http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOlyKNUg3Ho&feature=colike
Three Star Dinner
The first annual Clay County Three Star appreciation dinner was held Thursday evening, October 27th at the Clay County High School cafeteria. The dinner-invitees included all the volunteers who have made a contribution to the Three Star Program, local government officials, and special guests.
After the welcoming by Mayors Dale Reagan and Willie Kerr the keynote speaker, Dr. Susan Elkins, Vice President at Tennessee Technological University addressed the audience of 160 to inform them of a new economic development program administered by Tennessee Tech named TECH-REDI (Regional Economic Development Initiative) and funded by Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). Initially, funding of $500,000 was created for counties in the Upper Cumberland. Dr. Elkins presented the county grants totaling $80,000. (1) $30,000 for the Clay County auditorium project at the fairgrounds for the addition of a kitchen and restrooms. (2) $15,000 to the Northern Plateau Alliance (Clay, Fentress and Pickett Counties) for the new Scenic Byway driving tourism route that begins at the Cumberland Gap on US 25E and traverses eight counties (160 miles) and terminates in Celina. It will enhance year -round tourism traffic for the Clay County area. (3) $15,000 Also to the Northern Plateau Alliance for Tourism to Retirement, a series of television spot commercials on public television station WCTE to provide information to a nationwide audience based on cultural heritage, history and natural beauty, affecting tourism development and possibly attracting a retirement community to these counties on the Northern Plateau. (4) $15,000 for the Upper Cumberland Tourism Campaign to promote awareness of the Upper Cumberland region to more than 1.5 million viewers via WCTE affecting tourism development. (5) $5,000 Clay County Chamber of Commerce facility renovation to include media systems equipment and an awning.
Ray Norris, Director of the Chamber then informed the audience that the Celina/Clay County Joint Industrial Development Board had reached agreement with the V&F Transformer Company located in Bartlett, IL to locate a manufacturing presence in the former Hevi-Duty factory in Celina. Further, Norris introduced Dean Foderaro, co-owner , Vice President and CFO of V&F to speak. Mr. Foderaro explained that V&F had reached their capacity in the Bartlett plant as they had grown substantially during the recession and fully expect to continue their growth as their backlog had grown significantly and wanted to begin relocation in December. He further noted that V&F management was very much impressed with the opportunity in Clay County and will likely build a home here also. He also stated that Mr. Travis Cherry, a former Hevi Duty employee will be the manager at the Celina plant and that they have already begun interviewing/selecting a core group of employees who will spend several weeks at the Bartlett facility to learn the product and processes that V&F will be using after relocating to the Celina facility in order to train the additional new employees that will be hired for production here.
The final speaker, Dr. Doug Young, Clay County Three Star Co-Chair recognized all the Three Star Committee Members and participants. He then reviewed the progress made by in Clay County over the past two years including the new $5 million Proctor Creek bridge and related improvement of Highway 52 from the Cumberland River Bridge to Walker Hill, the $55 million Corridor J project which will create a new four lane highway from the Overton/Clay County line and feed into the Brown Street and Highway 53 intersection, the new Celina city hall facility just recently finished, the new addition to the Community Center to house a new courtroom as well as new offices for county court clerk, improvements made to water lines extension for Clifton Rich Road, Hogan Road and Chilton Road residents, improvements have made to the State Highway 294 in the Willow Grove area, September sales tax collections up for Clay County 5.6% over September of last year, resurfacing of State Highway 53 to the Kentucky state line, resurfacing old highway 53, resurfacing several city street including East Lake Avenue, construction of a new city hall, construction of a new Headstart Center, remodeled the health department building, remodeled the Chamber of Commerce, newly installed HVAC system for the Clay County Schools($130,000 grant), and replaced old water and sewer lines along with new water meters.
The co-sponsors of the dinner were Macon Bank & Trust and Twin Lakes Telephone Cooperative Corporation. Decorations were provided by Joey’s Flowers and Gifts. Servers were members of the Clay County High School Leo Club. The Chamber also wants to thank the many Three Star volunteers for the 100’s of hours participating in bringing progress and growth to the county. Anyone interested in participating in the Three Star activities may contact the Chamber of Commerce for information.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Clay County Receives Grants from TECH-REDI
COOKEVILLE, TN (10/27/2011)—Leaders in Clay County recently received a grant from TECH-REDI, the Regional Economic Development Institute at Tennessee Tech University, to support local projects designed to increase the economic development and quality of life in the region.
· Clay-Chamber of Commerce Renovation
The Chamber’s major goals include growing community participation and leadership development. These goals have been demonstrated by at least a dozen committees and boards utilizing the conference room on a regular basis. The grant will fund the completion of two of the unfinished areas and will make the Chamber impressive to business and industry prospects, as well as tourist and local citizens involved with economic development.
· Clay-Community Auditorium Project
A community auditorium will be available to serve not only the population of Clay County but also the population of the region. The auditorium will bring an immediate benefit to the 8,000 citizens in Clay County with additional benefit to the Upper Cumberland. Clay County Government and the Clay County Fair Board have already invested more than $130,000 in this project with the purpose to provide the county with additional resources for economic and cultural growth along with vast improvement in quality of life.
· Scenic Byway (Clay, Pickett, Fentress, and Overton)
The Northern Cumberland National Scenic Byway initiative will promote the Cumberland Plateau as an eco-heritage tourism destination that begins at the at the Cumberland Gap on U.S. Highway 25E and traverses eight counties (160 miles) and terminates in Celina. It will enhance tourism traffic through Clay, Fentress, Overton, and Pickett Counties virtually year round that is unrelated to the boating/fishing industry or the calendar.
· Tourism to Retirement (Clay, Pickett, & Fentress Counties make up the Northern Plateau Alliance)
Currently, Clay, Pickett and Fentress are three of the most economically depressed counties in Tennessee. In addition to promoting awareness of the region, the underwriter spot will provide an opportunity for public television station WCTE to provide information to a nationwide audience based on cultural heritage, history and natural beauty, affecting tourism development and possibly attracting a retirement community to these counties on the Northern Plateau.
· The Upper Cumberland Tourism Campaign
This project will promote awareness of the Upper Cumberland region to more than 1.5 million viewers. The tourism campaign will provide an opportunity for WCTE to provide information to a wide spread audience based on cultural heritage, history and natural beauty, affecting tourism development.
“Our mission supports a special commitment to enriching the lives of people and communities in the Upper Cumberland region,” said Susan Elkins, TTU’s vice president of Extended Programs and Regional Development. “Our grant recipients share our same commitment to helping to make the Upper Cumberland a better place to live, work and play.”
TECH-REDI’s mission is to leverage TTU resources to facilitate efforts of federal, state and local governments as well as private industry to enhance the economic environment in the Upper Cumberland and surrounding region.
Opportunities for program development span several areas including community infrastructure, education and training, energy, entrepreneurships and business development, asset-based development, export and trade development, health, leadership, telecommunications, tourism, and transportation and highways.
For more information about TECH-REDI, contact Dennis Tennant at 931-372-3300.
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