During a short Bradley County Commission work session meeting Monday afternoon, Commissioner Jeff Yarber recognized Jim Goins, who recently received a Purple Heart for First Responders from the Bradley County Sheriff’s Department. Mr. Goins was injured in the line of duty back in 1986. Addressing the commission he said, “This is an honor for me after all these years. It just shows that I’m not forgotten. I appreciate you all.”
Commissioner Yarber said, “I wanted to make sure Mr. Goins got the long overdue recognition he deserves by recognizing him here today.
” Mr. Goins received a standing ovation.
Commissioner Bill Winters commented on a recent visit to Life Bridges. He said, “I took a Life Bridges tour with Commissioner Terry Caywood. It is a great program and they just received a super grant. The spirit, atmosphere and the service to young people and adults in this community through Life Bridges is a secret that really needs to be told. It’s the best in the state. Mr. Caywood is one of those retired educators that’s full time who does great work in our community with Life Bridges. It was a great tour. The community needs to take great pride in what’s provided there.”
Life Bridges has been helping individuals and families with intellectual and developmental disabilities since 1973 in the Southeast Tennessee region. They became nationally accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) in 1995. Life Bridges offers onsite outpatient healthcare, day treatment, residential, out-patient child and youth mental health counseling, therapeutic foster care, ICF/MR services, intensive case management and vocation and pre-vocational training. The $199,280 Tennessee Housing Development Authority Grant will help with residential expansion.
Bradley County Environmental Officer Joe Renner updated commissioners on the cases he has worked over the past month. He said, “In the month of June, I had 12 new cases open, 85 follow-ups in those new cases and I closed six cases. I spent approximately 120 hours on just environmental issues. There were 23 inspections, two cases from environmental court, two environmental citations and one state citation. Also, I’ve done 26 follow-ups on the old cases from the previous month, so it’s staying pretty busy.”
There were no items placed on the agenda for next week’s voting session.
The finance committee will meet on Wednesday, July 18, at noon in the mayor’s conference room in the post office annex. The veterans committee will meet at the Chamber of Commerce on Thursday at 6 p.m. The Bradley County Commission will hold its next voting meeting next Monday at noon.