Speaking at the January 22nd Washington County Commission meeting, Mayor Joe Grandy told commissioners that 2023 was a very productive year as he listed some of the year’s highlights.
He said that the new Jonesborough Elementary School was a huge accomplishment and called it “the most cost-effective school the County has put together.” Grandy said, “This commission stepped up and it was a great decision.”
The now-lighted Boones Creek Athletic complex, which is a County owned athletic facility and not a school facility, will provide tremendous athletic opportunities for all citizens in the County. “Our next big decision is who will manage the fields,” Grandy said. “It has a full track, soccer complex, softball and baseball fields with turf infield and grass outfield that makes it suitable for play in most weather conditions.”
November 29 marked the two-year anniversary of the first shovel of dirt in the joint waterline project between Washington County and the Town of Jonesborough. The Water Task Force organized and completed 13 water line extension projects. “55,000 feet of waterline have been installed by our team ahead of schedule and hundreds of people who previously had no access to municipal water are now served with safe drinking water,” Grandy said.
213 net new jobs were brought into Washington County from EBM-Papst, Crown Laboratories and LPI, Inc. Two pad-ready sites have been created on 37-acres at the Industrial Park. Grandy said the County will be closing on an additional parcel for EBM-Papst soon. Sungwoo has made significant expansion to their building, providing opportunity to ramp up to 400 jobs at that location. “The road extension is in place, water and sewer lines are in and paving crews will work in March,” Grandy said.
The Appalachian Producers Coop has broken ground. Concrete will be poured in the next few weeks.
The first Washington County 101 took place, hosting the maximum number; 20 folks, who took part in the 4-week course. They saw a glimpse of what the county is all about. Fourteen of the 20 participants have lived here less than five years.
The Northeast Tenn. Recovery Center in Roan Mountain and a women's facility in Johnson City will “give folks in recovery a new start and a new opportunity in life.”
TCAT Project: A satellite version of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Boones Creek will provide workforce development opportunities. With the former round building demolished, the first phase of the renovated school is just one or two weeks from completion. The $7.8 million second phase of the project will house heavy equipment, diesel and welding. “This will be an opportunity for the CTE folks in our local schools to go straight into good paying jobs right after high school,” Grandy said. Some 40-50 county high school students are participating in construction, construction management and nursing programs.
Home Building Boom: Meanwhile, building in Washington County continued to blossom. 380 single family permits were issued with a $120,933,000 value. That’s an increase of 11 permits and 26 million in property value. The average cost per home increased by $62,000 dollars in the past year. The top three builders were: D.R. Horton Homes, Orth Homes and Tucker Home Builders. Just two people performed 6,184 inspections, that’s an increase of 1,158 inspections over the prior year. The County is currently advertising for an additional building inspector. Building permit fees brought in over $500,000 in revenue to the County.
“You have been a very active, engaged commission,” said Grandy, as he addressed commissioners. “Each of you deserves a pat on the back for a job well done.”