News 2011

The Cannon County Farmers Market is located at the Cannon County Arts Center every Saturday beginning at 6:00 A.M. The market has a vast selection of locally grown fruits and vegetables along with baked goods, crafts, jams and jellies and an occasional blackberry plant. The producers are proud to offer locally grown farm fresh produce. Most Saturdays the market is open until noon or until the farm fresh fruits and vegetables have been sold. Best way to get the best selection is to come early. If you need more information concerning the Cannon County Farmers Market, contact Bruce Steelman at the Cannon County Extension Office 615-563-2554

The State Of Tennessee Department of Human Services recently announced a policy change regarding the application process through UCHRA’s county offices for families and individuals applying for energy assistance through Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and for emergency assistance through the Community Services Block Grant.For both programs the current contract year which began July 1 2010 and would normally end June 30, 2011 will be extended an additional three months to end September 30,2011. Clients who were served during the July-June period will not be eligible to apply again until October 1, 2011. During the three month period August 1-September 30 applications will be accepted only from eligible households that were not served during the previous 12 month period.
According to the Department of Human Services the reason for the change is that the Federal fiscal year is October 1 through September 30th and funds for these programs are appropriated for that period. DHS feels that planning and coordination of both programs will be improved by aligning the funding with the Federal fiscal year. Anyone having questions regarding the new changes can contact the Cannon County office located at 301 West Main Street Room 302 Woodbury TN 37190 or call 615-563-2916

The Cannon County Lionettes compete in their final basketball camp of the summer at MTSU which runs till Wednesday. Monday the Lionettes basketball team finished 3-0 on the day. They started play again at 9 this morning. Cannon County Lionettes head coach Michael Dodgen has been very pleased with the hard work and the results the Lionettes have gained as a result through these basketball camps this year.

The Cannon County USDA Service Center is hosting the Feds, Farmers and Friend Feed Families Food Drive. USDA has a goal to donate 2 million pounds of food to children and families in need of food. The Cannon County FSA and NRCS offices request that if you are planning on visiting our office for any reason between now and August 31,2011 please donate non perishable items to our food drive.On September 1 2011 they will be donating all food collected to the Center Hill Baptist Church, a Second Harvest Food Bank partner. Center Hill Baptist Church in Smithville provides emergency food boxes for those needing assistance . All Cannon County Donations will be given to families in need in Cannon County

Tonight is Planning Commission Night as the Town of Woodbury’s Planning Commission will meet at 6:00 at City Hall for their regular monthly meeting. Woodbury’s Planning Commission is always the 3rd Tuesday of every month. The Cannon County Planning Commission which meets on the last Tuesday of every month has moved their regularly scheduled meeting up a week for this month to tonight at 7:00 at the Cannon County Courthouse. The public is invited to attend the meetings. This will be the last meetings with Charles Brown who is ending his tenure as Cannon County and Woodbury’s Local Planner

Chancellor Robert E. Corlew, III presided over Cannon County Circuit Court on Monday. Some of the results from the various cases which appeared on the docket included:Amanda Hollis was reset for a violation of probation hearing on August 25, 2011.
Antonette Frattallone was reset for a violation of probation hearing on August 5, 2011.
Brady Cunningham, Brittany Watlington and Deborah Jones were all appointed attorneys and all were reset for violation of probation hearings on August 5th

Controversy over the Administrator of Elections Salary highlighted the monthly meeting of the Cannon County Election Commission Monday night at the Election Administration Offices. Chairman Lindbergh Dennis along with Commission Members Sue Patrick, Jackie Gannon, Louise Mayo and Matt Studd were in attendance. Cannon County Election Adminstrator Stan Dobson also attended the meeting.Administrator Stan Dobson talked about the TACEO Meeting. It is no longer necessary that the Election office purchase the printer for the picture Identification cards as the responsibility will be the Tennessee Department of Safety’s however Mr. Dobson advised that he still wants to purchase the new IPoll computers purchasing one computer for each precinct in the County. He will be able to do so at a package rate but will bring the matter up at another meeting closer to March of 2012.
The commissioners unanimously approved the written guidelines for keeping voter lists current and procedures on purging voter lists.
An ADA accessibility check was conducted at voting precincts during the last election. The Disability Law and Advocacy Center of Tennessee were impressed by the results and they ended up taking a picture of two Cannon County Poll Workers for a brochure dealing with poll worker training tips
Dobson reviewed the policy of felons attempting to register to vote when they apply for a drivers license. The application must be marked void and the office sends a voter appeal request form and rejected reason letter to the person to give them an opportunity to reply.
Commissioner Sue Patrick then brought to the attention to the rest of the commissioners some controversial new business. Commissioner Patrick had been contacted by the County Executive’s Office a couple of weeks ago asking why the Commission had approved an increase in Dobson’s salary. Commissioner Patrick responded by saying that to her knowledge they had not. Commissioner Patrick stated that when the election commission had discussed the budget, as a group they asked Mr. Dobson if the figure that he had presented to them of $54,000 was 90% of the Tax Assessor’s salary in which Dobson acknowledged it was. The original salary was $51,976.00. The administrator of election’s salary is set at 90% of the salary of the Tax Assessor. The Election Commission was in confusion as they had thought that the basis of the $2600 raise was based on an hourly figure vs hours worked a week, when in essence it should have been a flat salary figure regardless of hours worked. It was also unknown at the time Mr. Dobson presented the budget with the salary increase what the tax assessor makes per year. In a meeting with the Cannon County Budget Committee, Mr. Dobson rescinded the raise request. After some more discussion, there was no action taken on the matter and the meeting adjourned.

The Cannon County Cruise ins are back. Saturday the square in Woodburywill come alive as people will be showing off their cars, trucks and
motorcycles. Music will be provided by DJ Trevor Rigsby and Woodbury
Mayor Harold Patrick will MC the event. The Cruise in is back after a one year
hiatus due to the construction around the square last year. There will be
a 50/50 drawing as tickets will be sold for the cash prize. The cruise-in starts at 4:00 in the afternoon
and lasts until 7:00 Saturday night
The event is sponsored by the Town of Woodbury and the Cannon County Chamber Of
Commerce.

People are invited to tour some very nice gardens Saturday morning as theSecret Garden Tour takes place. There are five gardens across Cannon
County to tour. Tickets cost $5 each and can be purchased at the Senior
Center from 7:30 a.m. till 10:30 a.m. The Tour also begins at the Senior
Center where you can also pick up your map. The first 100 people to buy
tickets to take the tour Saturday will recieve a free DVD of the movie
Secret Garden. The tour begins at 8 AM till 11:30 AM with the proceeds going
toward Senior Programs at the Senior Center.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol will be conducting Sobriety Checkpoints Todayon State Route 64 in Cannon County.
Impaired driving is a serious crime that kills more than 16,000 people and
injures 305,000 others every year in the United States. Troppers will
evaluate drivers for signs of alcohol or drug impairment. Troopers will
target those who operate a vehicle while impaired and take corrective
actions for other violations observed while ensuing the protection of all
motorists.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol recognizes that sobriety checkpoints are
highly visible and effective tools in the battle against impaired
driving.