Jon Ward Appointed First Cookeville Assistant City Manager
Jon Ward will be Cookeville’s first Assistant City Manager, announced during Thursday’s City Council meeting. City Manager James Mills said the decision to establish the position was not a sudden move but a plan he had considered for at least two years. Ward has served the city for 10 years and will continue his current […]
Cookeville Council Approves 39 Depot Street Master Plan
Cookeville City Council approving a final master plan for the 39 Depot Street project to transform five acres of downtown property into a cohesive park and retail district. The project includes the development of 15 distinct park spaces and a significant realignment of the local street network to improve traffic flow. The plan also addresses […]
Cookeville Establishes First Assistant City Manager Position
Cookeville establishing the city’s first assistant city manager position to help oversee day-to-day operations and represent the city when necessary. City Manager James Mills said the new role will provide support for the management of the city while ensuring a leadership transition plan is in place for the future. “Now, this doesn’t mean that that […]
Mills Receives Raise Following Near-Perfect Evaluation
Cookeville City Manager James Mills received a 3 percent pay increase Thursday following a near-perfect annual performance evaluation. City Attorney Dan Rader said the council conducts confidential evaluations each year to measure the city manager’s performance across several categories. “Last year, Mr. Mills’ evaluation came back at 4.93, and I personally didn’t think he could […]
Agreement To Be Approved To Move Jefferson TVA Tower
Cookeville City Council discussed finalizing a plan to relocate a TVA transmission tower at the intersection of South Jefferson Avenue and Neal Street during Monday’s work session. City Manager James Mills said the state allocation will cover nearly the entire cost of the $759,000 relocation project. Mills said after years of work and requests, the […]
Cookeville Modernizing City Hall To Meet ADA Requirements
Cookeville allocating $40,000 in its new budget for the design and renovation of the City Hall customer service area. City Manager James Mills said the project represents the final phase of a multi-year effort to modernize the municipal building. Mills said the current customer service space remains the only section of the facility that has […]
Cookeville City Council Approves Budget, Worker Raises
The Cookeville City Council approved a $244 million annual budget on first reading during its Thursday meeting. Finance Director Jenni Nisewander said the budget addresses priorities including capital infrastructure, equipment, and employee compensation. Nicewander said the spending plan includes a $2,000 market adjustment for all full-time employees and a merit raise of up to 2 […]
Cookeville Strengthens Enforcement Of Local Hotel Taxes
Cookeville enforcing stricter regulations on hotel and motel tax collections after increasing its authority to collect payments in a timely fashion. City Manager James Mills said the city updated its regulatory codes last year to address instances where certain businesses were not paying the required taxes on time. Mills said the city clerk monitors the […]
City Evaluates Topography Of Church Land For Connector
Cookeville is conducting geotechnical studies on property near the River Community Church to determine the feasibility of a new east-west connector road between South Willow Avenue and Bunker Hill Road. City Manager James Mills said the exploration of the proposed route will eventually help the city create a connection that extends to South Jefferson Avenue. […]
Cookeville Council Advances Oak Avenue Railroad Crossing
The Cookeville City Council moved forward with plans for a new railroad crossing at Oak Avenue Thursday by authorizing a preliminary engineering and design contract with RJ Corman. City Manager James Mills said the Nashville Eastern Railroad Authority and RJ Corman previously approved the city’s request for the crossing to connect Oak Avenue as part […]
