More Recognition for Bradley County Budgeting Process
On June 3rd, Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis announced that the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) had recognized Bradley County for its excellent budgeting process. The prestigious "Distinguished Budget Presentation Award” is GFOA’s highest form of recognition and was given to the county for its 2011 budget.
Bradley County received additional recognition recently when GFOA presented the county finance department with the "Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.” This marks the 6th year in a row that Bradley County has received this certificate.
In making the announcement, GFOA Director Stephen Gauthier of Chicago said "this certificate represents a significant accomplishment by Bradley County in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting and symbolizes a spirit of full disclosure.”
The GFOA awards program was established in 1945 to encourage and assist state and local governments to go beyond the minimum requirements of accounting principles. The goal is to encourage comprehensive annual financial reports that evidence the spirit of transparency and full disclosure and then to recognize individual governments that achieve that goal.
In acknowledging the award Mayor Davis said "my staff works very hard to prepare a comprehensive county budget each year. It’s rewarding to see our efforts acknowledged by the people at GFOA. I commend County Finance Director Lynn Burns and the staff whose efforts ensure we conduct the County’s business in an ethical and professional manner.”
Bradley County Receives Budget Award
(Cleveland, TN) Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis has announced that the County has received the "Distinguished Budget Presentation Award” for its 2011 budget. The prestigious award is presented by the Government Finance Officers Association of the U.S. and Canada.
In making the presentation, GFOA Director Stephen Gauthier said "the award is the highest form of recognition in governmental budgeting and represents a significant achievement by Bradley County. It reflects the commitment of the County and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting.” The award comes with a Certificate of Recognition which Mayor Davis said will be presented to County Finance Director Lynn Burns.
In making the announcement Mayor Davis said "my staff works very hard to prepare a comprehensive county budget each year. It’s rewarding to see our efforts acknowledged by the people at GFOA. The county budget is actually a plan, which when followed, has helped prevent a property tax increase for the past 12 years.” Mayor Davis’ 2011-12 budget proposal does not contain a tax increase and will be presented to the County Commission on Monday.
This is the third year Bradley County has received the award making it one of just 17 local governments in Tennessee to be honored by GFOA.
In order to receive the budget award, Mayor Davis said the County had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. The guidelines are designed to assess how well the County’s budget serves as: a policy statement, a financial plan, an operations guide, and a communications device. County budget documents must be rated "proficient” in all four categories to qualify for the award.
Honoring our First Responders and Volunteer Firefighters
County Mayor Gary Davis (far left) and the County Commission, (standing in rear) show their appreciation to the county's first responders, especially the volunteer fire fighters for their dedication and love for this community during the April 27th storms.
Mayor Davis Elected Chairman of Development District
The annual meeting of the 10 county Southeast Tennessee Development District took place on Friday November 5th. One of the first orders of business was the election of a new slate of officers for 2010/2011. Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis was selected as the new SETDD Chairman.
The Southeast Tennessee Development District is composed of more than 60 elected officials. Many of them serve in small communities that do not have the funds to pay a staff to do the necessary planning for economic and community development, infrastructure needs, tourism promotion, housing, transportation and much more. The SETDD staff fills that void.
The annual meeting is a time for the Development District to present its annual report to the membership and conduct any business that may be pending. Mayor Davis said this year’s annual report highlighted many accomplishments during the past year and shows how the staff worked closely with local governments and elected officials to improve the economic environment in the region. SEDTT plays a critical role in facilitating local planning and helping identify priorities for each community.
In accepting his new position as chairman Mayor Davis said "it is a distinct honor for me to be elected Chairman of the Southeast Tennessee Development District/Chattanooga Area Regional Council of Governments for 2010/2011. To be chosen by one’s peers from among so many qualified individuals is a humbling experience. This is an exciting opportunity to serve not only Bradley County, but the governments and citizens in our region.”
Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield was elected as Vice-Chairman of the Development District.
Haley Jones Mayor for the Day
Black Fox Elementary School fifth-grader Haley Jones was Bradley County’s Mayor for the Day recently. Haley won the honor as part of a school fund-raiser. She addressed the Bradley County Commission’s agenda session and sat in the chair reserved for County Mayor Davis After lunch with Black Fox Principal Dr. Kim Fisher, she visited the Cleveland City Council.
Bradley/Cleveland Habitat for Humanity Celebrates 20th Anniversary
Bradley/Cleveland Habitat for Humanity celebrated its 20th Anniversary in our community by partnering with Whirlpool to build its 79th Habitat house. The home is being constructed in Century Village on 20th Street SE.
More than 100 Habitat partners, sponsors and elected officials attended the morning celebration on Thursday, October 14th. County Mayor Gary Davis, Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland, ORBA President Charlotte Peek Jones, and others marked the 20th anniversary by driving 20 nails into the home's framework.
(LtoR) Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland, ORBA President Charlotte Peek Jones and
Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis drive 3 of the 20 nails that mark the 20th anniversary of Habitat.
Bradley County Re-Certified as a Three Star Community
Bradley County has once again been certified as a Three Star Community...And for the first time in the program's long history...Bradley County joins just 9 other Tennessee Counties in reaching the LEVEL THREE designation.
This is quite an achievement and takes a lot of cooperation from County leaders, the City of Cleveland and Charlestion. The LEVEL THREE designation certifies this community as "Economic development ready"...and places us in the position of being among the first communities that are looked at when industries begin a site search.
Governor Bredesen presented the award on September 15th in Nashville.
Bradley County Engineer, Sandra Knight
Recognized as Tennessee Engineer of the Year
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Bradley County Engineer Sandra Knight has been recognized as Tennessee engineer of the Year by the Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers.
Mack McCarley, a TSPE board member made the presentation during the County Commission meeting on Monday October 5. McCarley noted that Sandra is only the second engineer to receive the award more than once. "To be selected from among 5,000 engineers in Tennessee is unusual,” Mr. McCarley said. "To be selected by your peers is unique. What is more unique is to be selected more than one time.”
Mr. McCarley went on to state that Ms. Knight is not just recognized by her peers in Tennessee, but throughout the nation. He also stated that Ms. Knight is on a number of national engineering committees and was well deserving of the award.
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HONOR GIVEN TO COUNTY FIRE AND RESCUE DEPARTMENT
On Monday, Sept 13th, Nashville’s Deputy Fire Chief Danny Yates appeared before the Bradley County Commission to publically honor the Bradley County Fire and Rescue Department.
Last May, Bradley County Fire and Rescue Chief Dewey Woody, Captain Stony Matthews and 10 members of BCFR responded to the catastrophe in Nashville as muddy waters poured over the banks of that city’s swollen Cumberland River. 10 Nashville area residents, including the mother of a Bradley County resident, died in the floodwaters. Much of Nashville’s downtown area was devastated as well as Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, the nation’s largest hotel and convention complex.
When the need for assistance was made known across the state, Bradley County Fire and Rescue personnel were among the first to offer an immediate response. Chief Yates commended Bradley County for building a state-of-the-art fire and rescue department which received high praise from FEMA officials in Nashville. Chief Yates spoke on behalf of Nashville Mayor Karl Dean in expressing profound gratitude to BCFR personnel who gave their time, energy and resources to help the people of Nashville.
This is not the first time BCFR has been called upon to offer assistance to our neighbors. The department has a history of responding quickly, efficiently and compassionately. I feel they reflect the charitable attitude of the citizens of Bradley County. As Mayor, my goal is to make sure BCFR personnel have the best training and equipment available to enable them to do their job of protecting the lives and property of each citizen.
Whirlpool Announcement
September 1, 2010
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Another great shot in the arm for the Bradley County economy! Whirlpool Corporation has announced that it's cooking products division will remain in Bradley County instead of moving to Mexico! This saves 1500 jobs and will add 130 more at the new LEEDS certified facility on Michigan Avenue at Benton Pike. The company cited the high productivity of its employees here and quality of life in this area. |
Certificate of Recognition from U.S. Census Bureau
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Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis (right) is presented a certificate of recognition from U.S. Census Bureau Team Leader for Tennessee, Vincent Joy.
The certificate recognizes the County Mayor's Office as a valued partner in efforts to achieve a complete and accurate census count. Mr. Joy said Bradley County improved its mail participation rate by 5% over the 2000 census, jumping from 69% to 74% in 2010. This puts Bradley County's participation rate at 2% above the national average. Joy said 2010 is the best census response in U.S. history.
The census data is scheduled to be released in December.
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Bradley County Fire and Rescue Receives State Recognition
Bradley County Fire and Rescue is one of the most qualified and highly trained fire departments in Tennessee. That’s according to the Tennessee State Fire and Codes Academy which recognized Bradley Fire and Rescue for its training efforts this week at a conference in Nashville.
Bradley County ranked 14th overall… out of 732 fire departments in Tennessee and 4th overall among departments that are a combination of volunteer and fully paid. There are 662 Combination Fire Departments in the state.
Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis commended Fire Chief Dewey Woody and his staff for their leadership in ensuring that Bradley County citizens enjoy good fire protection. Davis said…
"The rankings say a lot about the men and women in our fire department and their dedication to training” I am convinced that our firefighters are committed to protecting our citizens and will do whatever it takes to be prepared to handle any emergency situation.”
Chief Woody said a certificate of achievement will be presented to the Mayor and County Fire Board at its next meeting on July 20th.
Bradley County Achieves Highest Three Star Award
Bradley County has once again been certified as a Tennessee Three-Star Community and for the first time the achievement carries a "Benchmark Three” designation. Benchmark Three is the highest level attainable in the Governor’s Three Start initiative. Shan Harris, regional director of the Tennessee Three Star Program, recently notified County Mayor Davis of the new designation. "The achievement certifies that Bradley County has attained the highest level of benchmarks” Harris Said, "and I congratulate the community, Mayor Davis and Dan Howell, the County’s Three Star coordinator for their hard work in reaching this goal.”
The Three Star Program is sponsored by the State Department of Economic Development and certifies Bradley County’s economic preparedness. It acknowledges a high level of qualifications in numerous categories, from education and workforce development to emergency preparedness. It also includes a five-year asset based community strategic plan.
County Mayor Gary Davis noted that this is the 16th year the County has been certified as a 3 Star Community. "However, achieving a 3 Star, Level Three certification is hard work and requires input and assistance from many people and community organizations” Davis said. The Mayor said he is especially grateful to his staff, the Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Committee for their help.
The Three Star Program is designed to help Communities set priorities, grow economically and create better paying jobs. A Three-Star Community also qualifies for better State grants and is a valuable tool in industrial recruitment.
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Bradley County's Bond Rating Upgraded
Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis announced today that earlier this month the County received an upgrade of its bond credit rating from Moody's Investors Services in New York. Moody's upgraded Bradley County's bond rating from "AI" to "Aa2".
In Moody's last rating update during 2009, Moody’s cited, among other things, the County's solid financial position with a history of conservative budgeting of revenues and expenses, increased reserves, sizable Debt Service Fund reserves, stable tax base and manageable debt burden as all positive factors. The new "Aa2" also incorporates a very low default risk into Moody's assessment of Bradley County.
Mayor Davis stated "The upgrade of Bradley County's bond rating is a significant milestone for Bradley County, especially during this ongoing national economic recession. Moody’s continues to believe that the county's financial position will remain stable and they were especially impressed with our significant reserves in the county's Debt Service Fund", stated Mayor Davis based on the 2009 report. "It was less than 2 years ago when our credit rating was upgraded by Standard & Poor's Ratings Services to
AA- and now we have achieved our highest ratings ever with this upgraded "Aa2" rating from Moody’s" stated Mayor Davis.
Joe Ayres, Managing Director of Cumberland Securities, who serves as the County's investment banker, stated "The upgrade of Bradley County's bond rating to "Aa2" puts Bradley County in a new category as it relates to investors both state-wide and throughout the country." "Having two (2) "AA" category credit ratings expands the number and type of investors willing to invest in the County's bonds and ultimately
results in lower interest rates and therefore significant savings for the taxpayers of Bradley County," stated Ayres.
Mayor Davis concluded by saying, "I would like to thank the Bradley County Commission and Lynn Burns who have assisted us in overseeing and managing county government. Everyone's efforts have continued to make Bradley County a better place to live".
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Bradley County Receives Audit Award
Bradley County has received a prestigious audit award for its 2008-09 budget year from the Government Finance Officers Association. This marks the fifth year the Bradley County Finance Department has been recognized for its achievement in financial reporting.
The GFOA established the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Program in 1945 to encourage and assist state and local governments to go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles.
County Mayor Gary Davis presented the award to County Finance Director Lynn Burns during Monday’s County Commission meeting. Mayor Davis commended Burns and her staff for the many extra hours and hard work involved in qualifying the County for the award. "There are 78 pages of mandatory benchmarks that have to be met” Davis said. "Qualifying for the award is very difficult. Lynn and her staff worked an extra 80 to 100 hours to make sure Bradley County’s Finance Department is among the 46 elite local governments in Tennessee to be recognized by GFOA.”
Reports submitted to the CAFR program are reviewed by selected members of the GFOA professional staff and the GFOA Special Review Committee (SRC), which comprises individuals with expertise in public-sector financial reporting and includes financial statement preparers, independent auditors, academics, and other finance professionals.
Bradley County Recognized for Good Budgeting Practices
Bradley County is being recognized for its excellent budgeting process. County Mayor Gary Davis says the Government Finance Officer’s Association has awarded Bradley County its Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for 2009. This is the second year that the County has received the GFOA award
Mayor Davis presented the Award to County Finance Director Lynn Burns during the Commission meeting Monday March 15th. The award is the highest form of recognition in government accounting and financial reporting.
GFOA Director Stephen Gauthier said the award represents a significant accomplishment by a local government and its financial management.
Mayor Gary Davis said the award acknowledges the comprehensive annual financial report by Bradley County’s Finance Department and credited the hard work of his staff and Finance Director Lynn Burns.
GFOA Director Gauthier said each certificate is judged by an impartial panel and must meet the highest standards, including a constructive "spirit of full disclosure.”
Gauthier pointed out that Bradley County is one of just 17 local governments in Tennessee to receive the award for 2009.
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Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis pulls the tape to reveal the name of the county's new fire truck. Firefighters and Chief Dewey Woody named it the "Mayor D. Gary Davis" in recognition of his strong support of BCFR. |
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The volunteers were taking part in a Habitat "blitz build." They framed in this three bedroom house and had it "in the dry" in just 3 days.
Mayor Davis stopped by to express his appreciation to the volunteers for helping create affordable housing in Bradley County. The house is located on South Lee Highway just past the APD 40 underpass.
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Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis (center)
and volunteers from the Ocoee Region Builers
Association (ORBA).
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Rutherford County officials visit BCFR.
(left to right)
Kevin Lauer CTAS, Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis, Larry Farley Rutherford County Fire Coordinator, Chris Clark Rutherford County Special Operations for EMS, Chief Dewey Woody Bradley County Fire and Rescue, Joe Johnson Chief of Salem/Blackman Volunteer Fire Department, Craig McBride Chief of Rutherford Co. Fire Department. |
Rutherford County Fire and EMS Officials Look and Learn in Bradley County.
Four members of the Rutherford County Fire and EMS Departments paid a visit to Bradley County seeking input to help them formulate a plan to improve their County’s fire and rescue capabilities. They were joined by Kevin Lauer, fire consultant with the University of Tennessee’s County technical Assistance Service (CTAS).
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Ocoee Regions Builders Associaton
Ribbon Cutting
September 22, 2009 |
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7th annual Governor's Conference, sponsored by the State Economic Development Commission.
Bradley County was given its 15th 3-Star award in recognition of community economic preparedness. |