County Mayor Joe Carr focuses on Rutherford County, TN:

• After learning the history of the old sycamore tree at the courthouse, an aborist discovered that the sod around the tree was smothering the 1840 plant. It was one of four sycamore brought to the square from the old Miller plantation on the river in 1840. It is also the only survor of the four. The arborist feels that he can add 10-years of life to this historic tree. 
• Working to give SOLID WASTE independence to Rutherford County

           --Dec. 6, 2023 Rutherford County Purchasing Committee putting together bids for the transfer station. 
           --Dec. 8, 2023 Rutherford County will award the bid

           --site work to begin mid-January, 2024
           --March 1, 2025 the transfer station should be open and operable

• Increases in crime:  After last year's $64-million deficit and the property tax increase, Mayor Carr asked the departments to reduce their budgets for the next fiscal year. All departments could do that, except for emergency responders (police, fire, ambulance). As a result of the reduction in other budgets, $25-million was saved by other departments, and is funding additional staff with emergency responders. 
• Update on FORENSIC MEDICAL FACILITY: The county has $900,000 for the design of this proposed facility. Architect Bart Kine and Mayor Carr just met and reviewed the designs. Construction of the facility will be 2024-2025.  It will be located on 17-acres of county property on Weakly Lane and G Street in Smyrna, TN.