Cleveland Grimes
Cleveland Grimes, the longtime executive director of the Hamilton County Water and Wastewater Treatment authority, died unexpectedly on Tuesday night. He was 58.
Mr. Grimes collapsed in his yard earlier Tuesday and was taken to Northpark Hospital, where he later died, it was stated.
Phone calls for the WWTA on Wednesday were being taken by a county employee from another office.
The WWTA had been under fire recently with some local legislators considering abolishing it.
County Commissioner Tim Boyd had been holding a series of community meetings getting public comment about the WWTA.
Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger said, "I am deeply saddened by the unexpected passing of Cleveland Grimes. Cleveland was an outstanding public servant who worked in one of the most difficult jobs in Hamilton County. A large part of the growth and development of Hamilton County is due to Cleveland’s unwavering dedication to this community and his commitment to always doing the right thing at the WWTA.
"We have lost an important member of the community. I have lost a good friend. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this extremely difficult time."
At the start of Wednesday morning's County Commission meeting, Chairman Chester Bankston asked for a moment of silence relating to the Grimes passing.
Chairman Bankston said, "I'm totally shocked. I'm really going to miss him."
Several commissioners agreed with the county mayor that Mr. Grimes had "the toughest job in the county."
Commissioner Boyd said he was canceling a planned community meeting on the WWTA "out of respect" for the departed official. It had been set for Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at Red Bank City Hall. He said, "Our prayers go out to the Grimes family."
County Commissioner Joe Graham said Mr. Grimes would always take his calls courteously, including on Tuesday, which was a day off for him. He said Mr. Grimes "died far too young."
Commissioner Greg Beck said he had worked many years with his brother, and Commissioner Warren Mackey said he had worked with his wife at Chattanooga State.
Commissioner Beck said, "He had a tough job, but he handled it with grace and kindness. He did one hell of a job out there."
County Mayor Coppinger said, "I was totally shocked to get the phone call last night. He was more than just a friend and a colleague to me."
He called Mr. Grimes "a man of integrity. If he told you something, he would do it. There were a lot of things he couldn't do. But he did an outstanding and unbelievable job with the limited resources he had."
County Mayor Coppinger said during the Grimes tenure at WWTA "the regulations kept shifting. The goal post kept moving."
He said, "People just had to keep being critical of Cleveland Grimes. Though he was the most knowledgeable person, he was criticized constantly.
"The only thing I regret is that I didn't speak out more in his behalf."
County Mayor Coppinger said he told Mr. Grimes he did not have to go to community meetings about the WWTA. He said he told him, "Send your lawyer. The defamation of your character is going on here."
Mike Moon, WWTA chairman, said, "On behalf of the employees and board of directors of the WWTA, I am shocked and saddened to announce the sudden passing of Cleveland T. Grimes. Cleveland was the Waste Water Treatment Authority’s Executive Director, and more importantly, he was a friend to the board and to the entire 28-member staff of the WWTA who he considered his family.
"We will miss Cleveland in so many ways, most significantly, his laugh that echoed throughout the hallways of our offices assuring everyone no matter what the crisis of the day was, everything was going to be all right. This is such a professional and personal loss. Cleveland was an inspiring leader, who was always positive, always optimistic, unfailingly polite and always committed to doing the right thing in a very, difficult job. He was truly the consummate professional.
"Cleveland’s knowledge of the WWTA was encyclopedic, dating back to the Authority’s inception in 1991. Cleveland’s institutional knowledge is irreplaceable, as is his ability to work with homeowners, businesses and politicians on state and federal levels. He was also widely respected by his peers and the regulatory community. It seems incomprehensible that Cleveland will not be here tomorrow to lead us forward helping Hamilton County’s growth and development as he has for so many years.
"Cleveland’s passing is a devastating loss and we share the grief that his wife Mary Knaff Grimes and his children Ryan Grimes and Julian Cleveland Grimes are now dealing with. Cleveland and his family are in our thoughts and prayers and Cleveland will remain forever in our hearts."
Cleveland Grimes posed recently with staff members