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The Claiborne County Commission approved the application for  a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) of up to $1 million for water line extensions during their regular meeting on Monday.

The grant comes with a 13% match from the county, which would be up to $149,425.

Commissioner David Mundy made the motion for the resolution and said the exact areas for the water line extensions did not have to be specified for the grant application to be filed.

“I spoke to Mitch Lumis from the East Tennessee Development District and he said this was all we needed to pass,” he said. “You’ve got to get out and survey all the people in that area and see how many low to moderate income people live there and you’ve got to have at least 51 percent. You have to go to a place where there are at least 10 houses per mile.”

The resolution was approved 21-0.

Also approved was a resolution confirming the Claiborne County Jail as a workhouse pursuant to TCA 41-2-102 with a jail committee that meets quarterly to determine work release eligibility.

“We are entering into a Tier 1 phase with the state that allows us to obtain more money for each state inmate. The State and TCI has requested that we verify that we do have a jail committee and we meet quarterly, which we do and have been doing for quite some time. This is just to verify and put in the resolution form for us to pass on to the state,” Commissioner Tim Shrout said.

The resolution was approved unanimously.

The commission also approved a $500 donation to both the Claiborne High School and Cumberland Gap High School cheerleaders. Commissioner Sherry McCreary shared that both teams have qualified for Nationals.

In a separate matter, County Mayor Joe Brooks asked the commissioners to consider creating an emergency fund the county could use to help reimburse churches or other organizations who keep their doors open as heating centers during times like the recent cold spell.

“I had several folks ask me what the county could do in that space. We’re not talking about opening up a shelter or a county-run center, but there are nonprofits that are stepping up and filling that void,” he said. “Most recently the Tazewell Church of Christ opened as a shelter.”

He suggested creating an emergency fund to help with any type of disaster the county might have and asked for suggestions on how the funding could be utilized and which department it might go through.

“If we had this in place there are dozens of folks that would write a check to the county to be put into that fund so it could be expended through that fund as a partnership with our area nonprofits,” Brooks said.

He suggested being able to contribute $250 to $500 to any nonprofit that opens as a shelter or warming center during inclement weather.

Munday said the Office of Emergency Management has a $10,000 fund to use in case of emergencies that had been used for disaster relief in the past after tornadoes and flooding.

A resolution is expected for the commissioners to consider at next month’s meeting that would outline the exact circumstances in which such emergency funds could be used.

 

In other business, the commission approved:

 

• The Sheriff’s Office using $45,854 in Mental Health Transportation Funds from the state to purchase a vehicle for transporting inmates. The Sheriff’s Office receives these funds each fiscal year and has saved enough to be able to make this purchase.
• The appointment of Judy Johnson to the Opioid Board.
• A budget amendment for the Veteran’s Service Office to reflect at $950 donation specified to be used for the purchase of flags to be given out to county residents.
• A budget amendment for the County Clerk to reflect $1430 in maintenance agreement charges that were unexpected. Funds were transferred from the Clerk’s general fund balance to cover the costs.
• Four budget amendments for the Board of Education that do not involve the expenditure of local tax funds.
• A budget amendment for the Family Justice Center to reflect at $100 donation.
• Declared old garage tools, equipment and tires at the Highway Department as surplus so they can be sold in compliance with state law.
• The 2025 County Road List as submitted by the Highway Department. The roads totaled 818.85 miles.