Montgomery County Wheel Tax Increase Goes Into Effect February 1

January 19th, 2021 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Beginning Feb. 1, 2021 the Montgomery County Motor Vehicle Wheel Tax will increase to $74. On Oct. 12, 2020, the Montgomery County Commission passed Resolution 20-9-15, titled “Resolution to Levy a County-Wide Motor Vehicle Tax”, which proposed a wheel tax increase of $25. The new fee must be paid to the Montgomery County Clerk’s Office in addition to the state motor vehicle registration fees.

All proceeds from the increase are required to be placed in the Montgomery County Capital Projects Fund. The funds will be used exclusively for the costs associated to build or design new school construction, school construction debt, infrastructure or school additions.

“The fee increase is a way to offset the costs of building schools in our growing community. The County Clerk’s Office is the collection point for the wheel tax but does not make decisions on tax rates,” said Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

Motor vehicle owners subject to the wheel tax, who are 65-years-of age or older, and have a household income of less than $25,000 annually, may be eligible for a wheel tax rebate in the amount of $25. Only one vehicle per household will be eligible, and the vehicle must be titled to the individual person who is requesting the reimbursement. Individuals must apply through the Trustee’s Office within one month of initial registration issuance or renewal.

For more information about a rebate, visit the Trustee’s Office website at https://mcgtn.org/trustee, or contact them at 931-648-5717. For information about the Montgomery County Wheel Tax, visit https://mcgtn.org/clerk or call 931-648-5711.

Montgomery County Government Offices Closed in Observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

January 15th, 2021 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — Montgomery County Government offices will be closed Monday, Jan. 18 in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Federal Holiday. All County offices will reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 19 during normal operating hours.

Montgomery County Mayor Selects New Purchasing Agent

January 8th, 2021 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett has chosen Stephanie Price Morlock as the next purchasing agent. She will be replacing Missy Davis who is retiring in March of this year.

Price Morlock has worked for the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) since 2004, where she started as an administrative assistant. In 2007 she moved to the position of deputy, as a school resource officer, and was promoted to her current administrative role as budget analyst in 2016. Her responsibilities as budget analyst include analysis, preparation, and maintenance of the MCSO budgets, as well as overseeing all financial aspects for MCSO.

“Stephanie brings great experience to the purchasing department and is very familiar with County operations. We are thrilled to have her as a part of the leadership team,” said Mayor Durrett.

“I am elated to have been chosen as Montgomery County's next purchasing agent. I look forward to working with the purchasing office staff and continuing to serve the employees and citizens of Montgomery County," said Price Morlock.

Price Morlock holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice-Homeland Security from Austin Peay State University, a M.S. in Management and Leadership, and is designated as a certified public administrator through the University of Tennessee.

Her primary responsibility as the county purchasing agent will be the procurement of all supplies, materials, equipment and contractual services required for any and all departments supported by or under the control of Montgomery County Government which encumbers any of those funds.

Montgomery County Health Department Announces Change to COVID-19 Testing Hours

January 8th, 2021 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – The Montgomery County Health Department will change their COVID-19 testing schedule. Beginning Monday, Jan. 11. Montgomery County will be testing at Civitan Park, located at 650 Bellamy Lane, from 8:30 -10:30 a.m. This change allows Montgomery County Health Department staff to prioritize vaccination of the 1A population.

The COVID-19 self-tests will be offered to adults on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. On these days, public health staff members at each TDH COVID-19 testing site will provide self-testing kits to adults who wish to be tested. Individuals will remain in their vehicles while completing paperwork and collecting their samples. Health departments will submit the samples for testing.

Adults tested with the new self-tests will register and receive their results online. The self-tests are not approved for use in children under age 18. Children and adults unable to register online can still receive the standard nasal swab COVID-19 tests on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Test results may be available within 72 hours of arrival at the lab, depending on the volume of tests the testing lab receives. Information will be provided to participants at testing locations on what they can expect after being tested. This information is also available online at www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/documents/cedep/novel-coronavirus/TestedGuidance.pdf. COVID-19 testing is widely available in Tennessee from local health departments and other health care providers. A map of COVID-19 testing sites across the state is available at www.tn.gov/content/tn/health/cedep/ncov/remote-assessment-sites.html. Hours of operation and contact information are provided for each site.

More information about COVID-19, including when individuals are eligible to receive a vaccination, can be found at mcgtn.org/gov/covid19.

State Expands Options to Set Up Appointments for COVID-19 Vaccinations

January 6th, 2021 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – The State of Tennessee opened a new website portal and added a phone number today in order to improve appointment services for COVID-19 vaccinations to Tennessee residents.

The website for Montgomery County can be accessed at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/Montgomery_Priority_List. This website is available to assist those in meeting the criteria to register for COVID-19 vaccinations during the current phase. Tennessee is now in Phase 1a, which is subdivided into two phases: Phase 1a1 for in-patient health care providers, first responders with direct exposure to the public and staff members and residents of long-term care facilities, and Phase 1a2 for those primarily working in outpatient health care settings as well as citizens of Montgomery County 75-years-of-age and older.

Additionally, the State of Tennessee has set up a call center with the number 866-442-5301 to assist in scheduling appointments for the vaccination. You can also call the Montgomery County Health Department at 931-648-5747 to set up an appointment.

Please do not attempt to register by accessing the registration website or by calling the phone number provided to help with registration unless you meet the criteria for the current phase. Verification will be requested on-site before vaccinations will be administered. Anyone interested in finding out what eligibility phase they fit into can visit the COVID-19 information portal at mcgtn.org.

Montgomery County Animal Care and Control is Scheduled to Reopen to the Public January 11

January 4th, 2021 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Animal Care and Control (MCACC) has extended its closure to the public until Jan. 11, 2021. As of Jan. 4, eleven of the 20 MCACC staff members have tested positive for COVID-19, which has caused the extended closure. The nine staff members who are working at the shelter site will be focused on caring for the animals that are currently in the facility.

Owner surrenders will not be accepted while the facility is closed to the public. Strays may still be brought to the facility. However, anyone bringing a stray will need to call the shelter at 931-648-5750 upon arrival and wait in the vehicle for further instructions. The hold period for stray pets with no sign of ownership will be extended while the facility is closed to the public.

No adoptions will take place during the closure but the staff will assist anyone over the phone who may be interested in a shelter pet. Volunteers are needed. Anyone interested in volunteering should email [email protected].

The shelter was deep cleaned in an effort to prevent further spread of the virus. Updates about the closure and other changes will be made on the Montgomery County Animal Care and Control Facebook Page. To see adoptable pets available along with other info about MCACC visit https://mcgtn.org/animal-control.

Montgomery County Animal Care and Control Closed to the Public Until January 5

December 31st, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Animal Care and Control will be closed to the public from Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020, through Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. out of an abundance of caution due to the rising COVID-19 cases in Montgomery County. The facility will be deep cleaned during this time and will reopen on Tuesday, Jan. 5 during normal operating hours.

Owner surrenders will not be accepted while the facility is closed to the public. Strays may be brought to the facility. However, anyone bringing a stray will need to call the shelter at 931-648-5750 upon arrival and wait in the vehicle for further directions.

No adoptions will take place during the closure but the staff will assist anyone over the phone who may be interested in a shelter pet.

Any updates about the closure will be made on the Montgomery County Animal Care and Control Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/MontgomeryCountyAdoptionServices. To see adoptable pets available along with other info about Montgomery County Animal Care and Control visit https://mcgtn.org/animal-control.

Suspension of In-Person Court Proceedings

December 30th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Pursuant to the Order Extending State of Emergency and Reinstating Suspension of In-Person Court Proceedings, all jury trials scheduled in January and February 2021, are suspended and will be reset. All in court proceedings are suspended with limited exceptions listed in the Supreme Court Order thru January 29, 2021. Visit the Circuit Court Clerk’s website and view our online records to check reset dates for court proceedings. Instructions for individual Judges will be listed on the Clerk’s website as they become available.

Limiting public access to the Courts Center is necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare in light of COVID-19.

For information about reset court dates, please visit our website at https://mcgtn.org/circuit, view the online court records section or contact your Bonding Company.

Supreme Court Order 12-22-2020

Downtown Commons receives Honor Award for Design

December 30th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TN – The Downtown Commons, designed by Lyle Cook Martin Architects & Franklin Associates Architects, recently received an AIA Middle Tennessee, Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Honor Award for the design of the Commons. “The jury admired the initiative to create a public space with meaningful input from the community. The successful grass-roots effort combined with nicely scaled, functional buildings fosters civic life, and serves people over icons."

Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett said, “It doesn’t surprise me that the Downtown Commons was honored with another award. From the beginning I knew this park was a winner not only in the design world but also for our community.”

The Downtown Commons has provided the Clarksville community a place to gather and reconnect with friends and family since November 2017. Click here to learn more about the award information.

To stay up-to-date with the Downtown Commons please visit the Facebook page at Downtown Commons and the Instagram page @downtowncommonstn If you have any questions please reach out to Elizabeth Quinton at [email protected] or 931.245.3366.

January Commission Meetings Closed to Public

December 30th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – In accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order regarding limiting public gatherings to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, and allowing public meetings to be conducted by electronic means, the January 2021 Montgomery County Informal and Formal Commission meetings will be closed to the public.

Limiting public access to the meetings is necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare in light of COVID-19. County Commissioners and key Montgomery County personnel will attend the meeting in person while practicing health and safety precautions.

The informal commission meeting, scheduled on Jan. 4 at 6 p.m. and the formal commission meeting, scheduled on Jan. 11 at 6 p.m. can be viewed, as always, by the public on the Montgomery County YouTube Channel during the meeting or at any time after the meeting has taken place.

For members of the public who plan to address the County Commission about zoning cases on Jan. 4, they may do so via Webex from the first-floor training room of the Montgomery County Historic Courthouse. A member of the staff will be available to guide them through the process. Space in the training room will be limited and open on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For information about the Montgomery County Commission meetings visit https://mcgtn.org/.

County Government New Year’s Closure Schedule

December 29th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — Montgomery County Government offices will be closed on Friday, Jan. 1, 2021 in observance of the New Year’s holiday.

County Offices will resume services during normal operating hours on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021.

Montgomery County Mayor Extends Emergency Order Requiring the Wearing of Face Coverings

December 28th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. –Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett signed Emergency Order #25 today, in order to extend the wearing of face masks by all residents in Montgomery County. This emergency order includes a declaration of public health emergency and has been mandated as a result of county and state health data as well as ongoing discussions with the local health department and emergency services director and City of Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts.

The extension, which is the fourth extension to Emergency Order #21, states that cloth or other face coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the virus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action, shall be required in Montgomery County, Tennessee. Face coverings shall be worn within all publicly-accessible areas of commercial business establishments; persons present in the public areas of all Montgomery County and City of Clarksville government facilities, including Clarksville-Montgomery County School System; public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained and within publicly-accessible areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained. The order also requires any business open to the public to post a sign, which can be found on the Montgomery County website, requiring masks on all public entrances.

The newest mandate will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. December 30, 2020, and is set to expire at 11:59 p.m. on January 29, 2021. This mandate will replace Emergency Order #24 which expires December 29, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Governor Lee’s Executive Order #73 extends authority for county mayors to issue emergency orders regarding mask mandates through February 27, 2021.

Exceptions to the mandate are outlined in Governor Bill Lee’s Executive Order #54.

The Montgomery County Government web site has a host of COVID-19 related information, to include a COVID-19 dashboard, videos, signage, advice and previous mandates. You can also call 931-648-5787 for questions.

Montgomery County and City of Clarksville Employees Receive First of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines

December 28th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Last week, the Montgomery County Health Department received its first shipment of the Moderna vaccine. A group of 10 first responders and public safety personnel representing Montgomery County and City of Clarksville employees received the first of the newly FDA authorized Moderna vaccines in Montgomery County. The vaccines were administered by nurses from the Montgomery County Health Department at the Emergency Operations Center on Monday, Dec. 21.

“I appreciate that these employees stepped forward to take the vaccine and I am thankful for the work they do each day to keep our community healthy and safe. This is the first of many steps we need to take in order to get to the other side of this pandemic,” stated Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

“We are excited to have these vaccines and see our COVID-19 vaccination activities underway in our community,” said Montgomery County Health Director Joey Smith. “We’ve been preparing for months to distribute approved vaccines and we believe this will be a safe and effective tool in the fight against COVID-19.”

The 10 employees were selected based on the list predetermined “high-risk” criteria established by the Tennessee Department of Health and include Dustin Haas and Jessie Ferrell with County Emergency Medical Services, Hope Peterson with 911 Dispatch, Mark Chandler and Robert Jones with Clarksville Fire and Rescue, Fred Smith and Charles Hummel with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Steve Hamilton and Tina Slaven with Clarksville Police Department and Tammy Arms with Emergency Management Agency.

“While it is extremely important that we take these steps to offer greater protection for our most exposed populations, we must keep in mind that we all need to mask up, social distance and avoid gathering to minimize the spread of this virus,” added City of Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts.

The Tennessee Department of Health will provide data on COVID-19 vaccines administered in the state via a new online dashboard which will be updated each Tuesday and Friday.

Chandler, the first to receive the vaccination in Clarksville, Montgomery County said, “I’m honored to be a part of this. It’s great to see Montgomery County taking care of the people who take care of Montgomery County.”

Initial supplies of the COVID-19 vaccines are limited. The first allocations of both the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines in Tennessee will be used to provide first vaccine doses to individuals qualifying for Phase 1a1, as detailed in the COVID-19 Vaccination Plan for Tennessee. Tennessee’s COVID-19 vaccination plan was last updated Dec. 2 and will be modified as more is learned about the vaccines Tennessee will receive.

It’s important to note these Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are not interchangeable; each patient must receive two doses of the same vaccine to be protected against COVID-19. Those who choose to receive the vaccine will receive a card with the date of their first dose, the name/manufacturer of the vaccine received and the date on which they should receive their second dose.

Tennessee’s plan for allocation of COVID-19 vaccine has been thoughtfully developed with a focus on how best to serve our diverse populations and communities, and to ensure distribution of vaccination sites across all 95 counties, especially in rural areas and those with high concentrations of people in vulnerable populations.

Tennessee’s local health departments continue to offer COVID-19 testing five days a week at no charge to those wishing to be tested. TDH testing sites across the state began employing self-testing kits for adults three days a week beginning Dec. 21, to allow staff members to transition to vaccination of frontline health care providers and first responders. Find testing hours and contact information for TDH health department testing sites online at https://covid19.tn.gov/testing-sites/.

Montgomery County Government Offices will Close for the Christmas Holiday

December 22nd, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — Montgomery County Government offices will close by noon on Wednesday, Dec. 23 and all day Thursday, Dec. 24 and Dec. 25, in observance of the Christmas holiday.

County Offices will resume services during normal operating hours on Monday, Dec. 28.

For information on Montgomery County Government, visit https://mcgtn.org/.

Changes to Schedule and Procedures Coming to Civitan Park COVID-19 Testing Site

December 18th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Beginning the week of December 21, the Montgomery County Health Department will make changes to its schedule and procedures for COVID-19 testing at Civitan Park.

Drive-thru testing will continue to be administered by the health department staff on Tuesdays and Thursdays only from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Self-administered test kits will be offered on-site on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Those who choose the self-administered test option will remain in their vehicles while completing the paperwork and collecting their samples. Health department staff will collect and submit the samples for testing. The results will be available online.

To receive a self-administered test for the self-collection kit, a patient must meet the following criteria:

1. Must be 18-years of age or older
2. Must have a valid email address and phone number
3. Must have a smartphone or a device with internet access for registration completion
4. Must have a pen to write on the specimen container

After meeting all of the above, the patient will be instructed to pull into designated area, review the initial handout information, and watch the EverlyWell collection video. If the patient chooses to proceed with self-collection, a kit is given by the testing staff. The patient then follows the instructions included in the kit to collect their specimen and package the specimen for shipment. Once the specimen is packaged, the patient returns the specimen to the staff member and exits the testing site.

Children and adults unable to register online can receive standard COVID-19 tests on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Testing is free, regardless of symptoms or county of residency and no appointment is required.

The Health Department will be closed on Christmas Eve, December 24; Christmas Day, December 25; New Year’s Eve, December 31; and New Year’s Day, January 1.

Montgomery County Mayor Appoints New HR Director

December 16th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — Alyssa Pierce was appointed by Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett as the new Director of Human Resources, effective December 7, 2020.

Prior to working for the County, Pierce most recently led as Hand Family Companies Corporate Human Resources Manager. The position included HR leadership responsibilities for more than 1,100 employees across 10 worksites in three states. She had 10 years of experience working for Hand Family Companies.

A Clarksville native, and graduate of Austin Peay State University, Pierce also has a background in insurance and benefits with State Farm Insurance, as well as in the education sector as both a high school science teacher and technical college admissions advisor.

“I am honored to serve as the human resources director for Montgomery County Government. I’ve had the opportunity to meet leadership and employees in many departments in the short time that I’ve been here and grow more impressed each day with the dedication and professionalism of the County team. I am eager to serve the employees and the community in this position,” stated Pierce.

“We are very excited to move forward with Alyssa at the helm of our HR department,” said Mayor Durrett. “She brings a wealth of knowledge from the business sector and has excellent credentials in the HR field. I’d also like to thank Michelle Lowe, our diversity and training officer, for the great job she did serving as our interim HR director since mid-August.”

To find out more about the Montgomery County HR Department, visit https://mcgtn.org/.

Montgomery County Allocates Federal CARES Act Funding towards Technology and Payroll

December 15th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — Montgomery County Government designated how available funds through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, also known as the CARES Act, would be spent on technology and payroll. When news of the funding was made available, Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett and Chief of Staff Kyle Johnson worked with IT Director Skip Burchett on a plan to extend the number of employees who could work remotely and more efficiently as the options for serving County residents continued to evolve during the pandemic.

Montgomery County Government was allocated approximately 1.2 million dollars in CARES Act technology funding to improve remote work capabilities for County employees. Funding for the hardware allows for greater telework possibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. County departments were asked to provide a description of the expected case use quantities desired for remote equipment. All equipment has now been purchased and will be deployed to each department by December 30.

CARES Act funding also covered payroll for employees who were out because of COVID-19. The total budget for CARES related contributions on payroll was approximately $567,000.

“The funding through the CARES Act allows us to better take care of Montgomery County residents from a remote location. This is a solution that can be helpful, regardless of whether the community challenge is related to health or a weather-related disaster. People look to local government to assist them and these resources improve our readiness to serve. The assistance also helped us continue paying employees who were affected by the virus.” said Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

An overview of what Montgomery County Government purchased with CARES Act money as it relates to IT equipment includes:

• 400 Laptops of various models
• 400 monitors
• 400 keyboards and mice
• 400 MS Office licenses
• 400 HDMI cables, power strips, etc. for remote setups
• 200 webcams
• 200 speakers
• 7 WebEx Room Kits – To retrofit various department conference rooms to include video conferencing capabilities
• 14 Webex Boards - For courtrooms as well as other locations around the county to increase remote video conferencing and remote training capabilities
• 150 iPads for various departments to include Veterans Treatment Court participants to be able to do virtual check-ins with case managers, for County Board of Equalization remote meetings, and other departments.

To see a list of accessible online services through Montgomery County Government, go to the Gov tab at https://mcgtn.org/.

Montgomery County Awarded a $750,000 BlueCross Healthy Place Grant for Woodlawn Park

December 14th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN – The BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation recently announced the selection of Woodlawn Park as one of their 10 New BlueCross Healthy Place Projects for 2021. They are awarding the Woodlawn Park community hub project $750,000 of their $7.5 million investment across Tennessee to celebrate the company’s 75th anniversary serving Tennesseans. Of the $750,000 total; $600,000 will be used for the project build and $150,000 will be used for a maintenance fund.

Montgomery County Parks and Recreation team member, Sally Burchett, applied for the BlueCross Healthy Place grant in August 2020 and was notified that Montgomery County would be a recipient of the funds earlier this month.

The description submitted by County Parks and Recreation described the need for comprehensive family fitness opportunities at Woodlawn Park. When Montgomery County was presented with this grant possibility, the Woodlawn community offered their support and input regarding which design would bring the most value to the park and its users.

“We are grateful that Woodlawn Park was chosen as a 2021 BlueCross Healthy Place grant site. Montgomery County has a fantastic park system that continues to grow and improve. This grant will help bring some much-needed state-of-the-art equipment updates to a deserving area of our community,” said Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

“Montgomery County Parks and Recreation is fortunate to have the support of the BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee Foundation. Woodlawn Park’s selection as a 2021 BlueCross Healthy Place is exciting news for our department and community,” said Montgomery County Parks Director Jerry Allbert.

The BlueCross Healthy Place will be located at Woodlawn Park: 2910 Woodlawn Park Road, Woodlawn, TN 37191. Demolition and preparation of the site has already begun. Montgomery County Parks asks park users to please avoid the active construction area during this process.

The community hub package will include the following features in the new space:

• Community pavilion
• Play area for ages 2-5
• Play area for ages 5-12
• Fitness stations
• Swingset

For more information about the Blue Cross Healthy Place projects, visit https://www.bcbst.com/about/in-the-community/healthy-places/. To find out more about Montgomery County Parks visit https://mcgtn.org/.

Montgomery County Mayor Extends Emergency Order Requiring the Wearing of Face Coverings

December 9th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. –Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett signed Emergency Order #24, today in order to extend the wearing of face masks by all residents in Montgomery County. This emergency order includes a declaration of public health emergency and comes after continued discussions with the local health department and emergency services directors, City of Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts as well as several Middle Tennessee Mayors. Exceptions to the mandate are listed in the latter part of this news release.

The extension to Emergency Order #21 states that cloth or other face coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the virus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action, shall be required in Montgomery County, Tennessee. Face coverings shall be worn within all publicly-accessible areas of commercial business establishments; persons present in the public areas of all Montgomery County and City of Clarksville government facilities, including Clarksville-Montgomery County School System; public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained and within publicly-accessible areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained. The order also requires any business open to the public to post a sign, which can be found on the Montgomery County website, requiring masks on all public entrances.

The mandate will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Dec. 11, 2020, and is set to expire at 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 29, 2020. Governor Lee’s Executive Order #63 gives authority for county mayors to issue emergency orders regarding mask mandates.

The last 14-days (11/25/20-12/8/2020), of data for Montgomery County reveals the following:

• An average of 103 new cases per day
• As of 12-8-20 Montgomery County had 783 active COVID-19 cases.
• 1,441 new cases out of 8,135 tests
• 18 Hospitalizations
• 15 COVID-19 Deaths
• 206 new School Age Cases (age 5-18)

During the previous 14 days (11/11/20-11/24/2020), Montgomery County had:

• 663 positives out of 5,494 tests
• An average of 81 new cases per day
• 1.175 positives out of 6,950 tests.
• 10 Hospitalizations
• 14 COVID-19 Deaths
• 156 new School Age Cases (age 5-18)

Exceptions for wearing face-coverings include the following as outlined in Governor Lee’s Executive Order #54:

• Within one's residence or automobile, unless transporting others for hire;
• By a child twelve (12) years of age or younger;
• By someone who has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face-covering;
• By someone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face-covering without assistance;
• While eating or drinking;
• While outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person's household;
• While working under conditions where appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person's household is substantially maintained;
• In situations in which wearing a face-covering poses a safety or security risk;
• While in a house of worship unless required by that house of worship, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged; or
• While in a voting site for the purpose of voting or administering an election, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged.

The Montgomery County Government web site has a host of COVID-19 related information, to include a COVID-19 dashboard, videos, signage, advice and previous mandates. You can also call 931-648-5787 for questions.

Montgomery County Receives Excellence in Local Government Award

December 9th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — The Greater Nashville Regional Council (GNRC), on December 8, 2020, announced the recipients of its 2020 Local Government Awards, which honors excellence in public service across Middle Tennessee. The Montgomery County Parks and Recreation Department was recognized for excellence in the local government category of recreation and youth engagement for the Rotary Field of Dreams ‐ Civitan Park Expansion.

The Regional Council, which is composed of 65 mayors and executives, two members of the TN General Assembly, and 26 mayoral appointments, provides a forum for collaboration among communities in the greater Nashville metropolitan area. Each year, GNRC honors its members and partners with two types of awards. Grand awards, named after influential leaders throughout GNRC’s history, are presented to individuals or organizations for demonstrated leadership on a regional scale. The Excellence in Local Government awards recognizes county governments and municipalities for projects or initiatives that serve as a model for peers across the region. The submissions are judged on completed projects from the previous fiscal year.

Montgomery County Parks and Recreation was selected for the recreation and youth engagement award because of the commitment made by Montgomery County Government, the Community Health Foundation and the Clarksville Rotary Clubs to provide kids with special needs a place they could call their own. The 25-acre expansion, which began as a vision 10 years ago, features an ADA compliant playground for special needs children, 1.011 miles of walking/running trails, three new baseball/softball ball fields, one of those baseball fields (Rotary Field of Dreams) designated specifically for Buddy Ball, one multi-purpose field and a concession stand.

“I’m grateful this incredible community project was recognized by GNRC. The expansion was something we had needed for a long time in Montgomery County,” said Mayor Durrett. “Without the great support from our local Rotary Clubs and the Community Health Foundation the project would not have been possible.”

“Our parks and recreation department works hard to provide our community with top quality parks that provide space for activity and tranquility throughout Montgomery County. It is always a treat for our parks to be recognized and the Civitan Park expansion is very special to us,” stated Montgomery County Parks Director Jerry Allbert.

“The work being done by the local communities and professionals working for citizens across Middle Tennessee is inspiring,” said Michael Skipper, executive director for GNRC. “It is an honor to highlight their hard work and share these best practices with the rest of the region.”

For more information about the Greater Nashville Regional Council or other award recipients, visit GNRC.org. For more information about Montgomery Parks and Recreation, visit https://mcgtn.org/.

A Holiday Market will be Hosted at the Downtown Commons

December 7th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TN – The Downtown Commons is hosting its first-ever Holiday Market on Dec. 12 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. The purpose of the market is to offer local small businesses and vendors an additional opportunity to engage with the community during the holiday season. There will be a wide variety of vendors from woodworking to boutiques, something for every wish list.

Santa will also be there to take requests from the children, at a healthy distance, of course. Food trucks are a must and will be located on Main Street while the market is open. A social distancing plan will be in place and masks will be required for the event. Come on out and enjoy the shopping and fun at the Downtown Commons!

To stay up-to-date with the Downtown Commons please visit our Facebook page at Downtown Commons and our Instagram page @downtowncommonstn. If you have any questions please reach out to Elizabeth Quinton at [email protected] or 931.245.3366.

Montgomery County Mayor Briefed on Plan for COVID-19 Vaccinations

December 3rd, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett, County Chief of Staff Kyle Johnson and County Emergency Services Director Jimmie Edwards, along with county mayors and leadership across Tennessee, joined Governor Bill Lee’s office on a call this morning to discuss how the federal COVID-19 Immunization Distribution Plan would be implemented in the State of Tennessee.

The State has released a vaccine plan that prioritizes population groups within Tennessee. This information can be found at the following link COVID-19 Vaccination Plan (tn.gov). Pfizer is prepared to send 56,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine directly to hospitals for Tennessee’s healthcare workers beginning this month. The priority list for the vaccines is set by the federal government. Any deviation from that list will compromise funding from the federal government.

“We are working closely with the State and local health departments to ensure that those who wish to receive a vaccine can do so in an orderly fashion. There is still some uncertainty on when and how many vaccines will be available to Montgomery County. As we find out more information we will continue to let the public know,” said Mayor Durrett.

Additional supplies will be coming and more detailed information will be shared with the public as it becomes available. For further information about the vaccine plan as well as frequently asked questions and other details related to the COVID-19 vaccinations in Tennessee visit https://www.tn.gov/health.

County Commission Meetings will be Closed to the Public for December

December 2nd, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – In accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order regarding limiting public gatherings to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, and allowing public meetings to be conducted by electronic means, the December Montgomery County Informal and Formal Commission meetings will be closed to the public.

Limiting public access to the meetings is necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare in light of COVID-19. County Commissioners and key Montgomery County personnel will attend the meeting in person while practicing health and safety precautions.

The informal commission meeting, scheduled on Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. and the formal commission meeting, scheduled on Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. can be viewed, as always, by the public on the Montgomery County YouTube Channel during the meeting or at any time after the meeting has taken place.

For members of the public who plan to address the County Commission about zoning cases on Dec. 7, they may do so via Webex from the first-floor training room of the Montgomery County Historic Courthouse. A member of the staff will be available to guide them through the process. Space in the training room will be limited and open on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For information about the Montgomery County Commission meetings visit https://mcgtn.org/.

Montgomery County Trustee’s Office Incorporates Efficiency Updates for Taxpayers

November 30th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — Montgomery County Trustee Kimberly Wiggins recently made the decision to suppress the mailing of 39,000 tax notices to Montgomery County homeowners whose taxes are paid by the four largest mortgage servicing companies. This decision saves the taxpayers almost $15,000 in print and postage costs annually. In the past, tax notices were sent to all homeowners in Montgomery County regardless of whether their taxes were part of their mortgage payment or not. For those with a mortgage and escrow, the receipt of a tax bill often raised concerns and confusion over the payment responsibility.

“Making this change was a simple way to save the taxpayers money and cut down on confusion for those who are paying their taxes through one of the major mortgage companies. My staff and I will continue to seek opportunities to save taxpayers money while providing a high level of service,” said Montgomery County Trustee Kimberly Wiggins.

Another recent change in the Trustee’s Office is the new partnership between the Trustee’s Office and the City of Clarksville for this tax season. They have joined together to simplify the process for tax freeze and tax relief recipients. The City will have a representative in the County Trustee’s office Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. to accept vouchers, proof of income, and process payments if applicable. This eliminates the need for taxpayers residing in Clarksville-Montgomery County and receiving tax relief to go to two different offices for services.

“We are pleased to have this partnership with the City of Clarksville to add convenience for our residents. Because of the times we are facing, some people are hesitant to leave their homes and we do not want anyone to lose any of their tax benefits. Our hope is that meeting the taxpayers’ needs in one location will help those who are most vulnerable in Montgomery County,” added Wiggins.

The Trustee’s Office is located at 350 Pageant Lane, Suite 101-B in Veteran’s Plaza. To view or print their tax information, it is available on the Trustee website at mcgtn.org/Trustee. You can also call 931-648-5717 with questions or concerns.

Flags Flown at Half-Staff on Dec. 1, 2020

County and City honor the late Judge Raymond Grimes

November 30th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Flags at all Montgomery County Government and City of Clarksville offices and facilities will fly at half-staff Tuesday, Dec. 1 in honor of Judge Raymond Grimes, who died Nov. 26 after being hospitalized with COVID-19.

Grimes, 73, served as a general sessions and juvenile court judge in Montgomery County for 22 years and was also the founder of the Montgomery County Recovery Court. He was a former Montgomery County Commissioner and retired as Lt. Commander from the U.S Coast Guard Reserves.

Montgomery County Treatment Court was started by Grimes in 2005 and was the first-ever second chance program through the court system in the community. Since its inception, hundreds of lives have been changed directly and tens of thousands of community service hours have been performed.

“We are mourning the loss of Judge Grimes. Those who worked with him at the Courts Center have been especially hard hit with the news of his death. One word that resonates with Judge Grimes’ name is fair, he treated people fairly and that is the most honorable word can you associate with a judge, said Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

“Judge Grimes used his courtroom to improve the lives of people and their families,” Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts said. “He leaves a lasting legacy of kindness and justice.”

Visitation will take place from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., Monday, Nov. 30 at Neal-Tarpley-Parchman Funeral Home. A Celebration of Life Service will be at 3 p.m. Dec. 1 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested memorial contributions be made to Montgomery County Recovery Court, 2 Millennium Plaza, Clarksville, TN 37040.

Adult Probation, Circuit Court, Recovery Court, Veterans Treatment Court and Youth Services/Juvenile Probation Offices will all close for the day by 2 p.m. Dec. 1, for the funeral of Judge Ray Grimes. Filings for Circuit Court may be put in the dropbox outside and payments may be made online. All filings received by Dec. 1 will reflect that date. Contact information for all court offices can be found at mcgtn.org.

County Offices Closed in Observance of Thanksgiving Holiday

November 23th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — Montgomery County Government offices will be closed Thursday, Nov. 26 and Friday, Nov. 27 in observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday. All Montgomery County offices will reopen on Monday, Nov. 30 during normal operating hours.

Many of the services provided by Montgomery County Government are also conveniently available anytime online at https://mcgtn.org/.

Montgomery County’s COVID-19 Drive-Through Testing Location to Remain at Civitan Park

November 20th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – The Montgomery County Health Department’s COVID-19 drive-through testing location will remain at Civitan Park, located at 650 Bellamy Lane in St. Bethlehem for the foreseeable future.

The solution to provide two heated trailers for health workers to warm up and store items will be made available for the health department to use at Civitan Park beginning today, Nov. 20.

“Staying at Civitan Park allows the health department to maintain the efficient drive-through set up for our citizens and keeps logistics running smoothly for all of the services at Veterans Plaza. It also gives us the option to expand County services into Civic Hall if necessary because of COVID-19” said Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

The hours for testing will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday with the exception of extended hours from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 23 and Monday, Nov. 30. Any additional holiday closures will be sent to local media and shared on Montgomery County Government social media accounts.

Questions about the move or other information related to the Montgomery County Health Department, can be addressed at https://mcgtn.org/health or by calling 931-648-5747. For additional COVID-19 information visit https://mcgtn.org/.

Montgomery County Mayor Extends Emergency Order Requiring the Wearing of Face Coverings

November 18th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Today, Nov. 18, 2020, Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett signed Emergency Order #23, to extend the wearing of face masks by all residents in Montgomery County. This emergency order includes a declaration of public health emergency and comes after continued discussions with the local health department and emergency services directors, City of Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts as well as several Middle Tennessee Mayors. Exceptions to the mandate are listed in the latter part of this news release.

The extension to Emergency Order #21 states that cloth or other face coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the virus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action, shall be required in Montgomery County, Tennessee. Face coverings shall be worn within all publicly-accessible areas of commercial business establishments; persons present in the public areas of all Montgomery County and City of Clarksville government facilities, including Clarksville-Montgomery County School System; public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained and within publicly-accessible areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained. The order also requires any business open to the public to post a sign, which can be found on the Montgomery County website, requiring masks on all public entrances.

The mandate will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Nov. 20, 2020, and is set to expire at 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 11, 2020. Governor Lee’s Executive Order #63 gives authority for county mayors to issue emergency orders regarding mask mandates.

“It is important for us to stay the course and do our best to slow the spread of this virus, especially as we head into flu season. Wearing a mask is one easy way we can protect ourselves and others during this time,” stated Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

The last 14-days of data for Montgomery County reveals the following:

• An average of 50 new cases per day.
• As of 11-16-20 Montgomery County had 863 active COVID-19 cases.
• 1,152 new cases out of 7,701 tests
• 14 Hospitalizations
• 15 COVID-19 Deaths
• 156 new school age cases (age 5-18)

During the previous 14 days Montgomery County had:

• 663 positives out of 5,494 tests.
• 10 Hospitalizations
• 11 COVID-19 Deaths
• 62 new school age cases (age 5-18)

Exceptions for wearing face-coverings include the following as outlined in Governor Lee’s Executive Order #54:

• Within one's residence or automobile, unless transporting others for hire;
• By a child twelve (12) years of age or younger;
• By someone who has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face-covering;
• By someone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face-covering without assistance;
• While eating or drinking;
• While outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person's household;
• While working under conditions where appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person's household is substantially maintained;
• In situations in which wearing a face-covering poses a safety or security risk;
• While in a house of worship unless required by that house of worship, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged; or
• While in a voting site for the purpose of voting or administering an election, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged.

The Montgomery County Government web site has a host of COVID-19 related information, to include a COVID-19 dashboard, videos, signage, advice and previous mandates. You can also call 931-648-5787 for questions or concerns.

Montgomery County’s COVID-19 Drive-Through Testing Location Moves Back to Veterans Plaza

November 17th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – The Montgomery County Health Department’s COVID-19 drive-through testing location will move from Civitan Park to William O. Beach Civic Hall beginning Nov. 23, 2020.

Due to weather related conditions, the Montgomery County Health Department will relocate back to Civic Hall. The move will allow workers to have shelter from the cold and provide a more suitable location to store their equipment and supplies.

The hours for testing will remain the same from 8 a.m. through 2 p.m. and testing will continue to be provided free of charge. Any holiday closures or announcements about a change in times will be sent to local media and shared on Montgomery County Government social media accounts.

“The move back to Civic Hall will provide our staff with a better location as cold weather comes in. It is important that we continue to wear our masks, wash our hands frequently and social distance during this time. These actions will not only help slow the spread of the virus but will also help keep us healthier during cold and flu season,” said Montgomery County Health Department Director Joey Smith.

Questions about the move or other information related to the Montgomery County Health Department, can be addressed at https://mcgtn.org/health or by calling 931-648-5747. For additional COVID-19 information visit https://mcgtn.org/.

Hands Across Lincoln Homes Event

November 13th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

What: Montgomery County Diversity Task Community Outreach Event

Why: The first in a series of events to build and strengthen relationships within the community

When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 14, 2020.

Where: Edith Pettus Park 345 Farris Drive Clarksville, TN 37040.

Who: Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett, General Sessions Court Judge Kenneth Goble, Interim Executive Director Dawn Sanders-Garrett, Montgomery County Diversity and Training Officer Michelle Lowe

Additional Details: There will be temperature checks at the entrance. Social distancing will be observed and masks will be required and available for those who do not have one.

Montgomery County Hires New Program Event Manager for the Downtown Commons

November 5th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Government recently hired Elizabeth Quinton as the Downtown Commons’ Program Event Manager. She will be responsible for the management, planning and execution of events that take place at Downtown Commons as well as assisting with social media and marketing for Montgomery County.

Quinton brings with her experience in event planning and marketing most recently from Vanderbilt University. She earned her B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Tennessee at Martin and is a graduate of Rossview High School.

Her achievements include working on fundraising and social events directed toward Vanderbilt alumni. She has focused on delivering events for alumni members where they could gather, connect, and make memories.

“I’ve enjoyed working for Vanderbilt the past few years but I am passionate about making a difference in my hometown. There are so many possibilities for the Downtown Commons that have been explored as well as those that haven’t even been thought of yet. I’m thrilled to have this opportunity” said Quinton.

Throughout 2020 many social events and large gatherings have been canceled amid the COVID-19 pandemic but the plan is for the Downtown Commons to reopen for large and small gatherings in 2021. In the meantime, Quinton is planning small gatherings throughout the holiday season.

“I look forward to the public returning to a safe and healthy environment, and for the chance to establish events for people to enjoy. I am also looking forward to connecting with our downtown businesses and build momentum for increased traffic in the downtown area,” added Quinton.

Downtown Commons in downtown Clarksville specializes in both public and private events for the community. For more information, contact Elizabeth Quinton at 931-449-0095, [email protected] or visit https://downtowncommons.org/.

County Offices Closed in Observance of Veterans Day

November 4th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — Montgomery County Government offices will be closed Wednesday, Nov. 11 in observance of the Veterans Day federal holiday. All Montgomery County offices will reopen on Thursday, Nov. 12 during normal operating hours.

Montgomery County Mayor Extends Latest Emergency Order to Require Face Coverings

October 30th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Today, Oct. 30, 2020, Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett signed Emergency Order #22 extending Emergency Order #21 to restore the wearing of face masks by all residents in Montgomery County. This emergency order includes a declaration of public health emergency and comes after discussions with the local health department and emergency services directors, Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts as well as several mayors in Middle Tennessee. Exceptions to the mandate are listed in the latter part of this news release.

Emergency Order #21 states cloth or other face coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the virus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action, shall be required in Montgomery County, Tennessee. Face coverings shall be worn within all publicly-accessible areas of commercial business establishments; persons present in the public areas of all Montgomery County and City of Clarksville government facilities, including Clarksville-Montgomery County School System; public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained and within publicly-accessible areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained. The order also requires any business open to the public to post a sign which can be found on the Montgomery County website, requiring masks on all public entrances.

The mandate will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 31, 2020, and is set expire at 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 20, 2020. This mandate along with Emergency Order #21 will provide 21 days of data for Montgomery County.

The latest data for Montgomery County reveals the following:

• Active cases have more than doubled from 225 at the end of Sept. to 532 cases by Oct. 26.
• By Sept. 30, there were 46 total COVID-19 related deaths, and today, there are 57 COVID-19 related deaths.
• The average daily case rate doubled from 22 in September to 41 by Oct. 26.
• The latest 14-day average is 50 new cases per day.
• Cases hit a record high this weekend with 102 new cases reported on Oct. 25.

Exceptions for wearing face-coverings include the following as outlined in Governor Bill Lee’s Executive Order #54:

• Within one's residence or automobile, unless transporting others for hire;
• By a child twelve (12) years of age or younger;
• By someone who has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face-covering;
• By someone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face-covering without assistance;
• While eating or drinking;
• While outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person's household;
• While working under conditions where appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person's household is substantially maintained;
• In situations in which wearing a face-covering poses a safety or security risk;
• While in a house of worship unless required by that house of worship, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged; or
• While in a voting site for the purpose of voting or administering an election, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged.

COVID-19 tests are provided free of charge by the Montgomery County Health Department weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Civitan Park, located at 650 Bellamy Lane.

The Montgomery County Government web site has a host of COVID-19 related information, to include a COVID-19 dashboard, videos, signage, advice and previous mandates. You can also call 931-648-5787 for questions

County Commission Meetings will be Hosted Electronically in November

October 28th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – In accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order regarding limiting public gatherings to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, and allowing public meetings to be conducted by electronic means, the November Montgomery County Informal and Formal Commission meetings will be conducted electronically.

Meeting electronically and limiting public access to the meeting is necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare in light of COVID-19.

The informal commission meeting, scheduled on Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. and the formal commission meeting, scheduled on Nov. 9 at 6 p.m. can be viewed, as always, by the public as video on the Montgomery County YouTube Channel during the meeting or at any time after the meeting has taken place.

For members of the public who plan to address the County Commission about zoning cases on Nov. 2, they may do so via Webex from the first-floor training room of the Montgomery County Historic Courthouse. A member of the staff will be available to guide them through the process. Space in the training room will be limited and open on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For information about the Montgomery County Commission meetings visit https://mcgtn.org/.

Montgomery County Mayor Reinstates Emergency Order that Requires the Wearing of Face Coverings

October 27th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Today, Oct. 27, 2020, Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett signed Emergency Order #21 to restore the wearing of face masks by all residents in Montgomery County. This emergency order includes a declaration of public health emergency and comes after discussions with the local health department and emergency services directors, City of Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts as well as several mayors in Middle Tennessee. Exceptions to the mandate are listed in the latter part of this news release.

The latest order states cloth or other face coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the virus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action, shall be required in Montgomery County, Tennessee. Face coverings shall be worn within all publicly-accessible areas of commercial business establishments; persons present in the public areas of all Montgomery County and City of Clarksville government facilities, including Clarksville-Montgomery County School System; public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained and within publicly-accessible areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained. The order also requires any business open to the public to post a sign which can be found on the Montgomery County website, requiring masks on all public entrances.

The mandate will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 28, 2020, and is set expire at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 31, 2020, when Governor Bill Lee’s Executive Order #63 giving authority to county mayors to issue COVID-19 mask requirements ends on October 30. Once Governor Lee extends the authority for county mayors to issue mask mandates, Mayor Durrett will extend the mask mandate through Nov. 19, 2020, to allow at least 21 days of data to be tracked.

“Our trajectory is moving in the wrong direction. While I appreciate there are differing opinions about masks, our local data suggests they work to reduce the incidence of this virus. Based on my conversations with other community leaders, we feel the mask mandate is in the best health interest of our residents,” said Mayor Durrett.

“I am in full support of Mayor Durrett’s mask mandate. The City of Clarksville will do all we can to reinforce the County’s emergency order,” said Mayor Pitts.

The latest data for Montgomery County reveals the following:

• Active cases have more than doubled from 225 at the end of Sept. to 532 cases by Oct. 26.
• By Sept. 30, there were 46 total COVID-19 related deaths, and today, there are 57 COVID-19 related deaths.
• The average daily case rate doubled from 22 in September to 41 by Oct. 26.
• The latest 14-day average is 50 new cases per day.
• Cases hit a record high this weekend with 102 new cases reported on Oct. 25.

“We’ve seen a significant increase in active cases. On Sept. 11, Montgomery County had 212 active cases and for 31 days we stayed in the 200s. It took only seven days to move from 299 to 427 active cases. Then it only took seven more days to move to 540 active cases. I appreciate Mayor Durrett taking action,” said Montgomery County Director of Health Joey Smith.

Exceptions for wearing face-coverings include the following as outlined in Governor Lee’s Executive Order 54:

• Within one's residence or automobile, unless transporting others for hire;
• By a child twelve (12) years of age or younger;
• By someone who has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face-covering;
• By someone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face-covering without assistance;
• While eating or drinking;
• While outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person's household;
• While working under conditions where appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person's household is substantially maintained;
• In situations in which wearing a face-covering poses a safety or security risk;
• While in a house of worship unless required by that house of worship, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged; or
• While in a voting site for the purpose of voting or administering an election, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged.

COVID-19 tests are provided free of charge by the Montgomery County Health Department weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Civitan Park, located at 650 Bellamy Lane

The Montgomery County Government web site has a host of COVID-19 related information, to include a COVID-19 dashboard, videos, signage, advice and previous mandates. You can also call 931-648-5787 for questions.

Wade Bourne Nature Center Ribbon Cutting

October 21st, 2020 - Communications Dept.

What: Ribbon Cutting for the Wade Bourne Nature Center
Why: To Celebrate the opening of the Wade Bourne Nature Center
When: 2 p.m. Saturday, October 24, 2020
Where: Rotary Park, 2308 Rotary Park Drive Clarksville, TN 37043
Who: Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett, Becky Bourne, Ducks Unlimited President Doug Schoenrock, Montgomery County Parks Director Jerry Allbert, Customs House Museum Executive Director Frank Lott and Lane Lyle of Lyle-Cook Martin Architects
Because of the number of people who are planning to attend the event, masks will be required and available on site.

Local Officials Plead for Residents to be Vigilant

October 20th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County is seeing a rise in the number of COVID-19 cases which have grown considerably over the last 14-day period in comparison to the previous 14 days. The Clarksville-Montgomery County COVID-19 Dashboard shows an average of 23.93 new cases per day for the previous 14-day period in contrast with the current 14-day period daily rate of 38.67 or a 62% increase in daily cases in the most recent two-week period.

“Our County is trending upward in the number of COVID-19 cases. We are letting our guard down by not taking the precautions our local health department and the Center for Disease Control has asked us to take. It is imperative that we get back on track in and outside our homes, our places of employment, and when going in and out of businesses. I am making a plea with all businesses in Montgomery County to require masks for workers and patrons just as we do in local government offices. If we all do our part, there is no need for a mandate” stated Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

“Please continue to wear a mask when social distancing is not possible and wash your hands frequently. Let’s all do our part to keep each other safe and virus-free,” said City of Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts.

Although Montgomery County remains in a good position with an adequate amount of hospital beds currently available, reports from the Tennessee Department of Health show that the number of COVID-19 cases are on the rise not just in Montgomery County but throughout the state of Tennessee. Dr. Lisa Piercey, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Health, announced earlier today that hospitalizations are up over 50% in Tennessee since October 1. Reports indicate that some hospitals across the state are struggling to keep up with the number of ICU beds needed to care for COVID-19 related patients.

“It is important not to gather with family and friends who have underlying conditions that make them more susceptible to dire COVID-19 consequences. These conditions include cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), heart conditions, immunocompromised state, obesity and severe obesity, sickle cell disease, smoking, and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Fifty-one of our residents have died this year from COVID-19. Even small gatherings can be opportune places for the virus to spread. It is our individual responsibility to do all we can to protect those who are most at risk” said Montgomery County Health Director Joey Smith.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee also announced today that the Tennessee Department of Health has made COVID-19 related updates to their web site to include a dashboard for each county in the state.

“It’s that time of year when people are experiencing sinus issues and the flu season has also started, so we need to be more cautious than ever about our health. Although COVID-19 is not the flu or sinuses, the initial symptoms can be very similar. It is important to get tested for COVID-19 so we can stop the spread of this virus and stay home if you are experiencing symptoms until you have your test results,” added Smith.

Free testing by the Montgomery County Health Department is available at Civitan Park, located at 650 Bellamy Lane, every Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To see the latest COVID-19 reports on Montgomery County visit https://mcgtn.org/.

Applications for the Wheel Tax Reimbursement Program will be Available in 2021

October 14th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — The $25 wheel tax increase for schools that passed with a two-thirds vote by the Montgomery County Commission on Oct. 12, 2020 goes into effect on Feb. 1, 2021. An amendment to the resolution providing an exemption based on age and income was unanimously approved by the County Commission.

The exemption is for individuals who are 65-years-old or older at the time of initial registration issuance or renewal with a household income not to exceed $25,000 annually. The rebate program will be effective Feb. 1, 2021. Applications will be available by Feb. 1 through the Montgomery County Trustee’s office and the Montgomery County Clerk’s office as well as on their respective web pages at https://mcgtn.org/.

“We have been receiving inquiries at the County Clerk and Trustee Office in regards to the application for reimbursement and felt it was important for the public to know when and how the process will be done,” stated Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

“As always, we are happy to accommodate for relief to those in our community who are eligible for tax relief whether it is for wheel or property tax,” said Trustee Kimberly Wiggins.

“I will continue to work closely with the Trustee’s Office to assist in this process. I want to ensure those eligible for this program will have the information they need to apply,” explained County Clerk Kellie Jackson.

Once the rebate program goes into effect, the application can be completed and returned to the Trustee’s Office in person. The information on the application will be verified and the applicant will be notified within 45 days of eligibility. If approved, a check reimbursing the individual in the amount of $25 will be mailed to them. The final decision on eligibility will be made by the County Trustee.

Final Downtown @ Sundown 2020 Concert October 16

October 13th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – This Friday, October 16, Good Rockin’ Tonight will perform at the Downtown Commons for the final concert of 2020. The Downtown @ Sundown concert will take place on the lawn from 7 – 10 p.m. Good Rockin' Tonight is a 1950's Rock and Rockabilly Tribute that features professional Nashville musicians who perform the most influential songs in Rock and Roll history. The band covers the songs of Elvis, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, The Everly Brothers, Jerry Lee Lewis, Eddie Cochran, Roy Orbison and more with excited energy and musical accuracy. Good Rockin Tonight also recently recorded a live album, due out soon at the Legendary Sun Records in Memphis where Rock n Roll was created.

The concert is free and open to the public. Everyone is invited to come and bring family, friends and their own chairs and blankets. Families and friends are asked to stay with the group they entered the park with to allow for social distancing. There will be a central entrance at the corner of Second and Legion Streets where temperatures will be checked before entering. Everyone will be required to wear masks as they enter the park. Coolers and pets are prohibited at the concert.

This year’s Downtown @ Sundown Concerts are presented by title sponsors TriStar Beverage of Clarksville (Bud Light and Essentia,) and F&M Bank. Airborne Disposal is an additional sponsor for the concerts.

Beverages will be sold on site. Food trucks will be located on Main Street, and as always there are a variety of food venues to choose from in the downtown area before and during the concert. Downtown Commons t-shirts will also be given away throughout the evening.

For questions, contact [email protected].

2020 CLARKSVILLE-MONTGOMERY COUNTY VETERANS DAY PARADE

October 8th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – The Clarksville-Montgomery County Veterans Day Parade will take place on Saturday, Nov. 7, with pre-parade ceremonies set for 9 a.m. in front of the historic courthouse (south side) on Third Street in downtown Clarksville. The keynote speaker is US Army retired Major General Walt Lord, who now serves as Vice President, Government Division, at FileBank Inc.

This year’s Veterans Day parade theme is “Salute to Veterans in Healthcare.”

For those participants and spectators who are unable to social distance, we encourage the wearing of facemasks. For those unable to attend in person, the parade will be broadcast live on the Montgomery County Facebook page, as well as via the CDE cable network.

The Parade will begin at 10 a.m. at the corner of N. Eighth and College Streets, next to the Sundquist Science Building at Austin Peay State University, with the reviewing stand at the Third Street side of the courthouse. The parade will proceed from College left onto University Avenue, right onto Main Street, left onto 3rd Street, left onto Commerce Street, left onto University Avenue, right onto Franklin Street, left onto 8th Street and back to the APSU parking area.

“The Veterans Day Parade has been a major event for our community for decades. We hope that this annual celebration of our military veterans can bring some much needed normalcy to our community in these uncertain times,” said VSO Director Andrew Kester.

For more information, contact the Montgomery County Veterans Service Organization at 553-5173. Parade entry forms for veterans groups and other local organizations, as well as route maps, can be picked up at the office between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday, or by e-mail request to [email protected]. Parade entries will be accepted through Friday, Oct. 23.

County and City Present 2021 Legislative Agenda to State Representatives

September 24th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – For the second consecutive year Montgomery County and City of Clarksville Legislative Liaison Committee Members jointly presented an overview of their Legislative Agendas to state representatives who represent Montgomery County and Clarksville.

The presentations were made to Senator Bill Powers, House Deputy Speaker Curtis Johnson and Representative Jason Hodges at William O. Beach Civic Hall, the evening of September 22.

The 2020-21 members of the Legislative Liaison Committees included County Commissioners Joe Creek, John Gannon, David Harper, Rashida Leverett (chair) and Chris Rasnic. City Council members included Jeff Burkhart (chair), Ron Erb and Stacey Streetman.

Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett and City of Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts welcomed those in attendance, thanked the state legislatures for past successes they have moved through the state legislature and for their service to our community.

The 20-21 agenda included several road projects jointly submitted by Montgomery County, the City of Clarksville and the Chamber of Commerce. The agenda also included several items related to each governmental entity ranging from public safety, employee retirement, school funding, Department of Motor Vehicle processing fees and body camera funding.

The County and City requested public input for the 2021 legislative agenda items from June 2020 through August 2020 through local media outlets and through County and City social media outlets. The full 2021 legislative agenda can be found at https://mcgtn.org/.

Montgomery County Mayor Extends Emergency Order

September 21st, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett signed Emergency Order #20 to extend Emergency Order #19, that requires the wearing of face masks by all employees of businesses open to the public in Montgomery County.

On July 3, Governor Bill Lee issued Executive Order #54 giving authority to county mayors to issue COVID-19 mask requirements. Montgomery County is one of 89 counties in the state of Tennessee that was given this authority. The extended mandate, Emergency Order #20 will go into effect at 12:01 a.m., Sept. 22, and will remain in effect for seven days as allowed by law until 12:01 a.m. on Sept. 29. An evaluation to further extend the orders will be determined prior to Sept. 29.

Emergency Order #20 extends Emergency Order #19, which requires owners and persons employed in the operation of all businesses, as well as all County and City facilities open to the public in Montgomery County to wear masks while conducting business. Additionally, all persons entering a County or City facility must wear a face-covering. This order will be enforced on an as-needed basis.

Exceptions for wearing face-coverings include the following as outlined in Governor Lee’s Executive Order 54:

• Within one's residence or automobile, unless transporting others for hire;
• By a child twelve (12) years of age or younger;
• By someone who has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face-covering;
• By someone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face-covering without assistance;
• While eating or drinking;
• While outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person's household;
• While working under conditions where appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person's household is substantially maintained;
• In situations in which wearing a face-covering poses a safety or security risk;
• While in a house of worship unless required by that house of worship, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged; or
• While in a voting site for the purpose of voting or administering an election, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged.

Emergency Orders #19 and #20 also urge and encourage all people in Montgomery County to wear face-coverings in public places and practice all other CDC directives.

COVID-19 tests are provided free of charge by the Montgomery County Health Department weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2.m. at Civitan Park, located at 650 Bellamy Lane.

For more information about Montgomery County Services and COVID-19 information, visit https://mcgtn.org/ or call 931-648-5787.

Montgomery County’s Veterans Service Organization Breaks Record and Extends Hours of Operation

September 18th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – The Montgomery County Veterans Service Organization (VSO) had the largest single-year increase in recorded history for the state of Tennessee for 2019. According to the Veterans Administration statistics for 2019, Montgomery County has 36,873 veterans with an annual economic impact from Veterans Administration (VA) compensations to Montgomery County veterans of $387,781,000 an increase of $64,400,000 from 2018.

“I attribute the increase to the outreach efforts of the entire MCVSO team,” stated Veterans Service Organization Director Andrew Kester.

Results for 2020 may also break a record. The VSO did not skip a beat in their service to military veterans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the months of April, May and June they continued to provide services through phone and virtual visits. They resumed in-person appointments at their new location in July and continue to offer phone and virtual appointments when that works best for the veteran.

“I am very proud of the work done at our Veterans Service Organization. I believe their success can be credited to leadership that is willing to go beyond the norms. Their accomplishments are a testament to them doing whatever it takes to serve our military veterans,” said Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

Office hours at the Montgomery County Veterans Service Organization office hours have been extended from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. with the last available appointment at 4 p.m.

“Our veterans have expressed interest in later times for those who have traditional work schedules. We listened and beginning this September we adapted our hours to serve them,” stated Kester.

To find out more about the services offered by the VSO visit https://mcgtn.org/ or call 931-553-5173.

Montgomery County’s COVID-19 Drive-Through Testing Site will have Adjusted Hours

September 17th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – The hours for the Montgomery County Health Department’s COVID-19 drive-through testing will be adjusted to Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Civitan Park, beginning Sept. 21. Civitan Park is located in St. Bethlehem at 650 Bellamy Lane.

Testing times were adjusted in July from the original Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. hours to 7 a.m. to noon to accommodate due to the high temperatures at the outdoor testing area.

“We’ve rarely seen a line for the last few weeks, so traffic has not been an issue. People have requested later hours to allow for testing during their lunch break. This time frame may help our parents, school system employees, and our citizens,” said Montgomery County Director of Health Joey Smith.

“Whatever makes it more convenient for people to get tested is a win for those who want to get tested and for our local health department to have the most accurate information,” stated Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

Questions about COVID-19 drive-through testing or other information related to the Montgomery County Health Department can be addressed at https://mcgtn.org/health or by calling 931-648-5747. For additional COVID-19 information visit https://mcgtn.org/.

Montgomery County Mayor Extends Emergency Order #18

September 14th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett signed Emergency Order #19 today to extend Emergency Order #18, which requires the wearing of face masks by all employees of businesses open to the public in Montgomery County.

On July 3, Governor Bill Lee issued Executive Order #54 giving authority to county mayors to issue COVID-19 mask requirements. Montgomery County is one of 89 counties in the state of Tennessee that was given this authority. The extended mandate, Emergency Order #19 will go into effect at 12:01 a.m., Sept. 15, and will remain in effect for seven days as allowed by law until 12:01 a.m. on Sept. 22. An evaluation to further extend the orders will be determined prior to September 22.

Emergency Order #19 extends Emergency Order #18, which requires owners and persons employed in the operation of all businesses, as well as all County and City facilities open to the public in Montgomery County, to wear masks while conducting business. Additionally, all persons entering a County or City facility must wear a face-covering. This order will be enforced on an as-needed basis.

Exceptions for wearing face-coverings include the following as outlined in Governor Lee’s Executive Order 54:

• Within one's residence or automobile, unless transporting others for hire;
• By a child twelve (12) years of age or younger;
• By someone who has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face-covering;
• By someone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face-covering without assistance;
• While eating or drinking;
• While outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person's household;
• While working under conditions where appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person's household is substantially maintained;
• In situations in which wearing a face-covering poses a safety or security risk;
• While in a house of worship unless required by that house of worship, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged; or
• While in a voting site for the purpose of voting or administering an election, but wearing a face covering in such locations is strongly encouraged.

Emergency Orders #18 and #19 also urge and encourage all people in Montgomery County to wear face-coverings in public places and practice all other CDC directives.

COVID-19 tests are provided free of charge by the Montgomery County Health Department weekdays from 7 a.m. to noon at Civitan Park, located at 650 Bellamy Lane.

For more information about Montgomery County Services and COVID-19 information, visit https://mcgtn.org/ or call 931-648-5787.

Road Closures Anticipated Due to Progress on MPEC Project

September 11th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TN — Starting September 15, there will be several road lane closures as crews work to tie-in sewer services to the Montgomery County Multipurpose Event Center (MPEC) site. The closures will take place from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.

The timelines and locations have been approved and set by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and include the following:

• Partial intersection shutdown at College & North 2nd Streets scheduled Sept. 14 through 18.
• Eastbound lane of College Street closed between North 1st and North 2nd Streets scheduled Sept. 14 through 18.
• Both lanes of North 2nd street closed between College and Main Streets scheduled Sept. 14 through Oct. 2.

“The cooperation between our project team, TDOT, the City Street Department, Clarksville Gas and Water, and Clarksville Transit has been great. We appreciate everyone working together on this part of the process. Tying into sewer services is one important step of many as we move forward in making MPEC a reality for our community.,” said Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

The MPEC, a 250,000 square foot, multi-level event facility in the heart of downtown Clarksville, is scheduled to open fall 2022. The demolition of older buildings on the site began in early August 2020. Look for continued development through local media as well as the Montgomery County Government website and social media.

A Letter to the Community from Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett Regarding Face-Coverings

September 4th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

This has certainly been a challenging year for many of us. We did not think we would ever be in a position to mandate what people do. Yet, the government’s role does in fact make mandates. The government sets speed limits, creates zoning, develops ordinances, and sets policy, but in this generation, the government has never told people to wear a mask and social distance. A mandate that some of us believe infringes upon our personal freedoms.

We have received many, many phone calls, emails, and social media messages regarding the wearing of masks. I can honestly say that it is about 50/50 in favor of and in opposition to wearing masks. People are just as passionate about wearing masks as they are opposed to wearing them. We listen to and read them all, but when making decisions, we do not count those “for” and those “against.” Instead, we look at the data to determine what is best for the community as a whole.

Possibly one of the greatest challenges in this pandemic is reviewing the data. We can all find articles and experts who say masks work and we can also find those who say they don’t work. From there, we develop our own personal opinions.

We now have data that demonstrates that following safe social practices has reduced our number of new COVID-19 cases. We have seen the rate of positive tests start to decline and our 14-day trends of new cases have dropped significantly. We have also seen our percent of recoveries increase and our hospitalizations decrease. We know that the way the data is being tracked related to active cases is based on an early understanding of COVID-19 and, that it is flawed. We have been in numerous conversations with the state of Tennessee leadership and we now see they have adjusted the data accordingly. The adjustment has resulted in a positive, more accurate reflection of where we are with COVID-19.

Although we are lifting the personal mandate, we STRONGLY urge the general public to continue to wear masks and to social distance. Our data is where it is because I believe most people in Montgomery County realize that masks and social distancing work and they are doing their part to make a difference.

We will continue to require people entering all local County and City government facilities as well as Clarksville-Montgomery County School System buildings, to wear masks. I have spoken with City of Clarksville Mayor Pitts and Director of Schools Milliard House and they agree with this action.

Again, we strongly encourage that our residents continue to wear masks and social distance. It is paramount that we keep commerce thriving, keep our children engaged in learning, and protect those who are most vulnerable. It should not be about individual inconvenience, but about what we can do to help each other.

Montgomery County Mayor

Montgomery County Commission Meetings will Open to the Public in September

August 31st, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Beginning Sept. 8, Montgomery County Commission meetings at the County Historic Courthouse will have limited space open to the public. Requests to address the County Commission and public hearings for zoning cases will also resume at the meetings.

There will be controlled capacity within the commission chambers in order to practice social distancing. Once capacity has been met, the Montgomery County deputies on duty will no longer allow people to enter the building. The public can attend on a first-come, first-served basis. Face-coverings will be required to be worn in the building and for the entire meeting except when addressing the County Commission. Masks will also be available at the building entrance area for those who do not have a mask with them. Chairs will be marked for seating that will allow for recommended social distancing.

“Although the Governor’s newest orders allow us to continue keeping the meetings closed to the public and available electronically, we feel that we can resume opening the meetings to the public with our safety measures in place,” said Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

County Commission meetings will continue to be posted on the Montgomery County Government YouTube channel for anyone who would like to watch the meetings online.

To address the County Commission, please submit a request to speak form at least 72 hours before the informal meeting to Shelly Baggett at [email protected]. For further information, call (931) 648-5787.

Montgomery County Mayor Extends Emergency Executive Order to Wear a Mask through September 7

August 28th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett, signed Emergency Executive Order #17 today to extend Emergency Order 11, which requires that all residents, businesses, and visitors of Montgomery County wear face-coverings.

Emergency Order 11 states that cloth or other face-coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the virus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action, shall be required in Montgomery County,Tennessee, within all publicly-accessible areas of commercial business establishments; in public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained; and within the publicly-accessible areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained.

In addition, the order states that businesses and facilities shall post signage at public entrances informing patrons of the requirement to wear a mask within the establishment and shall enforce the requirement within the establishment.

“Our numbers are now moving in the direction that we want to see. Our cases were climbing significantly but active cases in Montgomery County have dropped by nearly 100 in the last 14 days versus the previous 14 days, so it seems the mask mandate is beginning to work. Hopefully everyone will stay diligent in practicing social distancing and wearing face-coverings so we can get through this faster,” said Mayor Durrett.

The White House Task Force Map shows that Montgomery County has moved from the red zone to the yellow zone since the mask mandate was put into effect.

Emergency Order 17 will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 31, 2020. and will expire on Sept. 7, 2020, at 12:01 a.m. unless sooner canceled or extended. The local state of emergency under this statute is limited to seven days, but it may be extended in seven-day increments.

Exceptions under the emergency order are:

• Any person who is of age 12 or under;
• Any person who cannot safely wear a face covering because he/she has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face covering;
• Anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove a face-covering without assistance;
• Persons in a private residence;
• Persons who are outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate 6-foot social distancing from others outside of the person's household;
• Persons while eating or drinking;
• Persons in a place of worship or participating in any type of religious ceremony or activity attendant thereto (unless a face-covering is required by the place of worship or other location where the religious ceremony is taking place), although persons in places of worship or otherwise participating in religious ceremonies or activities attendant thereto are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19;
• Persons within private motor vehicles, unless such vehicle is being used for public transportation or a vehicle for hire;
• Persons working under conditions where appropriate social distancing of at least six feet from others outside the person's household is substantially maintained;
• Persons present in government facilities, or on government premises, who shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the governmental entity operating the facility or premises. • Persons present in the public areas of all Montgomery County government facilities will wear cloth or other face-coverings, subject to the age and health restrictions outlined herein, and subject to number
• Other local governmental entities may issue their own directives regarding their facilities;
• Persons in a voting site for the purpose of voting or administering an election; although such persons are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19;
• Persons who are engaging in strenuous exercise and/or physical activity, provided, however, that such persons shall maintain 6-foot social distancing when not wearing a face covering;
• Persons for whom wearing a face-covering would pose a safety or security risk;

A State of Local Emergency was declared on July 17, granting to the County Mayor certain powers as allowed under TCA 58-2-110 that gives political subdivisions of Tennessee State Government, Montgomery County, the ability to waive procedures relative to performance of public works and taking whatever prudent action is necessary to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the community.

For the list of State Executive Orders, County Emergency Orders and other COVID-19 related information such as the Clarksville-Montgomery County COVID-19 Dashboard, visit https://mcgtn.org/ or call 931-648-5787.

Montgomery County Mayor Extends Emergency Executive Order to Wear a Face-Covering Through August 31

August 21th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett, signed Emergency Executive Order #16 today to extend Emergency Order 11, which requires that all residents, businesses, and visitors of Montgomery County wear face-coverings.

Emergency Order 11 states that cloth or other face-coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the virus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action, shall be required in Montgomery County, Tennessee, within all publicly-accessible areas of commercial business establishments; in public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained; and within the publicly-accessible areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained.

In addition, the order states that businesses and facilities shall post signage at public entrances informing patrons of the requirement to wear a mask within the establishment and shall enforce the requirement within the establishment.

Emergency Order 16 will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on August 24, 2020. and will expire on August 31, 2020, at 12:01 a.m. unless sooner canceled or extended. The local state of emergency under this statute is limited to seven days, but it may be extended in seven-day increments.

Exceptions under the emergency order are:

• Any person who is of age 12 or under;
• Any person who cannot safely wear a face covering because he/she has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face covering;
• Anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove a face-covering without assistance;
• Persons in a private residence;
• Persons who are outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate 6-foot social distancing from others outside of the person's household;
• Persons while eating or drinking;
• Persons in a place of worship or participating in any type of religious ceremony or activity attendant thereto (unless a face-covering is required by the place of worship or other location where the religious ceremony is taking place), although persons in places of worship or otherwise participating in religious ceremonies or activities attendant thereto are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19;
• Persons within private motor vehicles, unless such vehicle is being used for public transportation or a vehicle for hire;
• Persons working under conditions where appropriate social distancing of at least six feet from others outside the person's household is substantially maintained;
• Persons present in government facilities, or on government premises, who shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the governmental entity operating the facility or premises. • Persons present in the public areas of all Montgomery County government facilities will wear cloth or other face-coverings, subject to the age and health restrictions outlined herein, and subject to number
• Other local governmental entities may issue their own directives regarding their facilities;
• Persons in a voting site for the purpose of voting or administering an election; although such persons are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19;
• Persons who are engaging in strenuous exercise and/or physical activity, provided, however, that such persons shall maintain 6-foot social distancing when not wearing a face covering;
• Persons for whom wearing a face-covering would pose a safety or security risk;

A State of Local Emergency was declared on July 17, granting to the County Mayor certain powers as allowed under TCA 58-2-110 that gives political subdivisions of Tennessee State Government, Montgomery County, the ability to waive procedures relative to performance of public works and taking whatever prudent action is necessary to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the community.

For the list of State Executive Orders, County Emergency Orders and other COVID-19 related information, visit https://mcgtn.org or call 931-648-5787.

Virtual Forum on Diversity Recently Held for Middle and High School Students

August 18th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN – Earlier this month, Montgomery County Government, Austin Peay State University (APSU), Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) and Spring Forth Counseling Center collaborated to host a virtual forum for a diverse group of middle and high school students.

The purpose of the forum, called Turning the Talk, was to provide an outlet for the students, rather than the adults, to take the lead in a candid conversation about social injustice and how they have seen it affect them and others. The youth who participated in the web forum were selected by their school principals.

While the idea for the forum came from Montgomery County Diversity and Training Officer Michelle Lowe, it was a team effort and partnership led primarily by Dr. Eva Gibson, an APSU assistant professor of school counseling and clinical coordinator.

“Our youth need and deserve a safe place to have a candid conversation about the social injustice in our society – we owe them that. This was about giving our students the opportunity to speak freely and provide them with the resources to process their feelings,” said Lowe.

Lowe opened the conversation by welcoming the participants and Director of CMCSS Millard House, shared opening remarks. Gibson, along with CMCSS school counselors Yuricka Rice, Tina Duncan, Cavelle Gonga and Yunetta Smith, a therapist with Springforth Counseling, facilitated the session.

The students took the opportunity to articulate and express their feelings and concerns. What stood out most to the organizers was the high level of wisdom, foresight and resilience as well as the amount of pain shared by the students.

Gibson said, “While we hope this session was beneficial for the students that participated, we also hope that the sentiments of these students have an impact on the adults and decision-makers who are able to make changes.”

The organizers and team members from CMCSS administration expressed to the students and each other the overwhelming sense of pride they felt about the maturity of the students. Director House concluded the session with inspiring words of encouragement to the youth.

Lowe stated, “Today the foundation has been laid. Our students have been empowered and are encouraged to continue the conversation in order to start building a better tomorrow. It is our goal to continue hosting more of these forums for additional students in our community. Many of them are hurting and it is our desire to help them heal.”

To connect with Lowe, email [email protected] or call 931-648-5715.

County Mayor Swears in Interim Circuit Court Clerk

August 14th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett swore in Wendy Davis as the interim circuit court clerk this afternoon. Davis, who has been working as the Montgomery County Chief Deputy Circuit Court Clerk for 24 years, will serve as the interim circuit court clerk until the residents of Montgomery County vote a circuit court clerk into office on November 3.

The legislative body of County Commissioners selected Davis to fill in as interim circuit court clerk at the August 10 formal county commission meeting. Davis will begin serving as interim on August 16, the day following the retirement of Cheryl Castle, who served the community in public safety and justice for almost 40 years.

“I appreciate Wendy’s willingness to serve as the interim circuit court clerk.” said Mayor Durrett. “Her experience allows us to continue serving the people of our County and our court system without interruption.”

For information about the services offered through Circuit Court, go to https://mcgtn.org or call 931-648-5700.

Expanded Small Business Relief Now Available for Agriculture, Tourism and Workforce Development

August 14th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — Tennessee Mayors received news today from Governor Bill Lee’s Office about expanded financial relief programs for small businesses, agribusinesses, displaced workers, and the tourism industry through the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF). The release from the Governor’s Office stated that the Tennessee Small Business Relief Program will expand to include additional industries adversely impacted by reductions in commercial activity in April, with $83.5 million added to the program’s initial $200 million allotment.

The release further states that the Expansion of Tennessee Small Business Relief Program is in the amount of $83,517,500 and will expand to include additional businesses provided they have less than $10 million in annual gross sales and fall within an industry impacted by executive order limitations on activities, gatherings, and other non-essential businesses and activities; or a retail industry that experienced a 25% reduction in taxable sales in the month of April due to the public health emergency.

In addition to the original list of eligible businesses on the State web site, there are a list of new small business categories that will be eligible under this expansion. A full list of and instructions for eligible businesses will be available from the Tennessee Department of Revenue.

The release also states that $50 million would be made available towards agriculture and forestry economic relief which will be established through the Tennessee Department of Agriculture for agricultural businesses and forestry businesses to help ensure stability of the food supply chain and agribusiness economy. Applications for this funding will be accepted between August 17 through August 31, 2020.

Additionally, $25 million will be allocated from the CRF to the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development to remarket and support the State’s tourism industry recovery from the public health emergency.

The other area that will receive CRF funding, according to the Governor’s news release, is workforce development in the amount of $9.5 million with $7.5 million allocated to two established workforce development programs: Reemployment Service and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) Program Expansion and Career and Training Services, and $2 million to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development’s Virtual American Jobs Center. Based on the information in the release, the funds will provide reemployment services to a proposed 17,000 participants to return them to gainful, sustainable employment.

“There are many business in Montgomery County that have been negatively affected by COVID-19. I’m grateful the Coronavirus Relief Funds may lessen the hardships they are facing, and hope the businesses in our County will take full advantage of the relief package,” said Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

Read the Governor’s news release to see the new and expanded list of qualifying small businesses. The application will be posted at the Tennessee Department of Revenue page the week of August 17, 2020.

For additional local resources on COVID-19 related information visit https://mcgtn.org.

Montgomery County Mayor Extends Emergency Executive Order to Wear a Mask Through August 24

August 14th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett, signed Emergency Executive Order #15 today to extend Emergency Orders 11, 12, 13 and 14 which requires that all residents, businesses, and visitors of Montgomery County wear face-coverings.

Emergency Order 11 states that cloth or other face-coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the virus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action, shall be required in Montgomery County, Tennessee, within all publicly-accessible areas of commercial business establishments; in public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained; and within the publicly-accessible areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained.

In addition, the order states that businesses and facilities shall post signage at public entrances informing patrons of the requirement to wear a mask within the establishment and shall enforce the requirement within the establishment.

Emergency Order 15 will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on August 17, 2020. and will expire on August 24, 2020, at 12:01 a.m. unless sooner canceled or extended. The local state of emergency under this statute is limited to seven days, but it may be extended in seven-day increments.

Exceptions under the emergency order are:

• Any person who is of age 12 or under;
• Any person who cannot safely wear a face covering because he/she has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face covering;
• Anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove a face-covering without assistance;
• Persons in a private residence;
• Persons who are outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate 6-foot social distancing from others outside of the person's household;
• Persons while eating or drinking;
• Persons in a place of worship or participating in any type of religious ceremony or activity attendant thereto (unless a face-covering is required by the place of worship or other location where the religious ceremony is taking place), although persons in places of worship or otherwise participating in religious ceremonies or activities attendant thereto are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19;
• Persons within private motor vehicles, unless such vehicle is being used for public transportation or a vehicle for hire;
• Persons working under conditions where appropriate social distancing of at least six feet from others outside the person's household is substantially maintained;
• Persons present in government facilities, or on government premises, who shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the governmental entity operating the facility or premises. • Persons present in the public areas of all Montgomery County government facilities will wear cloth or other face-coverings, subject to the age and health restrictions outlined herein, and subject to number
• Other local governmental entities may issue their own directives regarding their facilities;
• Persons in a voting site for the purpose of voting or administering an election; although such persons are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19;
• Persons who are engaging in strenuous exercise and/or physical activity, provided, however, that such persons shall maintain 6-foot social distancing when not wearing a face covering;
• Persons for whom wearing a face-covering would pose a safety or security risk;

A State of Local Emergency was declared on July 17, granting to the County Mayor certain powers as allowed under TCA 58-2-110 that gives political subdivisions of Tennessee State Government, Montgomery County, the ability to waive procedures relative to the performance of public works and taking whatever prudent action is necessary to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the community.

For detailed COVID-19 related information in Clarksville, Montgomery County, a dashboard with charts on the total number of COVID-19 cases, total tests, negative tests, total confirmed, total recovered, active cases, hospitalizations and deaths, 14-day active cases, COVID-19 resources, testing sites across the State of Tennessee, the State dashboard and links to the most up-to-date CDC information can be found at https://mcgtn.org and https://www.cityofclarksville.com/.

Clarksville-Montgomery County COVID-19 Dashboard Open to the Public

August 11th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — A Clarksville-Montgomery County COVID-19 dashboard with extensive local COVID-19 related information is now open to the public. Leaders from Clarksville and Montgomery County have been working with Austin Peay State University GIS to develop a user-friendly dashboard that shows COVID-19 related data and resources specific to Clarksville-Montgomery County.

The dashboard is updated daily from the State of Tennessee’s database and can be found at https://bit.ly/2XTOXNM, and at https://mcgtn.org and https://www.cityofclarksville.com/. It provides easy to read charts on the total number of COVID-19 cases, total tests, negative tests, total confirmed, total recovered, active cases, hospitalizations and deaths. The dashboard also contains tabs that detail 14-day active cases, local COVID-19 resources, testing sites across the State of Tennessee, the State dashboard and links to the most up-to-date CDC information.

“This dashboard is a comprehensive look at what is taking place in our own community. Partnering with the APSU GIS team has been fantastic. They are professionals at translating data into a usable form and we greatly appreciate their continued contributions,” said Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

The Clarksville-Montgomery County COVID-19 Task Force, made up of the County and City Mayors and leaders from the healthcare community and law enforcement, have been meeting regularly to discuss COVID-19 related information. The dashboard was shared yesterday in the task force’s web-based meeting. During that meeting, County Mayor Durrett proposed that it be made available for the public to view. City Mayor Joe Pitts and the other task force members unanimously agreed that it should be shared.

“We have tools today to help us track and analyze data that we did not have available when we began this learning process on March 16. This tool will be beneficial in helping the community visualize what is happening,” stated Tennova Clarksville CEO Alex Villa.

For additional local resources on COVID-19 related information visit https://mcgtn.org.

Montgomery County Mayor Extends Emergency Executive Order to Wear a Face-covering through August 17

August 7th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett, signed Emergency Executive Order #14 today to extend Emergency Orders 11, 12, and 13 which requires that all residents, businesses, and visitors of Montgomery County wear face-coverings.

Emergency Order 11 states that cloth or other face-coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the virus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action, shall be required in Montgomery County, Tennessee, within all publicly-accessible areas of commercial business establishments; in public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained; and within the publicly-accessible areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained.

In addition, the order states that businesses and facilities shall post signage at public entrances informing patrons of the requirement to wear a mask within the establishment and shall enforce the requirement within the establishment.

Emergency Order 14 will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on August 10, 2020. and will expire on August 17, 2020, at 12:01 a.m. unless sooner canceled or extended. The local state of emergency under this statute is limited to seven days, but it may be extended in seven-day increments.

Exceptions under the emergency order are:

• Any person who is of age 12 or under;
• Any person who cannot safely wear a face covering because he/she has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face covering;
• Anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove a face-covering without assistance;
• Persons in a private residence;
• Persons who are outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate 6-foot social distancing from others outside of the person's household;
• Persons while eating or drinking;
• Persons in a place of worship or participating in any type of religious ceremony or activity attendant thereto (unless a face-covering is required by the place of worship or other location where the religious ceremony is taking place), although persons in places of worship or otherwise participating in religious ceremonies or activities attendant thereto are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19;
• Persons within private motor vehicles, unless such vehicle is being used for public transportation or a vehicle for hire;
• Persons working under conditions where appropriate social distancing of at least six feet from others outside the person's household is substantially maintained;
• Persons present in government facilities, or on government premises, who shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the governmental entity operating the facility or premises. • Persons present in the public areas of all Montgomery County government facilities will wear cloth or other face-coverings, subject to the age and health restrictions outlined herein, and subject to number
• Other local governmental entities may issue their own directives regarding their facilities;
• Persons in a voting site for the purpose of voting or administering an election; although such persons are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19;
• Persons who are engaging in strenuous exercise and/or physical activity, provided, however, that such persons shall maintain 6-foot social distancing when not wearing a face covering;
• Persons for whom wearing a face-covering would pose a safety or security risk;

A State of Local Emergency was declared on July 17, granting to the County Mayor certain powers as allowed under TCA 58-2-110 that gives political subdivisions of Tennessee State Government, Montgomery County, the ability to waive procedures relative to performance of public works and taking whatever prudent action is necessary to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the community.

For more information about Montgomery County Services and COVID-19 information to include question and answer sheets for residents and businesses, visit https://mcgtn.org/ or call 931-648-5787.

Foster Care Review Board Members and Foster Care Families are Needed in Montgomery County

August 6th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — Montgomery County Juvenile Services is seeking adults who are willing to serve on the local foster care review board. Foster care review boards are comprised of citizen volunteers who are appointed by juvenile court judges. The board serves the quasi-judicial function of hearing cases and advising the court by overseeing the progress of custody cases for children in foster care.

“Children are placed into state custody due to a variety of circumstances that are usually caused by parents or guardians. We are asking for volunteers from the community to be a part of the foster care review board to help us ensure that these children are able to experience safety, security, and stability as quickly as possible,” stated County Probation Case Manager Supervisor and Foster Care Coordinator Howard Johnson.

Juvenile court judges place children into DCS custody for reasons such as educational neglect due to refusal to attend school, negligence of parents getting their child to school as required by Tennessee Compulsory Attendance Requirements, or delinquent offenses enacted by the child. Parents also petition the juvenile court to remove unruly or delinquent children from their homes, due to an inability to properly supervise them.

The volunteers review paperwork ahead of the hearings and then meet with other members of the board at the courts center or electronically one day per month to examine the cases of children who are in DCS custody. They file a report for each child containing their findings and recommendations. The report is then forwarded to the juvenile court judge overseeing the custody of each child. Foster Care Review Boards are not aligned with the Department of Children’s Services (DCS). However, children in DCS custody must have their cases reviewed by juvenile court judges and/or foster care review boards at specified intervals.

“Permanency is the goal for children in foster care because it helps to provide them with the stability they need. Children are placed back into the custody of their parents or a family member after the problems that necessitated the removal are corrected,” explained Johnson.

Foster care families are also sorely needed in Montgomery County. Due to a chronic shortage of foster homes, children are often placed in various locations across the state – some of them hundreds of miles away from home. Currently, there are more than 300 children from Montgomery County who are in the custody of DCS.

Anyone interested in joining the foster care review board should contact Foster Care Facilitators Taquita Fields or Howard Johnson at 931-648-5766 or via email at [email protected] or [email protected]. For those who would like to find out more about becoming a Resource (Foster) Family, contact DCS at 931-503-3200.

Montgomery County Mayor Extends Executive Order to Wear a Face-Covering through August 10

July 31st, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett, signed Emergency Executive Order 13 today to extend Emergency Orders 11 and 12 which requires that all residents, businesses, and visitors of Montgomery County wear face-coverings.

The order states that cloth or other face-coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the virus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action, shall be required in Montgomery County, Tennessee, within all publicly-accessible areas of commercial business establishments; in public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained; and within the publicly-accessible areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained.

In addition, the order states that businesses and facilities shall post signage at public entrances informing patrons of the requirement to wear a mask within the establishment and shall enforce the requirement within the establishment.

Emergency Order 13 will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on August 3, 2020. and will expire on August 10, 2020, at 12:01 a.m. unless sooner canceled or extended. The local state of emergency under this statute is limited to seven days, but it may be extended in seven-day increments.

Exceptions under the emergency order are:

• Any person who is of age 12 or under;
• Any person who cannot safely wear a face covering because he/she has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face covering;
• Anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove a face-covering without assistance;
• Persons in a private residence;
• Persons who are outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate 6-foot social distancing from others outside of the person's household;
• Persons while eating or drinking;
• Persons in a place of worship or participating in any type of religious ceremony or activity attendant thereto (unless a face-covering is required by the place of worship or other location where the religious ceremony is taking place), although persons in places of worship or otherwise participating in religious ceremonies or activities attendant thereto are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19;
• Persons within private motor vehicles, unless such vehicle is being used for public transportation or a vehicle for hire;
• Persons working under conditions where appropriate social distancing of at least six feet from others outside the person's household is substantially maintained;
• Persons present in government facilities, or on government premises, who shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the governmental entity operating the facility or premises.
• Persons present in the public areas of all Montgomery County government facilities will wear cloth or other face-coverings, subject to the age and health restrictions outlined herein, and subject to number
• Other local governmental entities may issue their own directives regarding their facilities;
• Persons in a voting site for the purpose of voting or administering an election; although such persons are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19;
• Persons who are engaging in strenuous exercise and/or physical activity, provided, however, that such persons shall maintain 6-foot social distancing when not wearing a face covering;
• Persons for whom wearing a face-covering would pose a safety or security risk;

A State of Local Emergency was declared on July 17, granting to the County Mayor certain powers as allowed under TCA 58-2-110 that gives political subdivisions of Tennessee State Government, Montgomery County, the ability to waive procedures relative to performance of public works and taking whatever prudent action is necessary to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the community.

For more information about Montgomery County Services and COVID-19 information to include question and answer sheets for residents and businesses, visit https://mcgtn.org or call 931-648-5787.

Montgomery County’s COVID-19 Drive-Through Testing Location will Relocate to Civitan Park

July 29th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – The Montgomery County Health Department’s COVID-19 drive-through testing location will move from Richview Middle School to Civitan Park, located at 650 Bellamy Lane in St. Bethlehem, beginning Monday, August 3.

Originally testing services were to resume at Veterans Plaza by August 3 but rather than moving back and forth from that location due to the upcoming voting schedule, Montgomery County Health Department Director Joey Smith worked with Emergency Management Agency Director Ed Baggett, Montgomery County Parks and Recreation Director Jerry Albert, City of Clarksville Parks and Recreation Director Jennifer Letourneau, and the Tennessee Department of Health to find a long-term location for the community.

“Due to the volume of people being tested and the long car lines associated with that, we needed a location that would minimize the impact to our schools and to the election commission, and preferably a site with a lot of parking,” said Smith. “Civitan Park fits the bill. Everyone I worked with has been tremendously helpful in this process and I appreciate that,” he added.

The hours for testing will remain the same from 7 a.m. to noon, Mondays through Fridays. Any holiday closures will be sent to local media and shared on Montgomery County Government social media accounts. The link to the maps for the Civitan testing site can be found here.

Questions about the move or other information related to the Montgomery County Health Department, can be addressed at https://mcgtn.org/health or by calling 931-648-5747. For additional COVID-19 information visit https://mcgtn.org/.

Montgomery County Mayor Extends Emergency Executive Order to Wear a Mask through August 3

July 24th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett, signed Emergency Executive Order 12 today to extend Emergency Order 11 which requires that all residents, businesses, and visitors of Montgomery County wear face-coverings.

The order states that cloth or other face-coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the virus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action, shall be required in Montgomery County, Tennessee, within all publicly-accessible areas of commercial business establishments; in public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained; and within the publicly-accessible areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained.

In addition, the Order states that businesses and facilities shall post signage at public entrances informing patrons of the requirement to wear a mask within the establishment and shall enforce the requirement within the establishment.

Emergency Order 12 will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on July 27, 2020. and will expire on August 3, 2020, at 12:01 a.m. unless sooner canceled or extended. The local state of emergency under this statute is limited to seven days, but it may be extended in seven-day increments.

Exceptions under the emergency order are:

• Any person who is of age 12 or under;
• Any person who cannot safely wear a face covering because he/she has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face covering;
• Anyone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove a face-covering without assistance;
• Persons in a private residence;
• Persons who are outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate 6-foot social distancing from others outside of the person's household;
• Persons while eating or drinking;
• Persons in a place of worship or participating in any type of religious ceremony or activity attendant thereto (unless a face-covering is required by the place of worship or other location where the religious ceremony is taking place), although persons in places of worship or otherwise participating in religious ceremonies or activities attendant thereto are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19;
• Persons within private motor vehicles, unless such vehicle is being used for public transportation or a vehicle for hire;
• Persons working under conditions where appropriate social distancing of at least six feet from others outside the person's household is substantially maintained;
• Persons present in government facilities, or on government premises, who shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the governmental entity operating the facility or premises.
• Persons present in the public areas of all Montgomery County government facilities will wear cloth or other face-coverings, subject to the age and health restrictions outlined herein, and subject to number
• Other local governmental entities may issue their own directives regarding their facilities;
• Persons in a voting site for the purpose of voting or administering an election; although such persons are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19;
• Persons who are engaging in strenuous exercise and/or physical activity, provided, however, that such persons shall maintain 6-foot social distancing when not wearing a face covering;
• Persons for whom wearing a face-covering would pose a safety or security risk;

A State of Local Emergency was declared on July 17, granting to the County Mayor certain powers as allowed under TCA 58-2-110 that gives political subdivisions of Tennessee State Government, Montgomery County, the ability to waive procedures relative to performance of public works and taking whatever prudent action is necessary to ensure the health, safety and welfare of the community.

For more information about Montgomery County Services and COVID-19 information to include question and answer sheets for residents and businesses, visit https://mcgtn.org or call 931-648-5787.

Montgomery County Mayor Signs Emergency Order #11 for the Mandatory Wearing of Face Coverings

July 17th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett, has issued Emergency Executive Order #11 requiring that all Clarksville, Montgomery County residents and visitors wear face-coverings in public to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The exceptions to wearing a face-covering are outlined in Governor Lee’s previous Executive Order #54.

The latest order, which goes into effect at 12:01 a.m. July 20, 2020, and is set expire at 12:01 a.m. on July 27, 2020, states that it is ordered that cloth or other face coverings that cover the nose and mouth of a person to impede the spread of the virus during speaking, coughing, sneezing or other action, shall be required in Montgomery County, Tennessee, within all publicly-accessible areas of commercial business establishments; public outdoor areas where social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained; and within publicly-accessible areas of business offices where there is direct interaction with the public and social distancing of at least six feet cannot be maintained.

On Friday, July 17, Mayor Durrett met with City Mayor Joe Pitts as well as Montgomery County Sheriff John Fuson, Clarksville Police Department Chief David Crockarell, and Director of Medical Services Jimmie Edwards to review the mandate. Mayor Durrett also conferred with Director of Clarksville-Montgomery County School System Millard House and Austin Peay State University President Alisa White regarding the newest mandate.

Also stated in the order, businesses and facilities will be required to post signage requiring that patrons wear face-coverings. Previous, orders mandated that anyone working in a business that served the public needs to wear a face-covering. Those orders will be vacated and replaced by the new emergency order that everyone to wear face-coverings, on July 20. Suggested wording for the signage can be found at https://mcgtn.org.

“I realize there are varying opinions about wearing a face-covering. The use of face coverings in a preferred alternative to the closing of businesses and preventing schools from re-opening, which could likely become necessary if some action is not taken. This is the best defense against coronavirus we have at this time. The great thing is that we can all play a role in stopping the spread of the virus and I have no doubt that our community prefers the use of face coverings over continued closures of schools and business,” stated Mayor Durrett.

“As always, I appreciate Mayor Durrett bringing the city to the table and asking for our input. We know we are in this together and I also agree that we need to do what we can to slow the spread of this virus to have the best outcome for our citizens,” said Mayor Pitts.

Sheriff Fuson and Chief Crockarell agreed that overall, people have been following the rules during this outbreak and they are committed to having their officers work first to educate and encourage the public to wear face coverings before giving citations.

A list of national companies such as Walmart, Target, Walgreens and Kroger have also announced the requirement to wear masks in their place of business.

The data will continue to be reviewed by local leaders and health officials and the local order will be extended or ceased accordingly. For more information about Montgomery County Services and COVID-19 information, visit https://mcgtn.org or call 931-648-5787.

COVID-19 Drive-Through Testing Hours Change at Relocation Site

July 16th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – The Montgomery County Health Department will be conducting COVID-19 testing outside Richview Middle School weekdays from July 17 through July 31. The testing hours are now 7 a.m. to noon. Richview Middle School is located at 2350 Memorial Drive.

The hours have changed due to the high temperatures and a lack of cover from the sun for employees who are administering the tests.

“Without a carport to stand under, the medical professionals, who are fully masked, gloved and gowned, are giving the tests while standing in the heat. Adjusting the hours helps us to serve the public over extended periods of time while allowing employees to get out of the hot weather in the afternoons. We appreciate the public’s patience as we make adjustments,” said Montgomery County Health Director Joey Smith.

By 11 a.m. the concrete was above 90 degrees with heat indexes close to 100 degrees this week. The temporary move from Veterans Plaza to Richview Middle School has been done to accommodate the early voting schedule at the Montgomery County Election Commission. The entrance for the testing site is located off Memorial Drive.

The lines at the Richview Middle location may be long, so it is important to plan accordingly. COVID-19 testing is expected to resume at the Veterans Plaza beginning Monday, August 3.

To ask questions about the move or other information related to the Montgomery County Health Department, visit https://mcgtn.org/health or call 931-648-5747. For additional COVID-19 information visit https://mcgtn.org/.

Montgomery County Mayor Signs Extension for the Mandatory Wearing of Face-Coverings

July 14th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett, signed Emergency Executive Order #10 today to extend Emergency Order #9 which requires the wearing of face masks by all employees of businesses open to the public in Montgomery County.

On July 3, Governor Bill Lee issued Executive Order #54 giving authority to county mayors to issue COVID-19 mask requirements. Montgomery County is one of 89 counties in the State of Tennessee that was given this authority. The extended mandate will go into effect at 12:01 a.m., July 15, and will remain in effect for seven days as allowed by law until 12:01 a.m. on July 22. An evaluation to further extend the orders will be determined prior to July 22.

Emergency Order #9 requires employees of businesses open to the public in Montgomery County to wear masks unless social distancing can be conducted consistently. This order will be enforced on an as-needed basis.

The decision to extend the mandate is based on conversations with Montgomery County Health Department Director Joey Smith, Montgomery County Director of Medical Services Jimmie Edwards, and the testing data that is specific to Montgomery County.

“Our cases are still rising at a level that is troublesome. We will continue practicing this first step to require employees of businesses open to the public to wear face coverings and highly encourage all businesses to require patrons to wear a mask when visiting their business. The simple act of wearing a face-covering is something that health experts, many who are currently struggling to save lives, have been pleading with the public to practice. I encourage everyone to wear a mask in public when social distancing cannot be acheived,” stated Mayor Durrett.

Exceptions for workers wearing face-coverings within a business include the following as outlined in Governor Lee’s Executive Order 54:

• Within one's residence or automobile, unless transporting others for hire;
• By someone who has trouble breathing due to an underlying health condition or another bona fide medical or health-related reason for not wearing a face-covering;
• By someone who is incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the cloth face-covering without assistance;
• While eating or drinking;
• While outdoors, unless the person cannot substantially maintain appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person's household;
• While working under conditions where appropriate social distancing from others outside of the person's household is substantially maintained;
• In situations in which wearing a face-covering poses a safety or security risk;

COVID-19 tests are provided free of charge by the Montgomery County Health Department weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The testing site will relocate temporarily from the Veterans Plaza location to Richview Middle School, which is located at 2350 Memorial Drive. Testing will take place at Richview Middle from Thursday, July 16 through Friday, July 31.

For more information about Montgomery County Services and COVID-19 information, visit https://mcgtn.org or call 931-648-5787.

Montgomery County’s COVID-19 Drive-Through Testing Site will Temporarily Relocate

July 13th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – The Montgomery County Health Department will be temporarily relocating their COVID-19 testing site from the Veterans Plaza location to Richview Middle School, which is located at 2350 Memorial Drive. Testing will take place at Richview Middle from Thursday, July 16 through Friday, July 31 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each weekday.

The change is being made in order to accommodate the early voting schedule at the Montgomery County Election Commission. To make the transition, COVID-19 testing will be limited from 9 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, July 15 at the Veterans Plaza location. The map shows the entrance from Memorial Drive and the traffic flow for the Richview Middle COVID-19 drive-through.

“We will work to make this a smooth transition so we can continue providing testing services to the residents of Montgomery County. Our plan is to resume testing back at the Veterans Plaza location on Monday, August 3,” said Director of the Montgomery County Health Department Joey Smith.

FTo ask questions about the move or other information related to the Montgomery County Health Department, visit https://mcgtn.org/health or call 931-648-5747. For additional COVID-19 information visit https://mcgtn.org/

Final Call for Public Input on the 2021 Legislative Agenda for Montgomery County

July 13th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — The Montgomery County Legislative Liaison Committee is making a final request for the public to submit legislative agenda items to develop the 2021 Legislative Agenda for lawmakers in Nashville. This agenda includes items specific to issues in Montgomery County, as well as statewide, that need to be addressed.

To gather as much input as possible, Montgomery County is asking employees, community organizations, and county residents to submit legislative items for consideration. The 2019 and 2020 legislative agenda items that were previously presented, can be found at mcgtn.net.

Please submit items to Michelle Newell by email at [email protected] or to the physical address of 1 Millennium Plaza, Clarksville, TN 37040 by Tuesday, August 4. The committee will continue to review the suggested topics and formulate its agenda to be presented to our local state delegation in September 2020.

County Commission Meetings will be Closed to the Public through August

July 9th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – In accordance with the Governor’s Executive Orders No. 16 and 51, regarding limiting gatherings to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, and allowing public meetings to take place by electronic means; Montgomery County Commission meetings scheduled in July and August will be conducted in-person for County Commissioners only. The public will not be allowed in the commission chambers. Limiting public access to these meetings is necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare in light of COVID-19.

The July 13 formal commission meeting, August 3 informal county commission meeting, and August 10 formal commission meeting of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners will be open to the public via electronic means and can be viewed as a live stream video on the Montgomery County YouTube channel during the meeting as well as any time after the meeting has taken place.

For members of the public who plan to address the County Commission about zoning cases on August 3, 2020, they may do so via Webex from the first-floor training room of the Montgomery County Historic Courthouse. A member of the staff will be available to guide them through the process. Space in the training room will be limited and open on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For more information about County Commission meetings visit https://mcgtn.org/ or calling 931-648-5787.

Montgomery and Robertson County General Sessions Court Judges Will Require Face Coverings in Courtrooms

July 8th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Beginning Monday, July 13, 2020, a temporary policy that requires the wearing of face coverings for all persons in the courtrooms will go into effect for the 19th Judicial District.

The policy has been established by Jill Bartee Ayers, Presiding Judge 19th Judicial District, Ken Goble, Montgomery County General Sessions Court Presiding Judge and Joel Perry, Robertson County General Sessions Court Judge, and will remain in effect until August 1, 2020, unless otherwise extended, according to a memo that was shared from the judges.

The temporary policy will go into effect due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Montgomery and Robertson Counties, in order to protect those who use the court system and those who work in and around the court, consistent with the executive orders of the Montgomery County and Robertson County Mayors.

The memo states that the decision has been made regarding face coverings in the courtrooms of the 19th Judicial District. The court procedures for reopening which were approved by the TN Supreme Court will remain in full force with the addition of face coverings.

The following are exceptions to the temporary policy: face coverings may be temporarily removed by a witness who is giving testimony, by attorneys as they address the court, and judges and clerks seated in the courtroom during court who are adequately social distanced. Additionally, exceptions noted in the referenced executive orders will be recognized.

The memo further states that each judge will continue to have the authority to require face coverings to be worn at all times in his/her courtroom at his/her discretion. This policy will be announced in the courtrooms and any person after having been personally admonished by the court to wear a face-covering may be ordered to leave the premises and/or be punished for contempt. Each judge is charged with enforcement of the above in his/her courtroom.

The judges request that attorneys encourage their clients to bring and wear their own face coverings, however, the 19th Judicial District in conjunction with Montgomery and Robertson Counties will work diligently to provide face coverings for litigants who appear in the courtrooms without them. The memo also states that there may be times that the demand for face coverings may exceed supply.

Courts will continue to use technology to take up cases via video and teleconferences when possible. For more information about General Sessions Court in Montgomery County, visit https://mcgtn.org or call 931-648-5700.

Montgomery County Veterans Service Organization Celebrates the Opening of New Office Space

July 7th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – The Montgomery County Veterans Service Organization (VSO) celebrated the opening of their new office space with a ribbon-cutting on Monday, July 6, at Veterans Plaza.

“When I began this job, Mayor Durrett gave me two directives. One was for the VSO to have greater visibility in the community and the other was to reduce the amount of time it took to serve our veterans. I felt confident about doing those but when he added the construction of new office space, I was thankful to count on the professional team in our county engineering department. Our organization has been serving veterans for 76 years and with this added space, we are in a position to serve the expanding needs of our military veterans for at least another 10 years,” stated Montgomery County VSO Director Andrew Kester.

Speakers at the ribbon-cutting included Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett, City of Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts, Senator Bill Powers, and LG Electronics Clarksville President Anthony Jung. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Anderson Grant also prayed a blessing over the new office space.

“There are many people who deserve recognition this morning, including our county commission who supported this project. I appreciate Andrew and his team who help our veterans every day, the VSO board, our county engineering team Nick Powell, Doug Jones and Amanda Bush who worked to finish this project under budget and ahead of schedule, thanks to LG for their support of our community, Mayor Pitts and First Lady Pitts for your continued support of County Government, Mike Boisseau of BR Miller who continues to do great work for the county and thanks to all of our military veterans. Thank you for the freedoms we enjoy today because we know freedom is not free” said Mayor Durrett.

President of LG Electronics Clarksville Anthony Jung was thanked with a proclamation from Mayor Durrett and a coin from Andrew Kester for the contribution of 2,000 masks to Korean War veterans who are served in the new VSO office.

“Every day is Veterans Day in Montgomery County and we appreciate the sacrifices they and their families have made,” said City Mayor Joe Pitts.

Senator Bill Powers reminisced about the history behind the purchase of Veterans Plaza and how honored he is to be on the Veterans Caucus for the State of Tennessee.

Tours of the facility were given by the VSO staff following the ribbon-cutting, patriotic music was provided by Joe Padula, and individually wrapped homemade cookies were available, compliments of Debra Kester.

For more information about Montgomery County Veterans Services, visit https://mcgtn.org/ or call 931-553-5173.

Montgomery County Mayor Signs Emergency Order #9 for the Mandatory Wearing of Face Masks

July 2nd, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett, signed Executive Emergency Order #9 today to require the wearing of face masks by all employees of businesses open to the public in Montgomery County.

On Friday evening, July 3, Governor Bill Lee issued Executive Order #54 giving authority to county mayors to issue COVID-19 mask requirements. Montgomery County is one of 89 counties in the State of Tennessee that was given this authority. The mandate for businesses in Montgomery County to wear masks will go into effect at 12:01 a.m., July 8 and end July 15 with an expectation to extend the order at least another seven days through July 22, at which time an evaluation to further extend the orders will be determined. Emergency orders are valid for seven days and can be extended for seven-day periods.

Emergency Order #9 requires business employees to wear masks, unless social distancing can be conducted consistently. This order will be enforced on an as needed basis.

On Monday, July 6, Mayor Durrett and his Chief of Staff met with City Mayor Joe Pitts and his Chief of Staff, Montgomery County Health Department Director Joey Smith, and Director of Medical Services Jimmie Edwards to discuss the possibility of mask requirements.

“Based on the data we have seen our cases going up at a level that is uncomfortable. We know there is a “lag” in receiving testing data as more people are being testing. We must be proactive - so our first step is to require employees of businesses open to the public to wear face coverings. We are strongly encouraging all businesses to require patrons to wear a mask when visiting their business. We do not want to issue another stay at home order. Although some may feel this is encroaching on their freedoms, it is an effort to keep our local businesses open and our residents employed, while doing it in a safe manner,” Mayor Durrett stated. “Like many of you, I want to see our kids back in school, I want to enjoy a high school football game, a soccer game or a volleyball game. I want to see little league baseball and college football again. I want our children to have proms and graduations, skating parties and birthday parties. It really boils down to the young adults and children of this community having the opportunity to grow and prosper as we did, and also protecting the population that is more vulnerable to this virus. If it takes wearing a mask for all of this to happen, then we should all sacrifice a little for the gain of many. We must all remember - it’s not about me, it’s about we!”

"I applaud Mayor Durrett's willingness to issue this emergency order and will ask the City Council to meet in a special session on Tuesday afternoon to consider a resolution in support of the order. It is imperative we continue to work together to keep our citizens safe," said Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts.

Health Department Director Joey Smith explained that testing numbers continue to increase which means there are hundreds of tests from people in Montgomery County waiting for results. The data will continue to be reviewed by local leaders and health officials who will follow the recommendations of the Center for Disease Control (CDC).

For more information about Montgomery County Services and COVID-19 information, visit https://mcgtn.org/ or call 931-648-5787.

Montgomery County Government Closed the 3rd of July

July 2nd, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — Montgomery County Government Offices will be closed Friday, July 3 in observance of the Independence Day federal holiday. Public safety services will continue.

Montgomery County offices will reopen Monday, July 6 during regularly scheduled hours.

Media Contact: Michelle Newell, Public Information Officer, [email protected]

July Informal County Commission Meeting will be Closed for Public Attendance

June 30th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – In accordance with the Governor’s Executive Orders No. 16 and 51, regarding limiting gatherings to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, and allowing public meetings to take place by electronic means; the Informal County Commission meeting scheduled on July 6 at 6 p.m. will be conducted in-person for County Commissioners only. The public will not be allowed in the meeting room. Limiting public access to these meetings is necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare in light of COVID-19.

The July 6 informal county commission meeting of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners will only be open to the public via electronic means and can be viewed as a live stream video on the Montgomery County YouTube channel during the meeting or at any time after the meeting has taken place.

For members of the public who plan to address the county commission about zoning cases, they may do so via Webex from the first-floor training room of the Montgomery County Historic Courthouse. A member of the staff will be available to guide them through the process.

“Montgomery County Government will continue to follow the orders that have been given at the state level for the protection of the citizens. For now, we will resume the way we conducted meetings in April and May,” stated Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

For more information about the July 6 Informal County Commission meeting visit https://mcgtn.org or calling 931-648-5787.

Montgomery County Commission Meetings to Resume Normal Procedures in July

June 25th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Beginning July 6, Montgomery County Commission meetings will be open to the public. Additionally, public hearings and requests to address the County Commission will resume at the meetings.

There will be limited capacity within the commission chambers in order to practice social distancing. Once capacity has been met, the Montgomery County deputies on duty will no longer allow people to enter the building. The public will be allowed to enter on a first come first serve basis. Masks will also be available at the building entrance area for those who wish to wear one.

“We understand that reducing the capacity may mean that not everyone who wants to attend will be able to attend in person, but we feel it is important to continue to practice social distancing,” said Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

County Commission meetings will continue to be posted on the Montgomery County Government YouTube channel for those who would like to watch the meetings online.

For anyone interested in addressing the County Commission, please submit a request to speak form at least 72 hours before the informal meeting to Shelly Baggett at [email protected]. For further information, call (931) 648-5787.

Montgomery County Legislative Liaison Committee Sends Second Request for Community Input

June 23th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — The Montgomery County Legislative Liaison Committee continues to develop the 2021 Legislative Agenda for lawmakers in Nashville. This agenda includes items specific to issues in Montgomery County, as well as statewide, that need to be addressed by the Tennessee General Assembly.

To gather as much input as possible, Montgomery County is again asking employees, community organizations, and county residents to submit legislative items for consideration.

Please submit items to Michelle Newell via email at [email protected], or mail to 1 Millennium Plaza, Clarksville, TN 37040 by Friday, July 3. The committee will review the suggested topics and formulate its agenda to be presented to our local state delegation in September 2020.

The legislative agenda items that were presented in 2019 and 2020 can be viewed at on the County Commission page at mcgtn.org.

Montgomery County Veterans Service Organization Ribbon Cutting

June 22th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

What: Ribbon Cutting for Montgomery County Veterans Service Organization (MCVSO)

Why: To celebrate the opening of new office space for the MCVSO

When: 11 a.m. Monday, July 6, 2020

Where: Veterans Plaza 350 Pageant Lane, outside Suite 405 Clarksville, TN 37040

Who: Andrew Kester, Director of MCVSO

Additional Details: Social distancing will be observed and masks will be available for those who would like to wear one. Individual guided tours of the new office will be offered following the ceremony. The MCVSO office will be closed for the day, following the ceremony.

Montgomery County Legislative Liaison Committee Seeking Community Input

June 12th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — The Montgomery County Legislative Liaison Committee has begun the process of developing the 2020 Legislative Agenda for lawmakers in Nashville. This agenda includes items specific to issues in Montgomery County, as well as statewide, that need to be addressed.

To gather as much input as possible, Montgomery County is asking employees, community organizations, and county residents to submit legislative items for consideration.

Please submit items to Michelle Newell via email at [email protected], or mail to 1 Millennium Plaza, Clarksville, TN 37040 by Friday, June 19. The committee will review the suggested topics and formulate its agenda to be presented to our local state delegation in Fall 2020.

Montgomery County Legislative Liaison Committee Seeking Community Input

June 11th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN — The Montgomery County Legislative Liaison Committee has begun the process of developing the 2020 Legislative Agenda for lawmakers in Nashville. This agenda includes items specific to issues in Montgomery County, as well as statewide, that need to be addressed.

To gather as much input as possible, Montgomery County is asking employees, community organizations, and county residents to submit legislative items for consideration.

Please submit items to Michelle Newell via email at [email protected], or mail to 1 Millennium Plaza, Clarksville, TN 37040 by Friday, June 19. The committee will review the suggested topics and formulate its agenda to be presented to our local state delegation in Fall 2020.

Vehicle Burglary Theft

June 9th, 2020 - Sheriff's Office

CLARKSVILLE, TN – Investigators with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office are asking for the public’s assistance for any information in reference to several burglaries and vehicle theft involving a white car.

The incidents occurred in a neighborhood off of Hwy 41A and in a neighborhood off of Rossview Road on June 08, 2020, between 2:00 AM and 06:00 AM.

Home security footage shows three males drive up in a white vehicle, approach several vehicles in the neighborhood checking for unlocked doors in the Rossview area. The suspects stole items from vehicles that were unlocked and attempted to steal a vehicle but were unsuccessful.

However, the suspects were able to steal a vehicle in a neighborhood off of Hwy 41A that was unlocked with the keys inside. The vehicle has since been recovered.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Investigator Mckenzie Knotts at 931-648-0611 ext. 13404 or submit a tip with the new MoCoInfo App.

You can also call the Crime Stoppers Tipsline at 931-645-8477, or go online and submit a tip anonymously at P3tips.com/591.

Reda Drive Shooting

June 5th, 2020 - Sheriff's Office

CLARKSVILLE, TN – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting that occurred at a construction site in the Dotsonville area.

Units were dispatched to the intersection of Reda Drive and Allie Kay Way at approximately 2:20 P.M. on Thursday, June 4, 2020.

Upon arrival deputies and investigators discovered Christopher Bumpus, 42, deceased with a gunshot wound to his chest.

After speaking to witnesses, Richard Bernardo Nolton, 25, was taken into custody. He has been charged with criminal homicide and violation of condition of release.

Nolton is being held without bond for the criminal homicide charge and his bond was set at $6,000 for the COR violation.

This was an isolated incident and there is no danger to the public.

Anyone with additional information on this crime is asked to contact Investigator Jonathan Inman at 931-648-0611 ext 13424. You can also call the Crime Stoppers Tipsline at 931-645-8477 or go online and submit a tip anonymously at https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=591#.

Flag Day Retirement Ceremony

June 5th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

The Montgomery County Veterans Service Organization, in conjunction with Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4895, will be conducting the annual Flag Day ceremony beginning at 12 noon, Sunday, June 14, at VFW Post 4895, 1701 Haynes St., Clarksville. The public is invited to attend. We will be observing social distancing guidelines and encourage everyone in attendance to wear a mask.

The ceremony is held to properly destroy—by burning—worn, damaged or otherwise unserviceable American flags in a dignified and proper manner.

Damaged U.S. flags may be dropped off between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the Montgomery County Veterans Service Organization, 350 Pageant Lane, Suite 308, Clarksville, or at the VFW anytime during their business hours prior to the ceremony.

For more information, please call the MCVSO at 553-5173 or e-mail [email protected].

New IT Director Selected for Montgomery County

June 4th, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Skip Burchett has been appointed as the new Montgomery County Director of Information Technology, effective July 2. Burchett will be replacing Kurt Bryant who will be retiring on July 1. Bryant has been serving as the County IT Director since May 2011.

Burchett has worked as a senior network administrator for Montgomery County Government since July 2013. As a network administrator, he has been in charge of the VOIP phone system with over 1000 devices, design, installation, and support of the county’s CCTV surveillance systems and project management. He also ran the audiovisual and voting system for the county commission meetings; video filming and editing in-house as needed by the executive group; and assists with budget development, presentation, and defense.

Burchett is a graduate of Clarksville Academy and has 75 hours towards a Management of Information Systems Degree from the University of Memphis. He is also a Leadership Clarksville 2019 graduate, participated in Solutions 21 Leadership Development and is a Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout.

Prior to working for Montgomery County, Burchett worked as an IT consultant for Wright Technology Solutions from 2005 to 2013.

“I am humbled and honored to have been selected as the new IT director for Montgomery County Government. I love Clarksville, Montgomery County and am excited for the opportunity to continue to serve this great community. I am eager to hit the ground running and lead this hard-working and dedicated team of professionals for years to come,” stated Burchett.

“We had a group of really talented applicants. Skip brings a strong mixture of technical skills and leadership skills. The technology field is always changing and we need someone who can keep up with the technology and lead us to implementation. Skip is someone who can do that,” said Mayor Durrett.

To find out more about the Montgomery County IT Department, visit mcgtn.org/it

New IT Director Selected for Montgomery County

May 29, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Notice is hereby given that any member of the public who would like to address the Montgomery County Commission regarding a zoning case, or for the budget public hearing, may come to the Montgomery County Courthouse training room on the first floor on June 1 at 5 p.m. for the budget public hearing, and 6 p.m. for zoning cases. Comments will start promptly at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively, and are limited to three minutes.

Residents can address the commission at the informal commission meeting on June 1 by going to the training room on the first floor of the Montgomery County Historic Courthouse at 1 Millennium Plaza to address the county commission through a virtual meeting program called WebEx. A Montgomery County employee will guide the public addressee through the process.

Speakers for zoning cases are limited to three for and three against in each zoning case. Space in the training room will be limited to six people in order to practice social distancing. Individuals will be asked which case they will be speaking on and directed to enter in the order of the zoning cases that will be presented. Depending on the number of people who come to present, some individuals may need to wait for their turn outside before addressing the county commission.

If you have any questions, please contact Shelly Baggett at [email protected], or by calling 931-648-5787.

Fingerprint Services

May 28, 2020 - Sheriff's Office

CLARKSVILLE, TN – Fingerprint services provided by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office will reopen on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.

For the public’s convenience the location has moved to the Civil Process Office on first floor of the Public Safety Complex at 120 Commerce Street. The new location eliminates the need to obtain a visitor’s pass.

Anyone wishing to utilize fingerprint services must wear a mask. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided.

Cost for fingerprint services are $5.00 and must be paid in cash. Hours of operation are Tuesday from 9 AM to 11 AM and 1 PM to 3 PM. No appointment is necessary.

For further questions please call 931-648-0611 ext 13201.

Ribbon Cutting at Fredonia Community Center

May 28, 2020 - Communications Dept.

What: Ribbon Cutting for Fredonia Community Center

Why: To celebrate the opening of a community center in the Fredonia area of Montgomery County

When: 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 10, 2020.

Where: 4650 Old Ashland City Road South Clarksville, TN 37043.

Who: Jerry Allbert, Director of Parks and Recreation, Montgomery County, Tennessee

Additional Details: Participants will be asked to practice social distancing at the ribbon cutting and inside the community center following the ceremony.

COVID-19 Drive-through Testing Moves from Montgomery County Health Department to William O. Beach Civic Hall

May 27, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN – Beginning Monday, June 1, the Montgomery County Health Department will move its COVID-19 drive-through testing to William O. Beach Civic Hall, which is also located in Veterans Plaza at 350 Pageant Lane.

"This move will help our health department as we transition back to delivering some of our other public health services," said Joey Smith, County Health Director.

Drivers will need to enter Veterans Plaza by way of the Talley Drive entrance and proceed to the Crossland Avenue entrance of Civic Hall. Daily testing will be offered Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the exception of holidays. No appointment is needed for the COVID-19 drive-through and the testing is provided at no cost.

“Anyone with health concerns, or who has concerns about the health of a family member, is invited to come and receive testing for COVID-19,” said Smith.

Visit https://mcgtn.org or call 931-648-5747 for information about the Montgomery County Health Department and the services they provide.

Montgomery County Government Seeking Youth to Apply for Mayor’s Emerging Leaders Program

May 27, 2020 - Communications Dept.

Montgomery County, TN – Applications for the 2020-2021 Mayor’s Emerging Leaders Program for Montgomery County are being accepted through June 24, 2020.

The Mayor’s Emerging Leaders Program is for high school students in 10th through 12th grade who are interested in learning how local government works through attendance and participation in departmental committee meetings. The meetings, which may be in person or held through a virtual online program, will begin in August 2020 and end in May 2021.

“The Mayor’s Emerging Leaders Program provides our local youth the opportunity to get an impression of how county government works. I hope that the students who participate will take what they’ve learned and help others to understand some of the processes involved within county government. The young men and women of today will be leading and supporting local government in the future. This program helps to become more knowledgeable about county protocol and procedures,” said Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett.

Students who are interested in the program will be asked to select their first and second choices for committees and all students are encouraged to attend budget committee meetings. Committee choices include Airport Authority, Animal Care and Control, Emergency Medical Services, Parks and Recreation, Jail and Juvenile, School Liaison, Audit, Fire Protection and E-911.

Applications for the Mayor’s 2020-2021 Emerging Leaders Program can be viewed and downloaded on the county’s website at https://mcgtn.org/ or you can email Michelle Newell at [email protected] to request an application.