past four decades, leadership has remained largely constant with Tommy Casteel and Ken Bailey as mayor and vice mayor, with some aldermen also serving for substantial time periods spanning multiple decades. Alderwoman Sherrie Ottinger is one of two new board members elected in Baileyton in August, along with fellow new Alderman Steve Hall and new Mayor William “Kenny” Kerr. Aldermen Andy Pierce and Michael Starnes were elected in 2018. Terms are four years. “I have never done politics and never wanted to be in politics, but if I take on a job I am very serious about doing the best I can do,” Ottinger said in September. Ottinger said a water bill for significantly more than she was typically billed prompted her to consider running for her first-ever political position.
The Baileyton Board of Mayor and Aldermen met for the first time on Sept. 9 with new mayor Kenny Kerr, left, and new board members Sherrie Ottinger and Steve Hall. The meeting took place at Baileyton Park due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Her bill was adjusted down that month after some inquiry with the water department, Ottinger said, but it rose again the following month and that time, she said she was told it could not be adjusted more than once per year. This prompted her to begin attending water and sewer board meetings. “It got my curiosity up. I started looking around,
and it wasn’t just me. Other people said they couldn’t understand why their bills were so high, either,” Ottinger said. “Long story short, I guess I was willing to ask questions and dig.” Ottinger and Kerr, the newly elected mayor, both said they hoped to see an increase in public participation at meetings. “We want to get this very small community of people
involved and interested in what goes on in their town” Ottinger said. One measure the board took was to change its meetings to the second Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. The board previously met on a Wednesday, a night when many in the community attend church services. Of being the first woman elected to the board, Ottinger said it isn’t a big deal.
Be a Know-It-All Start Your Subscription Today!
“I don’t think it’s really important at this point,” Ottinger said. “It may be historically important, but I don’t feel like it’s a big deal right now. I’m somebody who wants to help if I can.” Kerr said he hoped for teamwork among the board. “Everybody’s not going to agree on everything. I don’t expect that,” Kerr said. “Something would be wrong if they did, but we’ve
just got to be respectful and work everything through. We’ve got to work as a team and get along for the good of the town.” Kerr said he was inspired to run by other community members as well as the retired mayor, Casteel, who said earlier in the year he didn’t plan to seek reelection because it was “time to let somebody else do it. … It’s just time to change.”
Subscribe Today!
Home Delivery starting at just 46¢ a day
In Print & Online • 423.638.4182 • www.greenevillesun.com
GreenevilleSun.com
Saturday, March 13, 2021
The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition
Page 11A
Mosheim Saw Changes In Leadership Over Past Year BY CICELY BABB STAFF WRITER The Town of Mosheim saw several changes in its leadership over the past year after the deaths of two officials and resignation of two others. “We’ve taken a hard toll, and there has been a big changeover,” said new Mayor David Myers, who stepped into the role in February. The town lost both planning commission member Clark Justis in October and alderman Harold Smith in late November to COVID-19. An additional member of the planning commission, Jason Brantley, resigned from his position in late 2020, and Mayor Tommy Gregg retired in February. Justis, who was 72, was also a member of the Greene County school board and is remembered for his lifelong service and involvement with the school system. Smith, who was 85, served Mosheim as an alderman for four decades and was also vice-mayor at the time of his death. Both men were lifelong citizens of Mosheim and were active with the Mosheim Ruritan Club. Alderman Dave Long succeeded Smith as vice-mayor, and Smith’s seat on the board was filled in January by Rick Cunningham. The two open planning commission seats were filled by Ron Fields, Jr. and Donald E. Knight in December. “We lost some valuable, key people over COVID,” said Myers. “Clark and Harold both helped make good decisions for our town, and they will be missed dearly.” Myers was sworn in to finish Gregg’s term during February’s meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, following Gregg’s resignation, which he officially put into writing at the beginning of the month. “My health is a concern in being able to fulfill the requirements of this office,” Gregg read from his resignation letter in that meeting. Dave Long, vice mayor since December, declined to assume the role as mayor as customary due to health issues that also precluded him from attending February’s meeting, Gregg read from an email he received from Long’s daughter on his behalf. Long plans to remain on the board as an alderman, Gregg said. With Long unable to take the helm as mayor, Gregg’s retirement meant another open seat on the board, and that seat was filled by Marc Campbell following Alderman James Foshie’s nomination. Foshie also made the nomination for Myers to become the next mayor, and Myers then nominated Foshie to become vice-mayor. All were voted in favor unanimously. During that meeting Gregg noted it is customary for aldermen to have prepared a recommendation for their own replacement. “Each one of the aldermen should have someone in mind that they’ve studied, that they know who would be good for this community, and who is willing to accept in the event that there has to be a seat declared vacant,” Gregg said. Myers and Campbell were both sworn in to their new positions in February. The terms Myers, Campbell and Cunningham are filling all expire in 2022. Gregg has served a total of 27 years in Mosheim municipal government between his years as an alderman and as mayor since taking over as acting mayor in 2012 when his predecessor Billy Myers became ill. He initially announced plans to retire in 2020 following the end of his last term, but when no one submitted the necessary materials to run for the office, Gregg filed to run for reelection. He said his decision to step down this year was difficult but necessary. “I’ve enjoyed working with the city and the people of the city. We’ve seen a lot of changes in eight years, and I’ve seen a lot of changes in 27 years,” Gregg said. “I’ve enjoyed it, but I’ve got things going on, and I don’t feel like I can give 100%.” Myers thanked Gregg for his service and dedication to the town and for thinking about “every citizen, every department and the schools.” “He’s been one of the best mayors we’ve had, and he will be truly missed,” Myers said of Gregg. “He was there, he was committed and he had a vision for the town to move forward.” In parting comments to the board, Gregg stressed the importance of retail development for the town to continue operating without collecting a property tax as well as the importance of continued safety improvements to the four-lane highway and infrastructure work in the town. He advised Myers and the board
SUN FILE PHOTO
Harold Smith, second from left, is sworn in after being reelected in 2018. Smith passed away in 2020. From left are newly retired Mosheim Mayor Tommy Gregg, Smith, and new Mayor David Myers and new vice-mayor James Foshie.
SUN PHOTO BY CICELY BABB
New Mosheim Mayor David Myers, left, sits down with newly retired Mayor Tommy Gregg to learn the ropes of his new job.
SUN FILE PHOTO
Alderman James Foshie became vice mayor of Mosheim in February.
SUN PHOTO BY CICELY BABB SUN FILE PHOTO
Marc Campbell and Rick Cunningham are the two most recent Mosheim aldermen.
Tommy Gregg retired in February after eight years as Mayor of Mosheim.
SUN FILE PHOTO
Tommy Gregg, right, swears in David Myers as mayor of Mosheim. Reelected in 2020, Gregg announced in February he is retiring due to health concerns.
to “watch the timelines on grants” for infrastructure work, like the rehabilitation and repair project set to finish this year on sewer pump station #6. During his last year as mayor, Gregg also oversaw the completion of the town’s ordinance codification project, which put all Town of Mosheim ordinances online through the Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS). “That took us a little better than three years, but we got that underway and done,” Gregg said. The town also implemented a new website in 2020 and clarified several zoning laws by removing a pyramid structure in the way they were written. Gregg said there is
“probably some work left to do there.” On the subject of retail development, Gregg said the Mosheim Crossing development project at Exit 23 is “not dead. We’ve seen a lot of development there, and that’s a big part of the heartbeat of Mosheim now. I’m counting on more good things to come there.” Myers said that he has a lot to learn, but he plans to prioritize the same issues Gregg did as mayor. “We want to try to encourage development and small businesses SUN FILE PHOTO in Mosheim,” Myers said. “More This 2018 photo shows Clark Justis during a meeting of the Greene Counsales tax means more economic ty Board of Education. Justis, also a member of the Mosheim Planning growth, and that is going to be a Commission, passed away in 2020. key goal.”
Page 12A
The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition
GreenevilleSun.com
Saturday, March 13, 2021
BACHMAN BERNARD CHEVROLET• BUICK GMC • CADILLAC
Still Serving Greeneville and Greene County for over 53 Years!
Phil Bachman
Myron Bernard
BACHMAN BERNARD
CHEVROLET • BUICK • GMC • CADILLAC
www.BachmanBernardChevy.com 3365 E. A.J. HWY. (Between Wal-Mart & Pals) Full New & Used Sales, Leasing, Service, Parts & Body Shop
423-639-4141