Union County Commission closed out its final meeting for 2020 by supporting a couple of changes with huge local impact.
It seems that local cattle producers are enduring a waitlist of 18 to 24 months to get their beef processed.
Commissioner Jeff Brantley brought the issue to Commission's attention and introduced James Acuff, a Grainger County Commissioner and President of Grainger County Cattle Association to explain the issue.

With energy, enthusiasm, and vision, the Union County Farmers Market, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, applied for a Tennessee CARES Act Grant with a very limited window of opportunity.
The vision was for Union County farmers to be able to sell their end-of-season produce as a food product that was produced in a commercial kitchen.

During the mayor's report, Union County Commission received the first visual of the farmers market at the regular October meeting. Mayor Jason Bailey commented that from Highway 33, the building would look like “a big barn with barn doors and the name, Union County Farmers Market.”

“Union County has received the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in the amount of $253,143,” announced Mayor Bailey at the September Union County Commission Meeting.
The CDBG money will be used to purchase a fire engine for the Northeast Union Fire Department. Any remaining funds will be offered to the other fire departments to purchase needed equipment. However, Bailey stated that most likely the amount would just cover the cost of the truck.

At one of Mayor Bailey's early commission meetings, he promised to seek as much funding from grants as possible.
True to his word, he requested acceptance of another state grant, the Tourism Enhancement Grant, for $75,000 with a 5% county match of $3,750, at the August Union County Commission meeting. Commissioners eagerly approved the motion and second by Commissioners Bill Cox and Keck along with multiple seconds.
The grant will build a state-of-the-art outdoor stage at the farmers market to be used for musical performances, including some sponsored by the Union County Opry.

After several meetings and much discussion, the Union County Commission passed a resolution at its May meeting to fund the Union County Chamber of Commerce with the majority of the hotel/motel tax annual revenues. The resolution will give the chamber 80% of the last three years average.

The Union County Commission met on Monday, April 27, in a virtual meeting for some commissioners in order to observe the mandates under Covid-19.
According to Mayor Jason Bailey, work on the Union County FY 2021 Budget is on track to be ready for the Union County Commission meeting on Tuesday, May 26.

At the February meeting, Union County Commission approved a resolution entitled “Resolution Urging Governor Lee and the General Assembly Fund and Begin Construction of Improvements on State Highway 33 aka Maynardville Highway from Knox County Line Northwardly to the Municipal Limits of Maynardville.”
This section of Maynardville Highway is the last one to connect Knoxville and Maynardville with a four-lane highway. The five miles from SR 144 to the Knox County line has been “shovel ready” for several years.

Commissioners Present: Jeffrey Brantley, Danny Cooke, Bill Cox, Earl Cox, Gary England, Dawn Flatford, Kenny Hill, Janet Holloway, Sidney Jessee, Jr., R. L. Jones, Larry Lay, and Becky Munsey
Commissioners Absent: Jeff Chesney, Debra Keck, Joyce Meltabarger and Jody Smith
- Notaries approved: Shannon Brooks, Elbra Davis, Jennifer Helms, Travis Patterson, Sheila Ann Rice, Carrie Elizabeth Rule, Teresa Lynn Satterfield, Barbara J. Williams

This article is an update on the Union County CAG Food Pantry that was discussed at the October and November meetings of the Union County Commission.
At the October commission meeting, several questions arose regarding the Union County Food Pantry’s status as a nonprofit.