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Kingsport Model City 101 class

Building relationships key to identifying, retaining emerging municipal leaders

As nearly half of the government workforce nationwide is expected to retire within the next four years, many municipalities are facing the task of identifying the right employees to take over...
Herb Byrd at IPS Block Party

Byrd reflects on IPS career, future of government leadership

Dr. Herb Byrd III retires on Sept. 30 after a decade in his current role as vice president of the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service (UT-IPS), and a total of 40 years of service to...
TVA drone

Drone policies must balance privacy, innovation as use grows

As drone use increases by the public, governments, and private businesses, state and local policies around drone usage are being shaped by a debate. The protection of personal privacy and data is up...
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News Across Tennessee

Elizabethton opens new park funded through donation from Vietnam veteran

Elizabethton officials and local residents gathered to open a new city park made possible through donations from a late city resident. Sandra Renee Greene Park is a new 1.3-acre park with a fenced-in playground along the city’s Mill Race Linear Path and was made possible through donations from late...

Goodlettsville dedicates park in honor of late mayor

The family of late Goodlettsville Mayor John Coombs joined city staff and community members to dedicate the park next to Goodlettsville City Hall in his honor. Coombs was elected to the Goodlettsville City Commission in 2006 and was elected mayor by his fellow commissioners in 2012, 2014, and 2016...

Lebanon cuts ribbon on downtown park renovation

Lebanon officials and community members gathered to cut the ribbon on the newly renovated Downtown Square Park. Including a green space, concert stage, and seating area, the new space allows for more events for the community and downtown merchants. Lebanon’s historic downtown square dates back to...

Siemens to expand Rockford operations

Siemens Healthineers Molecular Imaging officials announced the company is expanding its manufacturing operation in Rockford. The company will invest $43.6 million and create 90 new jobs in the next five years at the facility, which houses Siemens Healthineers Molecular Imaging’s PET Detector Center...

Sam Dong to expand Rogersville facility

Sam Dong officials announced the company will create 22 jobs and invest $13.5 million to expand its operations in Rogersville. The expansion will increase the company’s production capacity of enamel and Continuously Transposed Conductors lines (CTC). Sam Dong is a world-leading manufacturer of high...

First-of-its-kind nuclear facility in Clinton receives permit

The state’s first-ever fusion-specific byproduct material license has been issued to Clinton’s Type One Energy in preparation for a new commercial fusion project in the area. The license is also the first issued under a first-of-its-kind regulatory framework for nuclear fusion machines put in place...
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People

NLC honors Kluth for years of service

Debbie Kluth and Anthony Haynes

TML Director of Corporate Sponsorship and Conference Expo Debbie Kluth has been honored by the National League of Cities (NLC) with an award for 25 years of service. 

Kluth was presented with NLC’s John G. Stutz Award for her contributions made to the advancement of municipal government through...

McKinley transitions to TML's Director of Corporate Enagement and Member Benefits

Kelly McKinley
Kelly McKinley

Kelly McKinley will serve as the Tennessee Municipal League’s (TML) Director of Corporate Engagement and Member Benefits, transitioning to the role from her current position as Director of Digital Strategy. 

McKinley began the new role on Sept. 1, 2026, and will be responsible for  TML’s corporate...

Jacky Cagle

Jacky Cagle
Jacky Cagle

Jacky Cagle, longtime East Ridge City councilmember, died Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, at the age of 78. Cagle spent 44 years in service to the city, both on the city council and as a city employee. He joined the city’s vehicle maintenance department in 1976, working his way up to supervisor before...

J. Blake Anderson

J. Blake Anderson
J. Blake Anderson

J. Blake Anderson, the longest-serving municipal judge in the city of Jackson’s history, died Sept. 5, 2026, at the age of 71. Anderson was first elected municipal judge for the Jackson City Court in 1996, serving until his death. A Jackson native, he earned his bachelor’s degree in political...

Carrier named MTAS executive director

Angie Carrier
Angie Carrier

Angie Carrier has been named the executive director of the University of Tennessee’s Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) after serving as interim executive director since October 2025.  

Carrier began her permanent role on Sept. 1, 2026.  

“After conducting a search and considering several...

Tim Dockery

Tim Dockery
Tim Dockery

Tim Dockery, longtime parks and recreation director for Newport, died unexpectedly Aug. 28, 2026, at the age of 64. A Newport native, Dockery attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga before taking his first role with the South Pittsburg Parks and Recreation Department. He then returned to...
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State Briefs

TNECD unveils QUBIT program

The Tennessee Department Economic and Community Development (TNECD) has announced the launch of the Tennessee Quantum Utilization Buildout Infrastructure and Technology (QUBIT) Grant Program, housed under TNECD’s Office of Innovation. The program will allocate $43 million to support the physical and...

Tennessee sees larger than average inflation in cost of basic needs, income

Approximately 41% of Tennessee households struggled to afford basic needs in 2024, according to a new report on affordability in the state from the Sycamore Institute. The non-partisan public policy research center recently published the report looking on financial affordability and hardships in...

Tennessee one of nation's fastest growing states

Tennessee had the tenth fastest-growing population in the nation between 2024 and 2025, according to a new SmartAsset study Using U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the study found Tennessee’s population increased by 0.88%, adding nearly 64,000 residents year-over-year. South Carolina was the topped rank...

Tennessee to receive $751.92M from Meta lawsuit

Tennessee is one of 47 states, along with Washington, D.C., and three U.S. territories that will share in a landmark $17.1 billion settlement with Meta Platforms, Inc., over addictive features that...

Tennessee July 2026 unemployment lowest in two years despite economy shedding 400 jobs

Tennessee recorded its lowest unemployment rate in two years in July 2026. The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development reported a 3.4% unemployment rate, down from 3.5% in both June...

Tennessee state budget $418.2M above estimates for July 2026

Tennessee revenues exceeded budgeted estimates for the month of July with Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Jim Bryson reporting total July tax revenues were $2.2 billion, $418.2 million more than the budgeted estimate and $337.8 million more than July 2025.  

The total tax growth...
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TML Updates