When Mayor Jason Bailey was elected in 2018, Historic Union County interviewed him, and he stated his aim to promote everything positive about Union County.
In a recent interview, Bailey was asked to revisit our previous article, which can be found at historicunioncounty.com/article/mayor-bailey-looks-ahead, for an update.
Parks and Recreation:
Bailey believes “Parks and recreation are a huge part of the county.”
To improve parks and recreation in our community, lawn care and maintenance has been addressed more frequently at Wilson Park. The county owns three acres of land behind the park that the mayor is eyeing for possible walking trails. The farmers market is getting covered spaces next to the high school (you may have seen the construction from the road). The Sharps Chapel playground received new equipment thanks to a grant. There are several other ideas but these things take time and rely heavily on grant money.
Town Hall/District Meetings:
When asked about how well he had implemented his plan to have meetings in every district (to find the greatest needs and give updates), Bailey stated that this has yet to be where he wants it. He has had the chance to partner with the sheriff’s neighborhood watch meeting in the Sharps Chapel area (3rd District). When speaking about that meeting, Bailey stated, “Yes, it went really well. Folks are always happy to get information and you know of course if they have any questions, I always try to answer them.”
He had planned to continue moving forward with town hall meetings when COVID-19 hit and stalled his plans. He says he continues working towards the goal of having meetings in every district.
High Speed Broadband Internet:
Bailey stated in a recent interview that “internet access should be a utility,” and in the 2018 interview, said getting high speed internet “has to happen in order for us to grow.”
Portions of Union County have access to high speed internet, while many other areas do not. Powell Valley Electric Cooperative recently received a grant to install fiber optic cable for high speed access throughout Sharps Chapel. It will take time. As for the other areas, the need for better internet access to maintain virtual teaching during COVID-19 will help to speed things up for Union County.
Highway 33 and 61 Improvements
The Highway 33 project has been funded and Bailey says “to expect to see construction begin in six months or less.” So, make sure to leave a few minutes early if you plan to travel on Highway 33 between Maynardville and the Knox County line. Currently, addressing right-of-way issues and moving utilities are underway.
For Highway 61 east of Highway 33, the engineering process has begun as well. These changes will be a “realignment” from David Drive to Tater Valley Road and some “miscellaneous safety improvements” from north of Archer Road through Luttrell to south of Jim Town Road.
Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT):
This project is still in the beginning stages but Union County was able to secure a grant of $50,000 which will go towards purchasing equipment for evening classes in cosmetology, nursing, and auto mechanics in the high school. Bailey says, “the best way to start is to start small and build from there.”
New Jail/Justice Center
A new jail/justice center is a very pressing need in Union County and it is something that Bailey and his team are working towards. There is now a jail committee that has held several meetings with architects who specialize in building jails. Union County is also looking at purchasing land—a new budget may allocate more money for this since the high school was paid off this year. Half a million has already been set aside for this ‘Big Undertaking.’
“Thankfully though, we do have a certified jail. The ADA compliances that we failed to meet in previous years are being addressed. Every year there is a meeting to identify issues and make a plan to fix them,” says Bailey.
County Finances:
Bailey is excited about the state of the current county finances. The high school was paid off, therefore a “savings account” exists where funds are set aside to allow for items that come up so taxes do not have to be raised (that is one of the ways he’s trying to be proactive and not reactive).
In the last approved budget (July 1), the commission decided to give the chamber 80 percent of the hotel/motel tax for projects such as Thunder in the Park—the funds already given for that event were not included in the new decision and were given to commission from the county. There has not been a commission meeting since before the cancellation of Thunder in the Park, so the decision about the use of those funds has not been made.
Bailey says that he’s “Really proud of Union County because of how all the departments are working together and getting things accomplished.”
New Website:
A new website for the county can be found at unioncountytn.gov.