It is an honor and a privilege to continue to serve the citizens of Warren County as County Executive.  With my second term of office in full swing, my commitment to represent the people of our county with dignity and respect has not diminished.  I invite you to call or stop by my office any time I can be of assistance to you.

In an effort to remain informed about local government issues and to maintain certification as a Certified Public Administrator, I regularly attend workshops and training sessions provided by the University of Tennessee County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS).  Statutory changes in local government operations are presented at these sessions, making them critical to the decision-making process of local legislative bodies.  

My office maintains open lines of communication with local, state and federal officials.  We have an excellent working relationship with Representatives Charlie Curtiss and Judd Matheny, and we look forward to establishing the same working relationship with Ms. Janice Bowling, Warren County’s new representative in the state senate.  I work personally with our state legislators to research statewide legislation that could positively or negatively impact our county and region.  Likewise, the staffs of our U.S. Senators and Congressman are readily available to discuss any federal legislation which holds the potential to directly affect our citizens or our state and local governments.

Warren County has a reputation for supporting and helping its own when needs arise.  In addition to the large number of churches, community organizations and private individuals that always stand ready to lend a helping hand, there are other local and regional service agencies that provide resources.  The shared goal of these providers and contributors is to ensure that the essential basic needs of the families of Warren County are supplied.

Education remains a top priority of my administration.  The impressive resources available in Warren County are evidence of the importance of education to our community.  Public and private schools serve students in grades PreK-12.  Recently completed construction projects include expansion and renovation at Dibrell Elementary School and new construction at Morrison Elementary School.  Both schools are now fully operational and they represent a significant financial investment into the academic success of our children. 

Advanced technical training is available at the Tennessee Technology Center.  Associate and bachelor degrees may be obtained through Motlow State Community College.  The newly-implemented Mechatronics Program at Motlow prepares students for highly-skilled positions in the industrial environment.  The local Mechatronics Program, one of only two programs of its type in the State of Tennessee, has proven to be very successful and boasts a 100% job placement rate for students who have completed the program.

 Two scholarship fund programs have been established to encourage local students of all ages to further their educations.  The GED Scholarship Program covers the cost of GED testing for Warren County students who have completed preparation for their high school diploma equivalency tests but are unable to afford the cost of testing.  The Citizens for Progress Scholarship Program (CFP), a “last-dollar” scholarship program, is available to qualifying local seniors.  The CFP scholarship provides students the opportunity to attend Motlow or the Technology Center for two years tuition-free. Both the GED and CFP Scholarship Programs receive funding from business and private donations. 

Growth of established industry and recruitment of new industry is key to the economic vitality of our county.  Long-time industrial residents such as Jarden/Oster, Yorozu Automotive, Bridgestone, and Morrison Tool & Fab consistently maintain high employee enrollment.  The stability of established industries—along with evidence of the growth of younger industries—indicates a positive outlook for future employment opportunities. 

Activity within the Mountain View Industrial Park continues to steadily increase, most recently with the start-up of manufacturing in the second speculative building which is leased to Wisconsin-based Miniature Precision Components (MPC).  Employment projections for MPC have escalated and bids have been awarded for expansion of the MPC facility to accommodate the company’s growth in Warren County.  Bids have also been awarded for construction of a third speculative building.

It is very encouraging to note that the September 2012 unemployment rate for Warren County was 8.6% as compared to the September 2011 rate of 10.3%.  This indicates a 1.7% improvement within the past year.  Sales tax revenues in Warren County are tracking to result in a significant increase for 2012.  These numbers lead me to believe that our county is beginning to rebound from the economic challenges we have faced in recent years.  As we continue to experience positive progress, I am thankful for the opportunity to work with you to make Warren County the best it can be.