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Published on: 06/12/2026

Clarksburg receives Municipal League award for Small Town Progress

City Hall Renovation Clarksburg
Officials and residents with Clarksburg cut the ribbon on the new town hall, which has become an important gathering space for the local community. (Photo by Clarksburg)

With a population of only 379, the town of Clarksburg shows that even the smallest of municipalities can make big progress through collaboration and innovation. 

Clarksburg Gazebo
The gazebo at Clarksburg's town park. (Photo by Clarksburg)

As a result of dedicated efforts by municipal officials to create positive momentum with limited resources, the Tennessee Municipal League (TML) is pleased to present the town of Clarksburg with an award for Small Town Progress. The award will be presented at the 86th Annual Conference of the Tennessee Municipal League (TML) held at the MeadowView Conference Resort & Convention Center in Kingsport, Tenn. 

Classified as an economically-distressed community, Clarksburg had met challenges head-on. When the current board of mayor and aldermen were elected in 2018, they inherited a nearly 20-year-old sewer system that had been poorly managed and was facing financial issues that drew the attention of both the Tennessee State Comptroller and Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation (TDEC) Water & Wastewater Operators Certification Board. 

The system had initially been established to correct deficiency in sewage handling by the K-12 unit school in Clarksburg, which was frequently experiencing sewage seeping above ground during bad weather and would force the school into closure if not remedied. While the sewer system was necessarily, the state of Tennessee requires systems to rely on current sewer revenues from customers to avoid a deficit, and rates are set accordingly to cover expenses. This can be especially challenging in small community with limited revenue. 

Clarksburg Sweetheart Dinner
The new Clarksburg Town Hall has provided a valuable space for community events, such as this Sweetheart Dinner on Valentine's Day. (Photo by Clarksburg)

To meet these challenges, Clarksburg refinanced one of the loans supporting the sewer system at a much reduced rate through the Tennessee Municipal Bond Fund. The city also collaborated with Carroll County on an American Rescue Plan (ARP) grant that addressed critical needs, such as developing an assess management plant and rehabilitating two sewer pump stations critical to wastewater collection. 

Moving forward, Clarksburg has also invested in numerous projects that both beautify the city and improve accessibility. The city installed new welcome signs on both entrances along Highway 22 with new pole banners along the route itself. The city is working to install new and improved street signage citywide. Thanks to fundraising efforts from the mayor, Clarksburg has installed new Christmas lighting that was purchased with no cost to the city. The city was awarded a $940,000 TDOT Multimodal Access Grant to install the first sidewalks in the city.  

One of the biggest projects has been the total renovation and expansion of Clarksburg City Hall, funded through a USDA Rural Development Grant and matching private fundraising efforts. Beyond serving the immediate needs of municipal officials, the new city hall also provides a a community room and kitchen that has become the place in Clarksburg for celebrating birthdays, retirements, baby showers, and other events.  

Clarksburg has also taken steps toward building community trust through transparency. Small enough to know citizens on an individual basis, city officials regularly meet residents where they are as well as keep the city’s website up to date with the latest agendas, meeting minutes, and financial reports.  

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