Overton County Executive-Elect Austin Dodson preparing to officially assume his new leadership role this week following a series of state-level administrative training sessions.
Dodson has spent the week attending the state’s mandatory County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) orientation classes at the Association of County Mayors Annual Conference in Murfreesboro. Dodson said the onboarding process helps incoming local leaders understand the day-to-day operations of county government.
“Mayors from across the state have been joining us together down at CTAS and Murfreesboro,” Dodson said. “We’ve been learning a lot down there about how county government works, the ins and outs of the day-to-day operations, and it’s been a great resource for me and for the people of Overton County.”
Dodson makes the transition into public office from a specialized background in healthcare, previously serving as an intensive care unit registered nurse and a licensed nurse practitioner. At 30 years old, the Rickman native stands as the youngest elected county executive actively serving across the entire state of Tennessee.
“I think for my administration, I want people to see me as an honest leader, a transparent leader that’s going to hold [himself] accountable and to the highest standard, and that’s what I will expect of everybody that works with Overton County government.”
Dodson said navigating the legal complexities of state guidelines stands as a primary challenge when initially stepping into the executive office. Dodson said he intends to work closely with the county attorney to review historical local policies and ensure all upcoming committee appointments strictly match the active Tennessee code.
“The challenges to going into office, of course, are just making sure that you are diligently following Tennessee law,” Dodson said. “And Tennessee law is historically pretty vague, but we have great leadership with our attorney to make sure that we are following the law whenever I start appointing these committees and stuff. And that’s going to be a great start for Overton County to make sure we’re going to start back from the basics on everything, making sure that we’re following policy and procedure, but also make sure our policies and procedures match Tennessee code, and that’s going to be a big part of it. And I think starting from scratch, that’s not always a bad thing because you know where you started.”
Dodson said a primary focus of his transition period involves building direct working relationships with the existing departmental staff throughout the county government. Dodson said gaining the trust of active public servants represents a critical foundational baseline required to move local government initiatives forward collaboratively.
“Just getting to know the people that work in Overton County that work directly with the county executive’s office and the department heads to make connections and to gain the trust of the people who work in Overton County,” Dodson said. “That’s a big part of the job is to gain the trust and make some working relationships, that way we can move the county forward together.”
Dodson said the operational guidance provided by state onboarding leaders ensures that municipal administrations protect regional financial assets. Dodson said utilizing these structural tools helps county executives maintain administrative oversight and ensure every single local tax dollar is spent as efficiently as possible.
“These are the leaders that will guide every county mayor across the state of Tennessee and it’s a great resource tool for all the county mayors,” Dodson said. “It’s the CTAS, and they give recommendations to county mayors to ensure that we are providing leadership that’s consistent with law and that will be a great benefit and resource to make sure that every tax dollar is being spent efficiently, also.”
Dodson will officially take the oath of office this Friday at noon at the County Services Building in Livingston.
