Photo courtesy Odie Wan - Cleveland Daily Banner

News text from the Polk County News

“Yes, it’s safe to say that we’ll meet the April 16 deadline,” said TDOT spokesperson Jennifer Flynn. She added, “We are doing whatever it takes to make that happen.”

TDOT is also working diligently to finish the other projects on Hwy. 64. The second slide is finished with the exception of installing a permanent rockfall protection fence. Maintenance paved the area near the second slide last week.

A meeting was held Monday to determine the next move on completing the improvements to the 15-mph curve.

The emergency contractor working to stabilize and repair damage from the November 10, 2009 rockslide continues to work toward finishing by April 16. Crews are drilling 15’ to 40’ deep holes throughout the face of the rock slope as they prepare to install 2” diameter threaded anchor bolts that will help prevent future slides from occurring. They are maintaining daytime and night time operations to maximize productivity and complete the rock bolting, averaging between 500’ and 600’ of drilling in a given 24 hour period.

Other crews continue scaling the eastern side of the slope’s main slide area to remove any remaining loose rock or debris that could present a hazard for roadway users below. Additionally, crews are removing rockfall debris from the roadway surface, river, river bank, and boat ramp with repairs to the boat ramp scheduled to begin later today. A separate crew began disassembling the 100’ long rockfall fence that was erected above the TVA dam.

With blasting complete, construction crews will continue to work 24-hour schedules to clear the site of debris and perform rock bolting operations. This schedule is expected to continue until the work is complete and the road reopened to traffic.

KNOXVILLE — Twenty-nine county and municipal government leaders have successfully completed the 15th annual Local Government Leadership Program (LGLP) sponsored by the University of Tennessee’s Institute for Public Service (IPS).

UT faculty and private consultants led the three-day, invitation-only program that focused on personal leadership, business etiquette, ethics, diversity and legal issues for local government. The program concluded Nov. 9.

“LGLP gives elected and appointed government officials the opportunity to meet with their peers statewide and discuss innovative ways to solve community problems and learn about effective leadership practices,” said Tom Kohntopp, manager of leadership and executive development programs at IPS.

For more than four decades, IPS has offered leadership programs that promote effective government through creative leadership, managerial effectiveness, professional skills enhancement and lifelong development for leaders and their organizations. IPS has custom-designed programs to assist Tennessee’s government professionals in meeting the challenges of public service.

LGLP participants are nominated by their peers, LGLP alumni or IPS staff. This year, three IPS personnel were invited to participate because of their daily involvement with local government, industry and law enforcement leaders.

“It’s important for our consultants to understand issues facing leaders statewide and to recognize their needs. That knowledge enables IPS to advise government and industry leaders with practical solutions, up-to-date information and technical assistance,” Kohntopp said.

Since its inception in 1991, there have been more than 380 graduates of the Local Government Leadership Program.

Completing LGLP 2007 were:

• James Talley, mayor, Ducktown
• Blake Armstrong, administrative executive, Bolivar
• Jeff Banyas, commissioner, Johnson City
• Cindy Benefield, trustee, Lawrence County
• Gene Bollinger, sheriff, Robertson County
• Bill Brittain, trustee, Hamblen County
• Omer Cox, city councilman, Oliver Springs
• Heather Duncan, circuit court clerk, Coffee County
• Michele Elliott, town attorney, Smyrna
• Ronnie Erwin, alderman, LaVergne
• Debby Francis, manager of accounts and budgets, Putnam County
• Terry Fuller, commissioner, Paris
• William Hayes Jr., mayor, Livingston
• Calvin Hinton, assessor of property, Hardin County
• Mark Lamb, appraiser, Bedford County
• Libby McCroskey, legal consultant, UT County Technical Assistance Service, Nashville
• Romeo Morrisey, program manager, UT Law Enforcement Innovation Center, Oak Ridge
• Gregory Newman, director of parks and recreation, Sweetwater
• JoAnn Parker, commissioner, Etowah
• Gary Petree, training consultant, UT Municipal Technical Advisory Service, Knoxville
• David Robinson, mayor, Selmer
• Gwen Shelton, mayor, Fayetteville
• Donna Simpson, county clerk, Bradley County
• Andrea Smith, highway accounts manager, Franklin County
• Bart Stinnett, director of emergency management/homeland security, Blount County
• Jack Stockton, sheriff, Roane County
• Dennis Waldron, alderman, LaVergne
• Marcy Walker, commissioner, Johnson City
• Sherry Witt, chief deputy, Knox County