From the Director's Desk:
August 17, 2023
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From left are David Connor, Brett Howell, Senator Massey, Charlie Curtiss and Anthony Holt.
Key Legislators + TDOT Commissioner Recognized as 'Infrastructure Champions'
County association directors were able to finally catch up with Sen. Becky Massey, chair of Senate Transportation, to present her with an “Infrastructure Champion Award” for her help in passing the Transportation Modernization Act of 2023. Senator Massey was unable to attend the Legislative Conference in May, when Rep. Dan Howell, chair of House Transportation, and TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley were recognized for their roles.
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2024 Hwy. Election Process Begins For 25 Counties
Election deadlines for the 2024 season in Tennessee are rolling out for 25 counties where highway chief administrative officers are on the ballot. That means certifications are on the minds of incumbents and potential candidates, particularly in the 16 counties where at least one of the parties has called a primary election for March 5, 2024.
The 16 counties holding primaries are: Bedford, Carter, Cheatham, Hamblen, Henderson, Jefferson, Macon, Maury, Montgomery, Overton, Polk, Rhea, Roane, Rutherford, Smith and Trousdale. Petitions are available beginning October 16 and must be received by the Tennessee Highway Officials Certification Board by November 30, 2023, to be considered. The Board will meet between October 16 and December 14 to take action on those applications. December 14 at 12 noon is the deadline to qualify to be on the ballot.
For the remaining 9 counties, petitions are available beginning February 5, 2024. The Board must receive them by March 21. April 4, 2024, is the deadline to qualify to be on the ballot. The Board will begin considering applications between February 5 and April 4, 2024. Counties were neither party has called a primary include: Campbell, Claiborne, Giles, Henry, Humphreys, Lewis, Marion, Moore and Union.
Carter County will hold a mid-term election in 2024 to fill the remaining two years of a term that began in 2022. The incumbent retired, creating the need for the special election.
Please notice that the Certification Board will only consider applications that involve counties holding a March 5 primary election between October 16 and December 14, 2023. Counties without a call for a primary will need to wait until February 5, 2024, to submit an application.
Additional information is available on the TCHOA website, which also includes links to the Tennessee Highway Officials Certification Board website. At its August 5 meeting, the certification board voted to update applications and guidelines to reflect updates needed because of recent changes to state statutes. These sites include the new forms and information, as well as the election calendar set by the Election Coordinator’s Office. Those documents can also be viewed by clicking the buttons below.
If you have any other questions, please give me a call.
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State County Commissioners Association Inviting Hwy CAOs To Regional Meetings
The Tennessee County Commissioner Association (TCCA) is putting out a special invitation to TCHOA members for their annual regional meetings, scheduled across the state starting in early September. The meeting includes a meal and a discussion of key issues of interest to county officials. They traditionally serve as a precursor to the Annual Fall Conference & Trade Show October 18-20 in Hamilton County at the Chattanooga Marriott & Convention Center.
Any interested Highway CAO is invited to bring someone with them. TCCA just asks you to RSVP to me a couple of days before the specific meeting.
You can do that by sending an email to [email protected] or by calling/texting 615-714-2550.
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A number of training opportunities and networking events are being planned as part of this year’s Annual Fall Conference & Trade Show, scheduled October 18-20 at the Chattanooga Marriott & Convention Center.
TCHOA will begin training about 10 am ET on October 18, so plan your hotel accommodations accordingly. In addition to a program about road and bridge management on Wednesday, UT County Technical Assistance Service consultants are scheduled to provide training on basic highway department personnel policies. More exact details on the training will be announced in the next couple of weeks as they are nailed out.
Spouse/Guest Program (Must be registered for the conference as a spouse/guest to attend this program). We are working on a fun trip for spouses. Details to follow!
If you would like to print the reservation form, a pdf version is linked here. We are excited to see you at the upcoming TCSA Fall 2023 Conference in Chattanooga.
Hotel + Lodging Information
TCSA has arranged lodging rates at two separate venues this year to allow for ample lodging at pre-approved rates. The details are as follows:
Marriott (attached to the Convention Center)
2 Carter Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Rate: $159
423-756-0002
Group Name: Tennessee County Services Association
Read House
107 West MLK Blvd
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Rate: $109
423-266-4121, then dial 1.
Be sure to tell the agent that you are booking with Tennessee County Services Association
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Upcoming Events
- September 6: Region 3 Lunch, Williamson County Ag Center
- September 7: Region 1 Lunch, Calhoun's, Gatlinburg
- September 14: Region 2 Lunch, Western Sizzlin, Jasper, TN
- October 18-19: Annual Fall Conference & Trade Show, Chattanooga Marriott & Convention Center
- TCHOA Training begins at 10 a.m. on October 18.
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Thank you for your continued service and support,
Brett
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