The Bradley County Commission decided Monday to delay action on a decision on the long-debated issue of handling animal control services in the county.
Commissioner Thomas Crye, who has been serving on an animal services ad hoc committee, recommended two possible actions.
One would be to spend $240,000 per year with the SPCA continuing to operate a county animal shelter and the sheriff's office handling animal pickup.
A second plan would be to spend $230,000 for the SPCA to both operate the center and pick up the animals.
Commissioner Bill Winters added a third option - pay the city of Cleveland $300,000 per year to handle the whole operation.
Vice Chairman Jeff Yarber said it was an issue that needed discussion at a work session - rather than at Monday's voting session.
The commission voted 13-1 to allow rezoning of a tract at 4896 Lee Highway at McDonald, Tn., for a new Dollar General Store.
A number of nearby residents were in the audience in opposition, and they said they had gathered the names of a number of other people who disfavored the zoning change.
The residents cited traffic concerns and said they wanted to keep the rural character of that section.
Commissioner Dan Rawls cited the freedom of the property owner to sell his or her property to anyone he or she pleases.
Other commissioners noted there is a Quik Stop nearby and that an adjacent parcel being used by Dollar General is already zoned commercial.
Only Robert Rominger was in opposition, noting he had received a number of calls from residents.
Vice Mayor Yarber said a number of Bradley residents were already driving to Ooltewah's commercial district in Hamilton County.
Commissioners praised Dr. Linda Cash, school director for the Bradley County Schools, for her performance thus far.
Commissioner Crye said in the past he had been dismayed by a lack of textbooks, while the travel budget was high.
He also said most of the Bradley schools are old and it was "a disgrace" that students at Lake Forest Middle School will be getting into a new academic building in 2018 at the earliest.
Dr. Cash said she is working on improving traffic safety outside Walker Valley School.
She also said an upcoming program at Bradley Center High will focus on character based on a book by former football coach Tony Dungey.
Commissioner Charlotte Peak-Jones said one road in the Second District had the ditch widened so much that the shoulder was eliminated. She said, sure enough, there was a wreck on Sunday.
Commissioner Terry Caywood said an operator on Highway 60 pushed dirt and other debris into a ditch, clogging it up.