Clay Increasing Occupancy Tax After Advice From Consultants
Clay County will increase its hotel occupancy tax by 1.5 percent as the county searches for ways to maximize revenue. Clay County Mayor Dale Reagan said the tax was set at 2.5 percent in 2009. Reagan said he projects that the increase to four percent will generate an additional $70,000 a year for the county. […]
Clay County Jail Project Likely To Go Out For Rebid In Early ’24
Sheriff Brandon Boone said Clay County will likely to restart the bidding process for the construction of its new jail at the beginning of the year. This will be the second time the construction of the jail has been out for bid. The first time the bid came in $11 million over budget. Boone said […]
Clay County School Board Approves First Reading Of New Policies From TSBA
The Clay County Board of Education discussed a set of policy changes from the Tennessee School Boards Association during their Thursday meeting. Chairman Benji Bailey said there was a total of six policy changes which included five revised policies and one completely new one. Bailey said the all of the changes came from the TSBA […]
ClayPAC Showcasing New Performance Center With Event Saturday
The Clay County Performing Arts Center will be hosting its first show Saturday since renovations with an Open Mic Night. Historic Courthouse Curator Thomas Watson said about half of a $85,000 Tennessee Arts Commission grant went toward turning the upstairs of the courthouse into a performance center. New windows, a stage curtain, sound reducing blackout […]
Clay Museum To Upgrade Facilities With State Maintenance Grant
Improvements to the floor and updated restrooms are on the way to the Clay County Museum, thanks to a $95,000 grant from the Tennessee State Museum. Museum Board President Beverly Hollifield said the museum improvements are much needed. “We are in a depressed area of the Upper Cumberland, so even though we’re 100 percent non-profit, […]
Author, Grammy Nominee Silas House Talks Rural Life During Tech Visit
Best selling author Silas House talked about growing up in a rural area and using that experience to craft fiction during a visit to Tennessee Tech Thursday night. House has written six novels, four plays and has written numerous articles some of which for the New York Times. He can also add Grammy Nominee to […]
Clay Director of Tourism Says Region Can Do More With Scenic Byway
Clay County’s Director of Tourism said the region has an opportunity when it comes to Scenic Byway tourism. Director of Tourism Beverly Murphy attended training last week at Paris Landing State Park. She said her biggest takeaway was that the region needed to do more to promote the Cumberland National Scenic Byway. She said the […]
Clay Receives Grant From Tennessee First Lady For Hermitage Springs Park
Clay County will receive a grant to build a playground through Tennessee First Lady Maria Lee’s Tennessee Serves program. Lee started Tennessee Serves, a charity that focuses on serving economically distressed communities. Director of the Chamber of Commerce Doug Young applied for the grant. Young said the grant would build a 3,000-square foot playground in […]
Clay County Bid For New Jail Came In $11 Million Over Budget
Clay County back to the drawing board after bad news from a lone bidder on the jail project. Three contractors came out to assess building the jail but only one put in a bid. The bid came in at $11 million dollars over the county’s budgeted $7.5 million. County Mayor Dale Reagan called it unpleasant. […]
Jerry Short Hired As Clay-Jackson Veterans Services Officer
Jerry Short beginning work as the Veterans Services Officer for Clay and Jackson Counties. The role helps veterans figure out what benefits they may qualify for. Short said his experience trying to file for his own benefits is what inspired him to pursue the role. He said the process is complicated, and it is easy […]
