The Blue Springs Elementary School campus is under lock and key now for public safety after April 27 tornado damage. That leaves Bradley County looking for another polling place.CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- The Bradley County Commission voted Monday to continue creating its own full-time fire department.
The commission also settled the question on which district will have a future Blue Springs Elementary School.
The school was demolished by the April tornadoes. The future site, purchased by the county school system, is on Blue Springs Road at Old Federal Road and slightly inside the 5th District.
Fifth District Commissioner Jeff Yarber said that is where it should be. The community around the site already was in his district. Sixth District Commissioner Robert Rominger said the school was in his district, and the district line should be redrawn to bring it back.
The vote was 8-5 to keep the school in the 5th District. Ed Elkins, Louie Alford, Jeff Morelock, Mel Griffith and Rominger voted to move the district line. Commissioner Bill Winters was absent.
Elkins, chairman of the redistricting committee, reminded commissioners that Tennessee Comptroller Justin Wilson "wants us to pick up the pace on our redistricting plans. We are really under a very tight deadline now."
The commission voted 10-3 to approve continuing toward its full-time fire department plan, with Commissioners Morelock, Brian Smith and Mark Hall voting no.
Bradley County now operates a full-time service for rural areas from two stations, with more to be built, and pays Cleveland for city fire department service in an urban area around the city limits.
The commissioners voting no said they still support the county fire department completely.
Contact Randall Higgins at rhiggins@timesfreepress.com or 423-314-1029.