Scott County's jobless rate increases, but remains at historically low level
Plus: Mark Kline elected to Tennessee Bankers Association's board of directors, and Oneida joins landfill coalition.
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Since 1904, First National Bank has been a part of Scott County. First National is local people — just like you. Visit fnboneida.com or call (423) 569-8586. (Sponsored content.)
Scott County’s unemployment rate is up in May, but remains below the national average
Scott County’s unemployment rate followed a statewide trend by jumping seven-tenths of a percentage point in May, to 3.8%, according to new data made available Thursday by the TN Dept. of Labor & Workforce Development.
The local jobless rate had dropped to its lowest-ever mark of 3.1% in April. However, increased unemployment rates are commonplace during the month of May, due to the end of seasonal employment in public schools and the influx of new arrivals in the work force. Across Tennessee, increased jobless rates were seen in 92 counties. The unemployment rate decreased in just three counties: Unicoi, Johnson and Cocke — all located in upper East Tennessee.
The unemployment rate increases ranged from as little as a tenth of a percentage point in Clay County to eight-tenths of a percentage point in Chester and Perry counties. Scott County was among the counties with some of the largest unemployment increases, joining Henderson and Weakley counties with an increase of seven-tenths of a point.
Despite the increase, Scott County’s unemployment picture remains largely unchanged. There were 8,653 working Scott Countians in May, according to the Labor Department, down just nine from April’s mark of 8,662. The number of working Scott Countians remains substantially higher than at any point in the post-covid era.
The local work force is estimated at 8,993, up from 8,943 in April.
The state’s lowest unemployment rate in May was Williamson County at 2.6%, followed by Sevier, Rutherford, Cheatham and Wilson counties at 2.7%. Rounding out the 10 lowest unemployment rates were Davidson, Sumner, Dickson, Robertson and Maury counties, at 2.8%.
The state’s highest unemployment rate in May was Hardeman County at 5.0%, followed by Johnson County at 4.9%, Perry County at 4.8%, and Lauderdale and Lake counties at 4.7%. Rounding out the 10 highest unemployment rates were Pickett and Meigs counties at 4.6%, Benton and Clay counties at 4.3%, and Unicoi County at 4.2%.
With the exception of Sevier County, the 10 lowest unemployment rates were all found in the Nashville metropolitan area. The 10 highest unemployment rates were evenly distributed throughout the state.
Scott County’s unemployment rate ranked 57th out of 95 counties, from lowest to highest.
Among neighboring counties, Anderson County’s unemployment rate was 3.2%, Campbell County’s was 3.5%, Fentress County’s was 3.4%, Morgan County’s was 3.8%, and Pickett County’s was 4.6%.
Among the state’s major metropolitan areas, Nashville continued to show the way with a jobless rate of 2.4%, followed by Knoxville at 2.6%, Chattanooga at 2.7%, and Memphis at 3.7%.
The statewide unemployment rate was 3.5% in May. The national unemployment rate was 4.2%.
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Oneida, McCreary County join landfill coalition
ONEIDA | Both the Town of Oneida and McCreary County, Ky. have joined a growing coalition of local governments that is poised to push back against a proposed second landfill at Bear Creek.
By unanimous votes Thursday and Friday, the two governing bodies passed resolutions authorizing participation in the coalition, which the Town of Huntsville has also joined.
Scott County Commission is scheduled to vote on joining the coalition at a special called meeting Monday, and the Town of Winfield will ostensibly consider a similar resolution when its board of mayor and aldermen meets next week.
Additionally, the Town of Oneida has adopted the first reading of an ordinance that would establish overlay zoning requirements for landfills and approved participation in the Jackson Law — though the latter will likely require another vote next month before it is official.
Following a public comment segment that saw several local residents comment in opposition to the proposed landfill — including Ralph Trieschmann, who is the chairman of the town’s industrial development board and owns Timber Rock Lodge adjacent to the property the landfill is planned on — the Oneida board voted on three separate matters regarding the landfill at its Thursday meeting.
All three matters passed by unanimous votes — however, only three members of the board were physically present. Alderman Jeff Tibbals joined the meeting by videoconferencing technology, but state law does not permit official votes to be cast that way. It was later pointed out that opting into the Jackson Law requires a two-thirds vote of the town’s governing body.
Mayor Lori Phillips-Jones said that the matter will be placed on the agenda for the town’s next meeting. That meeting is scheduled for July 17, though Phillips-Jones had indicated earlier that it might be pushed back to accommodate state requirements regarding public notice. A 21-day notice is required before a public hearing can be held regarding the overlay zoning ordinance. The public hearing must be held before a second and final vote on the ordinance can take place.
In response to a question from the audience, Phillips-Jones said it would likely be impossible to schedule a special meeting ahead of the next regular meeting for the purpose of adopting the Jackson Law, due to the same state-mandated public notice requirements.
The Jackson Law — which has also been adopted by Scott County and the Town of Winfield since the landfill issue came to light earlier this year — requires that the local governing bodies give their approval before a privately-owned landfill can be permitted by the state. It is a state statute that dates back to 1989, and was central to Scott County’s efforts to stop the existing Volunteer Regional Landfill at Bear Creek, though a court later ruled against Scott County and ordered that the landfill permitting process be allowed to proceed. Scott County’s participation in the Jackson Law later expired in 2010.
The overlay zoning ordinance passed by the Oneida board was drafted similar to an overlay zoning ordinance that Winfield is in the process of adopting — stating that a landfill cannot be located within one mile of a school or one-half mile of a residence. At the request of Alderman Mark Byrd, however, Oneida’s ordinance was modified to double those distances — two miles from a school or one mile from a residence. The ordinance would also require a landfill to be located on a parcel of property that is at least 100 acres in size.
Finally, the coalition of local governments is an idea born from a meeting of county and municipal mayors two weeks ago. It was at that meeting that government officials decided to band together in their opposition to the landfill. The Town of Huntsville was the first to vote to join the coalition when its board met on June 19. Oneida became the second at Thursday’s meeting, which had been originally scheduled for June 19 but was delayed one week due to the Juneteenth federal holiday.
The resolution passed by Oneida’s board on Thursday was very similar to the one adopted by Huntsville a week earlier. It states that the coalition is in response to questions and concerns about the proposed landfill, and that its efforts will be to “gather and research information and issues related to the proposed landfill developments and to make recommendations to the local governing boards that the coalition believes to be in furtherance of protecting its citizens, lands and water resources…”
The resolution indicates that the coalition may consider employing environmental specialists or legal professionals to research and make recommendations related to the landfill proposal.
One day later, on Friday, the McCreary County Fiscal Court voted to approve its participation in the landfill coalition. Scott County Commission is scheduled to take up the matter at its special called meeting on Monday, and the Town of Winfield’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen will next meet on July 8.
The Town of Oneida will be represented on the coalition by Phillips-Jones and Tibbals.
While similar, there are some minute differences in the three resolutions passed by the respective governments of Huntsville, Oneida and McCreary County.
Huntsville’s resolution stated that the coalition would research and make recommendations “on avenues to pursue in opposition to the new landfill…” The Town of Oneida’s resolution does not use the word “opposition,” though it is otherwise very similar to Huntsville’s resolution. McCreary County’s resolution stated that the coalition will leverage its efforts and resources to ensure that, “The proposed landfill is developed responsibly and sustainably, benefiting all citizens and parties involved.”
At issue is an effort by developers to develop a landfill and a rail transfer station on approximately 700 acres of property owned adjacent to the existing Volunteer Regional Landfill at Bear Creek.
Knox Horner, who is the face of the landfill effort, was present at Thursday’s meeting in Oneida and took the floor briefly to request a meeting with the board. Mayor Phillips-Jones stated that a work session could be scheduled. Like regular meetings, work sessions are open to the public.
The mayor also presented Horner with a list of questions she said the town has about the proposed landfill. She said the questions were in response to a request from Horner’s attorney to the town for information.
Following Thursday’s meeting, Horner released the statement that he had read aloud to the board at the meeting, stating: “There has been a great deal of public comment about our construction of the Roberta II Landfill. We want you guys, and the citizens of Scott County, to know that we are listening and hear your legitimate concerns. We respectfully request to meet with the Mayor and City officials/staff so we can address these concerns with solutions. We are committed to being a good corporate citizen and a contributing member to the Town of Oneida and all of Scott County.”
Check out previous landfill coverage here…
Kline named director of Tennessee Bankers Association
MARCO ISLAND, Fla. | Mark Kline, president of First National Bank of Oneida, has been named to the board of directors of the Tennessee Bankers Association.
Kline was elected to the board at its 135th annual meeting in Marco Island, Fla. earlier this month. He will represent East Tennessee on the board, and was elected to a three-year term. Also elected to three-year terms were John Lancaster of First Freedom Bank in Lebanon, Tenn., and Greg Crihfield of The Lauderdale County Bank in Halls, Tenn., representing Middle and West Tennessee, respectively.
Officers for the 2025-2026 year are Gene Henson, of Trustmark National Bank in Memphis, as chairman; Gay Dempsey, of Bank of Lincoln County in Fayetteville, Tenn. as chairman-elect; and Rob Barger, of First Century Bank in Tazewell, Tenn., as vice chairman.
ICYMI: Plans laid for Firemen’s Fourth celebration
HUNTSVILLE | The Town of Huntsville’s Firemen’s Fourth Festival will be largely unchanged this year — beginning with the New River Run and ending with fireworks.
Huntsville Mayor Dennis Jeffers said Wednesday that the annual 4th of July festival will see no significant changes from the past several years. It will begin with the New River 5k/10k run and the Huntsville Fire Department’s pancake breakfast fundraiser at 7 a.m.
There will be a number of vendors set up on the courthouse mall in downtown Huntsville throughout the day on Friday, July 4, including multiple food vendors and many others.
“We have a lot of booths and there’ll be a lot of stuff going on,” Jeffers said.
Returning once again this year will be the kids’ carnival, which will occupy the lower end of the mall, or the north end near Baker Highway.
The annual Independence Day parade will again be at night, in keeping with a new tradition that began during the covid era. The lineup for the parade will begin at 6 p.m. on the westbound shoulder of Baker Highway near the First Baptist Church on the east side of town.
Jeffers said the parade route will be the same as last year: westbound on Baker Highway to the courthouse mall, then circling the mall in a reverse direction — meaning it will enter on Court Street and exit on Huntsville Drive. Upon exiting the mall, the parade will turn left and continue west on Baker Highway. This is a change that was implemented last year to help with traffic flow, preventing the parade from having to retrace its steps along Baker Highway to the church.
Though some parade entries will choose to go all the way to Huntsville City Park before disbanding, Jeffers said the parade will be essentially over once it reaches White Rock Baptist Church.
As usual, Huntsville’s firefighters will set off fireworks as dusk descends on the downtown area at 10 p.m. By that point, thousands of people are expected to have gathered on the mall and in the downtown area for what will be the region’s largest 4th of July fireworks show.
The Week Ahead
⛈️ Weather: The week is going to start wet, but it’ll get much better by mid-week, and the weather forecast for the 4th of July looks pretty good (though hot). Check out our daily Eye to the Sky updates on our Facebook page — published each morning at 7 a.m. on the dot.
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📅 Community Calendar
Monday: Ridgeview Behavioral Health Services’ Mobile Health Clinic will be in the Walmart parking lot in Oneida from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering integrated primary care and behavioral health. No insurance is not a problem. Call (866) 599-0466 for more information.
Monday: Huntsville Pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today and every day this week ($3), except Friday. The Oneida Splash Pad is also open.
Monday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out. Phone: (423) 569-5972.
Monday: Scott County Commission will meet in special session at the Scott County Office Building in Huntsville, beginning at 5 p.m.
Tuesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
Tuesday: Pinnacle Resource Center’s food pantry (1513 Jeffers Road, Huntsville) will be open beginning at 10 a.m. There are no income guidelines; however, a photo ID and a piece of mail with a Scott County address are required.
Tuesday: The Oneida City Park Farmers & Makers Market will be from 5 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Call (423) 569-8300 for more information about becoming a vendor.
Tuesday: Boy Scout Troop #333 will meet at the Oneida War Memorial Building on Alberta Street in Oneida beginning at 6 p.m.
Tuesday: Wall Builders will meet from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Trinity Baptist Church (1611 Glass House Road, Helenwood) for those struggling with addiction or striving to keep off drugs. There will be preaching, teaching, food, fellowship and personal counseling.
Wednesday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $7 for dine-in or carry-out.
Thursday: The Gerry McDonald Mission House, located on Church Avenue, directly behind First United Methodist Church, is open from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. You are eligible to receive food once per month. For more information or requirements, call the church office at 569-8828.
Thursday: The Scott County Senior Citizens Center (Main Street, Oneida) will host exercise from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
Thursday: The Town of Oneida Board of Mayor & Aldermen will meet at 6 p.m. at the Oneida Municipal Services Building.
The Community Calendar is presented by Citizens Gas Utility District. Citizens Gas pipelines are generally safe. They can be damaged by things such as excavation, natural forces and automobile accidents. These can potentially cause a leak. Visit citizensgastn.com.
Thank you for reading. Our next newsletter will be Echoes in Time tomorrow. If you’d like to update your subscription to add or subtract any of our newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t yet subscribed, it’s as simple as adding your email address!
◼️ Monday morning: The Daybreaker (news & the week ahead)
◼️ Tuesday: Echoes in Time (stories of our history)
◼️ Wednesday: Threads of Life (obituaries)
◼️ Thursday evening: The Weekender (news & the weekend)
◼️ Friday: Friday Features (beyond the news)
◼️ Sunday: Varsity (a weekly sports recap)