Related Articles Vote stops 911 board from seeking funds A tie vote has stopped the 911 District Board from applying for a grant to upgrade the 911 system. Hwy 64 a busy place Hwy. 64 may be closed to the public, but it’s a busy place with work underway in several places to make it safer when it does reopen. School buses slide in sudden snow The decision was made around 8:45 a.m. to send the children home, but some of the buses ran into trouble. TDOT still hopeful for March 31 deadline The contractor will perform scaling, blasting and clearing work during daylight hours and rock bolting during the night. Bills affecting rafting could cost state millions Several bills related to Ocoee River rafting could end up costing the state money, according to fiscal notes filed on the bills.

The year 2010 marks the beginning of a new decade. Looking back at the first ten years of the 21st Century, there were many stories that came and went quickly, while the ramifications of other stories are continuing. Here are just some of the highlights of the significant news for the years 2000-2008.

2000
The challenge to the county’s amusement tax began prior to 200o and continued through the decade. Other highlights of 200o included a change in the way schools are managed, changes at Intertrade, changes for Hiwassee Water Coop, a new sewer system and more.
• Attorney Ginger Wilson, who was hired in 1999 to work on the problem of unpaid amusement taxes, filed suit against River Rats and High Country for delinquent taxes from 1988 through 1991. Those cases were held off until a legal challenge to the tax itself could be heard. In March, an attack on the constitutionality of the county’s amusement tax was sent back to Chancery Court. The state Court of Appeals reversed a lower court decision that the tax is constitutional but gave the county the opportunity to prove it is allowable.
• In January, the commission approved a request to change the rafting tax, going from 10% to a flat $2.50 per customer.
• The Hiwassee Water Cooperative started off with a stormy year and ended with continuing efforts to get a water line across the river to connect with Etowah Utilities.
• A power struggle marked much of the year in the school system. The early part of the year was dominated by negotiations and a search for a new Director of Schools, while the latter portion brought jockeying for position after Dr. William Wade came on board. The critical reason for the tension was full implementation of the Education Improvement Act of 1992 that created an appointed Director with power over personnel that conflicted with the long-standing teacher contract on matters such as transfers and assignments.
• Other key school news items included a fight by East Polk residents against a move of the seventh grade to Copper Basin High School and a fire that damaged the library at PCHS, closing it for several months. On the positive side, approval was given for a new high school and work began toward its construction in time for school year 2002.
• The Ocoee River continued to be the focal point for tourism in 2000, but it was also a flash point for problems regarding water releases on the upper river, for racing as well as recreation. Planning was underway for the second most important whitewater slalom race in the world, the World Championship, scheduled for September 2001.
• The Copperhill sewage treatment plant was slated for a major renovation, with efforts underway to bring the costs to within the grant amount.
• Two elementary-age children were killed in March when their Murray County, Ga., school bus was hit by a CSX train at the crossing on Liberty Church Road just of Hwy. 411. The wreck took place just inside the Polk County line at the border with Murray County.
• Uncertainty hovered over Copperhill in the wake of the announcement that Intertrade Holdings could be shutting down the acid production plant.
• Benton and the county were mired in negotiations over a 20-year growth plan for the city, which county officials felt could take too much area into the city.
• The first customers hooked on to the Ocoee sewer line. The hookup was the culmination of a project first visualized for Hwy. 64 in Ocoee in the early 1990s. Ocoee Utilities ultimately allowed Benton to take over the project.
• The Tennessee Department of Transportation conducted a public hearing in February to discuss the four-laning of Hwy. 411 from Benton north to Hwy. 30.
• Development was underway on the Big Frog Village & Treehouses, a development conceived to blend with the environment on 25 acres off Hwy. 64 in Ocoee.
• The Polk and Copper Basin Chambers of Commerce decided to merge.
• The county Library Board hoped to establish a Friends of the Library organization to provide support for the county’s libraries.
• Southern Pine Beetles were on the march in the Cherokee National Forest and area private forests
• Work was continuing on the proposed Foothills Golf Course and Country Club Resort in the Pleasant Hill area
• Sula Jenkins learned she would not be reappointed as Clerk & Master, a position she held for 18 years. Chancellor Jerri Bryant, who was elected in 1998, appointed Kim Ingram to the position.
• Benton Manufacturing was added to the list of victims of foreign competition for sewing contracts.

2001

Topping the list was a story that took place far from Polk County but had impact here as well as throughout the nation -- the 9/11 terrorist attacks. At the local level, big headlines highlighted a variety of happenings: a new school and talk of other construction needs; plans to abandon a historic rail line; continuing impasse in a growth plan; cleanup work in the Copper Basin; redistricting;  hopes for a library system; and an exhumation.
• The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks had a direct impact in Polk County, particularly for tourism. The World Championship race on the Ocoee River, with more than 300 athletes from 27 countries expected, was called off, primarily for security reasons. Practice was to begin on Sept. 12 but disappointed athletes were forced to head home, once they were able to make new arrangements.
• The biggest news for the school system in 2001 was the construction of the county’s first new school in 25 years and talk of other construction needs. Construction on the new $8 million Polk County High School began in mid-May,
• The last train hauling acid from Intertrade left Copperhill in March, setting the stage for a CSX plan to abandon the historic Old Line rail route across the Bald Mountain Loop and through the Hiwassee River gorge on its way between Copperhill and Wetmore. A coalition of elected officials and organizations began planning for ways to save the line, both for future industrial needs and a rail excursion. a backup plan was being considered for development of a trail if all efforts fail for saving the rail line.
• The year began with serious concern that the Copper Basin area and part of the Ocoee River would be listed as a Superfund site, but a unique agreement was hammered out between the EPA, the state, and Glenn Springs Holdings for a long-range cleanup plan.
• A disagreement between Benton and the county commission on the state-mandated 20-year growth plan continued into its second year in 2001, this time keeping the three cities and the county from being eligible for a variety of grants after the July 1 deadline came and went.
• After the Census count of population showed that West Polk had grown more than East Polk, the county commission had to draw new voting district lines. The only plan that worked to keep relatively equal districts was a plan for three districts -- two in West Polk, one in East Polk
• In January, the management team of Growth Management Services, Inc. acquired the ownership of Intertrade from a subsidiary of Marsulex Inc. The Canadian firm had acquired the operation in 1998.
• The Friends of the Library began a fundraising effort with the goal of building a new library on each side of the county. The county commission provided a site at the industrial park in Benton but no site had been found in East Polk yet.
• Copperhill started out stormy and ended up calm in 2001 as there were new officials, twice, cops were fired, old lawsuits closed out, and new ones begun. The battle over renovations at the sewage treatment plant was waged for much of the year, with the engineering firm as well as the contractor under fire for delays. In May, Mayor Robert Thomas announced that he was firing the entire police force, giving insubordination and budget constraints as the reason and saying it was time for the police chief to realize who runs the city. A part-time police chief was hired.
• After more than two years, the last of 22 indictments handed down against Copperhill officials in January 1998 was dismissed. After the charges received nationwide attention because seven officials were involved, most of the charges were quietly dismissed or nolle’d (not prosecuted) without a hearing.
• A wreck of a trucker carrying chicken parts caused major problems for whitewater rafting in September. Around 38,000 pounds of chicken parts ended up in the riverbed on a Friday morning and the mess was not cleanup up until Saturday night.
• Challenges to the county’s rafting tax continued in court. The original lawsuit against the tax is awaiting a decision by the state Supreme Court.
• The relationship between the school system and the teachers -- at the negotiating table and in court -- generated more news. Financial surprises affected the budget and some teachers went to Georgia for better pay. School officials thought there was a large surplus fund, but by the time they fixed all the inaccuracies in May there was little left. Wade said it had been gobbled up primarily due to previous teacher pay raises that were not funded with local money and a change in health insurance premiums for families.
• A bright spot for schools came with a grant to establish distance learning classrooms.

2002

The top story for 2002 was the preservation of the Old Line between Etowah and Copperhill.  Other stories topping the news included an election, the first piece of funding for Hwy. 64, a state budget that threatened severe cuts locally, the end of the 20-year growth plan stalemate, environmental cleanup work, and more.
• With a flurry of paperwork in mid-October, CSX transferred ownership of the line to the Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association, which signed a $1.6 million loan agreement with Glenn Springs Holdings. At year’s end, plans began to present rules for a rail authority to officials in Polk, McMinn and affected cities. The Old Line Rail Coalition reviewed a request for several excursions in the fall as well as possibilities for rail car storage.
• After several years of discussion and unsuccessful attempts at mediation, Benton and the county came to an agreement on a 20-year growth boundary for the city
• For the first time, construction money for a portion of Hwy. 64 was included in the state budget. The governor included Appalachian Highway funds for construction of 4.4 miles from Hwy. 411 to Hwy. 314.
• The state budget did not include construction money for continued four-laning of Hwy. 411.
• In March, Polk County came out on top in a decision by the state Court of Appeals. The earlier judgment of the Chancery Court was affirmed, thus stating that the tax is constitutional. The case was appealed to the state Supreme Court, but the court decided in September not to hear the appeal.
• Glenn Springs Holdings began a variety of projects to restore the Copper Basin’s waterways to the purity of the days before copper mining began.
• Ocoee River outfitters continued their efforts to get relief from TVA on the cost of water for the upper Ocoee, but to no avail. They blamed the high cost of water for the declining number of rafters on the upper river.
• In February, the old steel bridge between Copperhill and McCaysville was shut down by the state of Georgia because it was deemed unsafe, causing traffic pileups between the two cities and sending McCaysville scrambling for funds for repairs. The bridge was repaired and reopened in September.
• An economic development study presented to the Copper Basin Economic Development Association and Chamber of Commerce called for a regional effort to promote the Ocoee and Hiwassee Rivers and the Ocoee Whitewater Center, including a major marketing effort. The idea was not pursued.
• Benton dedicated its new municipal building with a flag presented by Congressman Zach Wamp.
• Daniel Walkingstick staged a camp-in on land in the Cherokee National Forest that he said belonged to his family.
• There were continuing problems with completion of the sewage treatment plant upgrade in Copperhill but the plant was operating smoothly as more sludge was removed.
• Money saved by limiting the police department in Copperhill was used for street paving.
• The new PCHS opened on time despite the need for last-minute scrambling for money for the sewer line, which was provided by the county commission. The old high school building was converted to a middle school for grades 6-8. Benton and South Polk were converted to K-5 schools.
• Discussions began early in the year about the best way to meet the facility needs in East Polk. A fire marshal’s report in November 2001 called for major improvements, especially at Ducktown. There was some opposition to the idea of consolidating Ducktown and Turtletown if a new high school was built.
• PCEA continued to negotiate for a local pay raise for teachers, and the Board continued to insist that state law prevents them from granting a raise unless the county commission provided new money.
• The state Court of Appeals upheld one school lawsuit decision by Chancellor Jerri Bryant and sent another one back for more proceedings. Both matters -- length of school day and teacher dress code -- revolved around whether teachers can file a grievance and go to arbitration because of decisions by the School Board. The Court of Appeals agreed that length of day is a matter for arbitration.

2003

A variety of stories topped the news in 2003: Ups and downs for the Old Line, plans for a new Copper Basin High School, movement toward a Hwy. 64 bypass, and infrastructure improvements were among the top stories.
• The Old Line Rail Coalition hoped to create a Polk-McMinn Rail Authority and find an operator for freight and excursions. Financial studies showed that excursions alone would not generate enough revenue to make a rail operation feasible. The plan began to fall apart in January when opposition surfaced to a grant application for $287,000 to repair the line and help Intertrade generate new business and jobs. There was strong opposition in East Polk, particularly from union members who spoke angrily about grievances against previous owners of the company. The county commission turned down a rail authority and the Overhill began looking for a purchaser for the line or another non-profit organization that could accept ownership and operate it. Hopes were raised for an excursion on part of the line when TVA agreed to upgrade the 13 miles of line to the powerhouse in order to bring equipment to the Apalachia Powerhouse.
• Plans for a new Copper Basin High School were finalized. The original plan to have grades K-8 in the existing school was changed because there was not enough space for a pre-K wing and a middle school wing, so the seventh and eighth grades were to attend the new high school.
• The long-awaited Environmental Impact Statement for Hwy. 64 was released  in September with a price tag of more than $1 billion for a bypass with tunnels and bridges to go across the mountain. There was strong opposition at public hearings. In another development, Gov. Phil Bredesen and TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely cancelled a project to straighten out the curves and humps on Hwy. 64 in Bradley County that nobody wanted.
• A county commission committee began visiting jails to get ideas that could lead to a Justice Center with jail cells and courtrooms.
• A future use plan for Glenn Springs’ land combined tourism and historic preservation, with a series of trails that connect to Forest trails, interpretive sites for mine ruins, a spur rail line from Copperhill to the Ducktown Basin Museum, and outdoor classrooms for environmental education.
• Cabin owners on Parksville Lake protested the fact that Assessor of Property Randy Yates gave a value to their permits as well as increasing the value of the structures.
• Repair work and compliance with fire codes were a top spending priority for the schools. The biggest expense was putting new doors at all the schools, getting rid of the chains that were needed for years to keep doors closed. There were also repairs to air conditioning units and a variety of improvements to offices and classrooms.
• Chancellor Jerri Bryant ruled that the School Board has the right to impose a dress code for teachers without negotiations.
•The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear a case involving a local man. George Lane and three other plaintiffs argued that courtrooms are not accessible to the disabled. In Lane’s case, he was arrested when he refused to crawl up the stairs for a Sessions Court appearance. The issue in the case was whether the state can be sued under the ADA.
• Plumbing parts and cereal were among the materials spilled into the Ocoee following a wreck on Hwy. 64.
• The old Methodist Church in Copperhill continued to be a point of controversy as council members and citizens voiced concern that its condition could be a hazard. Owner Douglas Brownlow attended several meetings to defend his efforts and to denounce those of the council.
• The county commission approved an extension of the rafting tax waiver of the amusement tax on the upper Ocoee to 2009. The commission had agreed to the change several years ago as part of an effort to improve business and water releases on the upper river
• In tourism news, a seven-mile bike trail connected Thunder Rock campground to the scenic overlook at Boyd Gap. The Cherokee Heritage Trails Guidebook, created by the Eastern Band of Cherokee and the Overhill, provided guides to Cherokee sites in North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia.

2004

The year 2004 saw progress toward infrastructure improvements, including gas lines, and water lines. Passenger excursions were held on the Old Line and planning began for a five-year program to remove calcine from Intertrade property. There was an election, more work for environmental improvement in the Copper Basin, a new shopping center, highway talk and lots of smaller stories in the headlines.
• A proposed wheel tax to help pay for a new jail was soundly defeated.
• Basin area residents gave strong support to the proposed Hwy. 64 project, while environmentalists attending the Benton hearing raised a variety of concerns.
• TVA upgraded the portion of the rail line between Wetmore and the Apalachia Powerhouse to accommodate the hauling of heavy equipment to the powerhouse. This made it possible for the City of Etowah to sponsor rail excursions in the spring and fall. By mid-year, there was hope for the future of the entire line as interest was shown in a 10 million ton pile of calcine, or iron oxide, that was stockpiled on Intertrade property.
• Work began on providing natural gas from Etowah to Benton, with Volunteer Energy sponsoring the grant/loan project.
• The Copper Basin Utility District began the process of extending water lines to the Isabella area,
• Development began at Hwy. 64/411 on the Ocoee Town & Country center, which was expected to give a boost to the economy through jobs, property tax and sales tax
• The unauthorized landfill in Ducktown, which had been used for decades, was closed by the state after complaints that debris from the sewage treatment plant was being disposed of in the landfill.
• In January, an administrative law judge agreed with Assessor Randy Yates that Ocoee Lake cabin owners can be taxed on the leasehold value of the property, which had not been done before.
• There were two leaks at Intertreade: DPO was discovered in the wastewater treatment plant and the state declined to modify Intertrade’s permit to allow any discharge. A violation was issued. In October, an accidental release of SO3 sent a cloud of smoke through downtown Copperhill.
• The Home Bank celebrated its 100th anniversary.
• Peoples Bank of Polk County took on a new name -- First Bank of Tennessee, Benton Branch --- as it merged operations with a sister bank.
• A special group of volunteers, the 278th Regimental Combat Team of the Tennessee National Guard, was called to duty in Iraq, including more than a dozen from Polk County.
• Friends of the Library continued its fundraising effort for two full-service libraries in the county, getting a boost from a county commission pledge of $50,000 and a promise of another $50,000 if the county could afford it the next year, a $60,000 pledge from Maytag and a variety of other donations. Late in the year, the group added Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to its commitment, seeking to raise enough money to provide a book for every child from birth to age five.
• The Copper Basin Preservation Society, formed in 2003 to oppose a restart of sulfuric acid production at Intertrade, continued its effort to fight a renewal permit for that process. The group decided to investigate plans for a tourist train on the Old Line, with Greg Barker saying the real plan was to provide rail service for Intertrade.
• Citizens of Ocoee got on the bandwagon with letters, a petition, and a meeting with Congressman Zach Wamp when they learned the Ocoee post office had been condemned and would be closed within a month. Postal officials said the closing was temporary while they find a new location. Meanwhile, the mail was being processed in Benton.
• Turtletown Girl Scout Bonnie McDonald took on a Gold Star project that involved dozens of volunteers providing manpower and funding to renovate the Copper Basin Amphitheater
• Progress toward construction of a new jail was a major effort for the county commission in 2004. Other accomplishments included efforts to regulate adult business and beer licenses, a commitment to build libraries, and funding for driver’s license renewals in Polk County.
• The commission provided funds for the Sheriff’s Department to purchase tazers for officers. The electric-shock weapons have been used several times to avoid the use of deadly force.
• In Copperhill, bids were awarded for the Belltown water extension and new water tank.
• The fate of the old Copperhill School was decided after years of neglect, vandalism, and complaints by neighbors. LPY Real Estate Investment Corp. purchased the property from Darrell Harper and began making plans to turn the site into a retirement community, with sites for assisted living, apartments, health and fitness facility and meeting rooms.
• In December, Ellijay Telephone Company completed acquisition of Comcast lines in Fannin and East Polk communities and began providing cable TV, with plans to provide high-speed Internet.
• Cleveland attorney Bill Brown appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of disabled clients who do not have access to local courtrooms, including Polk countian George Lane. Brown won the case, paving the way for him to sue the state under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• In April the bid for construction of a new Copper Basin High School for grades 7-12 was approved at a cost of around $6.5 million. With renovations and an addition to the existing school and other costs, the total project is $7.2 million. There was hope there would be enough money for a football stadium at PCHS but there was not enough after the new school costs, and the commission would not expand the bond.
• Gov. Phil Bredesen followed a court mandate for the state to equalize teacher salaries and included salary in BEP formula, which takes into account the fact that rural counties don’t have the tax base to compete with urban ones. The governor’s plan established a minimum salary and provided funds for poor counties to meet that minimum.
• The School Board had been leasing five-acre sites for $500/year on its two 640-acre tracts, one on Benton Mountain and one on Towee, but questions were raised about gates and permanent structures, neither one of which were allowed. A new policy stated “Any structure that cannot be removed in one day by one person is not permitted.” It allows gates as long as the Central Office and anyone with a lease on the roadway has a key.
• The Upper Ocoee River was opened for whitewater paddling every weekend through the summer months.
• The Benton MacKaye Trail got several big boosts during the year, first with Forest Service approval to extend the trail through Polk County and on to the Smokies
• Work began on another nearby trail, the Unicoi Turnpike in Coker Creek. Designated as one of 16 Millennium Trails, the Unicoi is one of the oldest routes in the nation. The Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association received a grant for historical research on the turnpike and the creation of an interpretive trail guide. Volunteers worked to clear the trail.
• The Oswald Dome fire lookout tower was moved to the Ocoee Whitewater Center to serve as an interpretive site for fire protection and a broadcast area for special events.

2005

Political corruption, calcine shipments, a rock slide, E. coli, and a leadership change were among the big stories of 2005. Other big topics included a new high school, a new jail, Intertrade’s acid plant, Katrina, library efforts, a and a lodging tax.
• The year began with a rock slide that shut down Hwy. 64 for nearly two weeks. More than 150,000 tons of rock and debris slammed off the mountainside on Dec. 30.
• Construction was underway on a new jail and justice center. The county commission approved the $8.8 million facility, hoping that growth in the property tax base would help lessen the blow to property owners. As it turned out, however, total assessments went down because of a major error by Crystal Geyser on the value of its personal property.
• Copper Basin High School opened its new doors in November. Students at Turtletown and Ducktown started the school year at Ducktown while waiting for the old high school to be renovated.
• The county commission approved a 3% lodging tax, with 2/3 to go to the Chamber of Commerce and 1/3  going to the Debt Service fund.
• State Representative Chris Newton was one of four state legislators arrested in late May as part of an FBI sting dubbed “Operation Tennessee Waltz” that targeted alleged bribery of legislators on behalf of a “company” created by the FBI. Newton was charged with accepting $4,500 in bribes. While initially proclaiming his innocence and refusing to step down from office, he entered a guilty plea Aug. 30 and stepped down from the seat he had held for eleven years.
• In January, the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation issued a permit for Tennessee Minerals to begin hauling calcine from a huge pile on Intertrade property in Copperhill. Members of the Copper Basin Preservation Society raised concerns, saying it could endanger citizens’ health, but TDEC and EPA officials said getting rid of the calcine would benefit the environment. Tennessee Minerals began work to upgrade the rail line between Copperhill and Wetmore, where the freight cars would be transferred to CSX.
• A  company in Brazil bought Intertrade’s sulfuric acid plant and spent much of the year dismantling it for shipment to Brazil.
• The Ocoee River suffered from an unexpected side effect of the cleanup work in the Copper Basin. As Glenn Springs Holdings removed sources of acid runoff to make the river a better environment for life, bacteria was also allowed to thrive. Reports of staph infections among raft guides led the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to increase its Ocoee River testing schedule, which led to the discovery of the high levels of E. Coli bacteria. For most weeks throughout the summer, there were high levels found at different feeder streams.
• Dr. Bill Wade resigned as Director of School, accepting a consulting job in Mississippi. James Jones was chosen to replace him.
• Members of the 278th spent much of the year in Iraq, with most returning home by Thanksgiving.
• BalsamWest FiberNet met with Copperhill officials in December to seek an easement to bring its fiber optic pipeline through the Basin. The very high-speed line, which will be available to telecommunications companies, was expected to help with economic development.
• The county’s new 911 equipment was installed in November, giving dispatchers the ability to pinpoint the location of callers on a map.
• In September, Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, destroying towns along the coast and the city of New Orleans in the worst natural disaster in the nation’s history. Local citizens and schools responded with help in the form of money, water and other needs, and volunteer help. The entire nation was impacted when the price of gasoline shot up to nearly $3/gallon.
• In January, a kickoff was held for the Imagination Library, which provides a book a month to children from birth to age five at no charge. The state covers half the cost.
• Fundraising efforts also continued for the effort to build two new libraries for the county.
• The state made major changes to TennCare, limiting its benefits to those eligible for Medicaid. Around 1500 local citizens were cut from the rolls.
• Glenn Springs Holdings, Inc., which is working to return the land to pre-mining quality, planned to transfer the land to the Ducktown Basin Museum when the work is completed.
• State approval was given for a traffic light at the Hardee’s intersection on Hwy. 64 in Ducktown.
• Turtletown School was sold at auction. New owner Roger Wills said there were plans that will bring jobs to the area.
• Copperhill School was torn down as plans were made for a senior living complex.
• An effort was made to create an Employee Bill of Rights to provide protection to county employees after an election, but it was ruled to be unconstitutional.
• Cleveland businessman Toby McKenzie pledged $200,000 for the PCHS athletic complex, which was enough to complete an irrigated baseball field, sod and irrigation for the practice field, a new concession stand and other amenities to the athletic complex.
• The state approved funding for preschool classes and Polk qualified for three, an additional one for each elementary school.
• Basin principal Darren Danner announced in June that his school would no longer play Polk County High School, ending the cross-county rivalry that had been beset with tension in the past few years.
• Chancellor Jerri Bryant heard arguments on the constitutionality and other challenges to the amusement tax on whitewater rafting in April. By year’s end, only two challenges were outstanding -- whether the tax violates the Marine Transportation Act of 2002 and whether there is a reasonable basis to support a different treatment for users of the Ocoee and Hiwassee rivers. At stake in the outcome is more than $400,000 yearly in taxes to the county’s general fund.

2006

Leadership change was the biggest story of 2006, on both the local and federal levels. Polk County picked up a new County Executive for the first time in 20 years, Ducktown lost a long-time mayor and gained two new faces, and the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate shifted from a Republican to a Democrat majority. The year also brought a fatal bear attack, a big tax increase, passenger rail excursions, a new industry, and lots of smaller stories.
• The big upset on the local level came during the May primary election, when Mike Stinnett defeated Hoyt Firestone for the Democrat party nomination for county executive, then went on to win. In Ducktown, the December 2005 election brought change to City Hall, as long-time Mayor Carmel Gibson resigned in January and James Talley was chosen as Mayor.
• The peace of the Cherokee National Forest was shattered on April 13 when a black bear attacked a family at Benton Falls. Six-year-old Elora Petrasek was killed, her mother Susan Cenkus was mauled and two-year-old Luke Cenkus was injured. Chilhowee Campground and adjacent recreation areas were shut down as TWRA set traps to find the rogue bear. The killer bear was trapped and euthanized as officials emphasized that a bear attack on humans is rare and they may never know what caused the predatory attack. At year’s end, Susan Cenkus attended the annual banquet of the West Polk Fire & Rescue to personally deliver her thanks.
• More costs and less money led to the second property tax increase in two years for the current year’s budget and talk of the need for more revenue the next year when the new jail goes on line. this year’s budget had to reflect three months of increased costs for more jailers and other expenses. In addition, the commission approved pay raises for deputies, jailers, eight new patrol cars for the Sheriff’s Department, an updated computer system for the county executive’s office, and bathrooms at the youth sports facilities that are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities law. The commission also provided enough additional money for the school system to provide a 2% pay raise for teachers. Making matters worse, whitewater rafting outfitters had not been paying the amusement tax, which has been under a legal challenge for years so that money was removed from the budget.
• The county lost the rafting tax case based on the federal Maritime Act, which does not allow taxes on vessels on navigable waters, but an appeal was successful. The county successfully argued that the outfitters are not the actual taxpayers and thus do not have legal standing to challenge the tax.
• The new commission that took office in September immediately began looking at ways to raise money for next year’s budget. The idea of a wheel tax rather than a large property tax increase failed to meet commission approval. A suggested increase in the lodging also failed as lodging businesses said it would hurt their business and ultimately hurt the county if fewer people stay here.
• For the first time in more than ten years, passengers were able to ride over the historic Bald Mountain Loop on rail excursions through the Hiwassee River Valley. The Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association, which owns the Old Line between Wetmore and Copperhill, signed an agreement with Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum to operate passenger excursions in fall 2006 and for the next three years. Trips began at the historic Depot in Etowah, where passengers boarded buses to Gee Creek State Park for boarding. CSX will not allow passenger trains on its lines in Etowah.
• During planning sessions in Copperhill, citizens and business people listed rail excursions and a depot there as important for economic development. The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, which brought passenger trains from Blue Ridge to McCaysville almost every day during the tourist season, was a significant boost to the local economy.
• Only a few calcine shipments were made from the plant in Copperhill and the Overhill eventually cancelled its agreement with Tennessee Minerals for lack of payment.
• TCI Sales purchased the old Whitewater Manufacturing building in the industrial park in Ducktown and moved its production of rubber gaskets from Alabama.
• Gov. Phil Bredesen announced he would like to see a state lodge in Polk County as part of his long-range park plan for the state. No specifics were provided and concern was voiced about the possible loss of land from the tax rolls.
• River bottom land in Reliance was approved for a conservation easement grant to purchase development rights, thus preserving the property as farmland.
• Congress approved a study to expand the Trail of Tears to include all sites, not just those beginning at Charleston and Ross’s Landing as is currently the case. New routes would include East Tennessee, North Carolina and Georgia locations.
• Controversy raged for a while as the Copper Basin Hospital District Board of Trustees considered a new lease with Copper Basin Medical Center. There was concern in the community that an effort to find a new lessee would put the hospital and jobs in jeopardy. Ultimately, the trustees approved a new lease with the existing company. Brandon Jolley, who had been President and CEO, resigned and moved out of the area. David Hyatt was approved as acting CEO.
• Former State Representative Chris Newton was sentenced to a year and day in federal prison, a $10,000 fine, two years probation and 200 hours of community service for his role in the federal sting aimed at legislators willing to accept bribes in exchange for support of legislation.
 • Big changes were seen in the banking scenario in the Copper Basin. The Copperhill office of Home Bank, formerly Ducktown Banking Company, was sold to BB&T, along with other banks owned by First Citizens Bancorp. Shortly after the pending sale was announced, a number of employees, including President Leland Rymer, moved to Appalachian Community Bank, which opened loan production offices in Copperhill, Ducktown and Murphy and later a full-service office in McCaysville. Late in the year, the Ducktown Planning Commission approved a site plan for United Community Bank to open an office on property next to the Piggly Wiggly.
• Polly Morgan, a member of the Copperhill City Council and long-time volunteer and leader in the Copper Basin, was killed in a wreck on Hwy. 64 in Ocoee.
• A statue of Nancy Ward, which disappeared from a cemetery in Grainger County in 1980, was found at an antique shop in Maine. It had disappeared shortly after efforts were made to bring it to Polk County, but there is no documentation that it had been sold to the historical society. Angie King with State Parks was trying to find out if it should be in Polk County.
• The commission made a commitment to provide operating funds once the Friends of the Library finished their fundraising efforts and build two libraries.
• Three areas just outside the current Benton city limits were annexed with no complaints from the public. The new areas in Benton include sections west of Benton along Benton Station Rd., east of Benton along Hwy. 314 and south of Benton on Welcome Valley Rd.
• The Ducktown council created a Planning Commission, closed the old city dump, revamped the Ducktown Housing Authority, computerized the office, got the state to approve a traffic light and made other changes.
• Tourism continued to be a big part of the local economy as thousands of visitors came to enjoy the county’s attractions. Whitewater rafting continued to draw the biggest crowds, with more than 275,000 people going down the upper and middle Ocoee. The Cherokee National Forest opened its new horse camp off Spring Creek Road and Spring Creek Shooting Range, which replaced the old shooting range in that area and also the Thornburg Shooting Range.
• The Tennessee Overhill Heritage Association received several grants to help it continue its marketing campaign. A new project promoted “Byways bookends: Connecting the Cherohala Skyway and the Ocoee Scenic Byway.” Another grant allowed for revamping the Agriculture Trail brochure, which proved to be more popular than anticipated. A new Southeast Tennessee Religious Heritage Trail was developed, featuring sites throughout the area.
• Early in the year, work was done to renovate the old Copper Basin High School building to get it ready for elementary students, who were still having classes at Ducktown School. Moving day came right at the end of school -- May 17. By the end of the year, community efforts led by Joe and Lisa Jacobi raised enough money and material to put in a new playground.
• School lunches became more healthy to comply with state and federal guidelines calling for less fat, baked food instead of fried, no soda machines, limits on portion sizes and other calorie-reducing steps.
• Scott Bennett returned as School Board attorney. He had resigned in 2005 citing too much divisiveness on the Board.
• A school system website -- www.polk-schools.com -- was created to help teachers, parents and children with hundreds of links to information resources and activities. A parent portal on the site allows parents to keep track of their children’s attendance, grades, and other information.
• The top sports story in 2006 in Polk County did not happen on the playing field. Instead it dealt with the controversy surrounding former Copper Basin head football and softball coach Mark Stone. On Jan. 25 Director of Schools James Jones informed Stone that he would not coach the Cougar football team in the fall, saying he felt it was time to move in a different direction. Reaction in the Basin community was immediate and loud. A grievance was filed by the Polk County Educator’s Association (PCEA) claiming that Jones had violated the teacher contract. The school board denied the grievance, claiming personnel decisions lay solely with the Director of Schools. In early August, Stone was placed on unpaid leave pending an investigation into “certain allegations” Jones said were not related to Stone’s removal as football coach.

2007

2007 was a wild ride for Polk County, starting with the opening of a new industry and ending with the sale of the county’s oldest and largest bank. In between were months of controversial budget deliberations that included threats of indictments for the commissioners and refusal to accept $750,000 for new library construction. Other big news included a circuit judge’s resignation, a record freeze followed by a record heat wave and drought, new hope for Corridor K, a win in the long-standing court action over the rafting tax, controversial personnel action in the school system, and new subdivision development, which included a sewer controversy and state action over sediment control.
• Perhaps the biggest story of the year, partly because of its suddenness and potential impact, was the Dec. 17 announcement of the sale of Benton Banking Company to First Volunteer Corporation, pending final regulatory approval and a vote of the shareholders of Benton Bancshares. This came barely two weeks after bank president Jimmy Goddard disappeared for a few days and was found in the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina.
The package provided to shareholders later that week said around $17.5 million in “troubled loans” had been made to possibly fictitious persons or for reasons other than described in the loan documents. This could have resulted in a negative balance for the bank, which is not allowed under federal and state banking laws. The sale included T.B. Isbell Insurance and Benton Banking Mortgage Company, affiliates of Benton Banking Company.
• Early in the year, the new County Commission was looking at ways to provide funding for the budget that would begin July 1, especially the additional expenses for the new jail. There was no support for the tax rate needed to fund the sheriff’s request and commissioners began talking about fixing the old jail or leasing the new one.  In July, the state Fire Marshall gave the county 60 days to fix problems at the old jail. In August, the commission cut all funds for the new jail from the budget and appointed a committee to look at the cost of fixing up the old jail. The Grand Jury cited “deplorable conditions” in the old jail and urged the commission to take action to move into the new facility.
 On Aug. 8, the judges of the Tenth Judicial District issued an order that non-violent inmates be released from the county jail until the number gets down to its capacity of 33 inmates and said no further court proceedings would be held in the present Courthouse until the Commission funded the moving of the Sheriff’s Department to the newly built Justice Center. The judges also voiced concern about whether any state or local officers had abused the responsibilities of their office by constructing a new justice center and then refusing to fund it. District Attorney General Steve Bebb said he would do his job if another Grand Jury session concluded that commissioners violated their oath of office. On Aug. 14, the Fire Marshal’s office ordered the jail shut down within 24 hours. Most of the inmates were sent to Bradley County, at a cost of $35/day for local prisoners. At a special meeting Aug. 20, the commission approved a resolution to open the new jail and courts facility at the earliest possible date. After final cuts and revenue increases, the budget was passed at a tax rate of $2.99. Commissioners said the sheriff could get additional jailers as the amount of revenue for housing state prisoners increased. The Justice Center finally opened in late October and all prisoners were returned.
• 2007 marked the year that Friends of the Library had raised enough money to begin construction of two full-service libraries. In April, FOL presented a budget request to the county commission in anticipation of having the buildings up and running by May, 2008. After discussions and reductions in the salary requests, the budget committee ultimately removed funding for operations of the new libraries, saying they would probably not be ready before the end of the 2007-08 budget. In September, County Executive Mike Stinnett presented a proposal for the county to accept the nearly $725,000 raised by FOL, saying the county has to administer the funds because the buildings will be on county property. The commission declined to vote on the resolution, saying there were questions about what would happen if the libraries were built but the county did not provide operating funding. In October, the commission voted 6-3 against accepting the money. The issue came before the commission again in November. The commission instead passed a resolution calling for a referendum on an $11 wheel tax for library operations.
• Adding to the county’s budget woes was the continuing loss of rafting tax payments. After a ruling in 2006 by Chancellor Jeri Bryant that the federal Maritime law pre-empted the tax, payments stopped. County Attorney Denny Mobbs took a new approach, saying the outfitters did not have standing to challenge the tax because the customers, not the businesses, were the taxpayers. The Chancellor agreed and, after more legal wrangling, issued a final ruling in October that the outfitters do not have standing to challenge the tax. The county wrote to the outfitters asking for payment, then threatened to get distress warrants that would allow the Sheriff to seize their property. An estimated $2 million is due. Outfitters appealed the Chancellor’s ruling and also filed for an injunction to stop the county from its collection efforts while court action continued.
• The Mark Stone saga that began in 2006 continued in the first half of 2007. Copper Basin football coach Mark Stone had been suspended in 2006 after Director of Schools James Jones received allegations of financial misconduct. In February 2007, Jones completed his investigation and in May the School Board voted 6-3 to fire Stone, finding him guilty of unprofessional conduct and neglect of duty in connection with mishandling of school funds. Stone appealed the firing to Chancery Court.
• 2007 saw Mother Nature run amuck. Easter weekend saw a record freeze that killed most of the new fruit forming on apple and peach trees throughout the area. After several weeks of record high temperatures in March, temperatures plunged to the low 20s for the first week in April. By August, temperatures broke records at the opposite extreme. August saw nine days of temperatures of 100º or more, with only one day when the high temperature was less than 90º. Making matters worse was a record drought throughout the Southeast U.S. The period of January through August was among the driest in 118 years.
• Beginning in April, plans for the upscale 217-lot Ocoee Mountain Club off Sloan Gap Road led to a battle over who could provide sewer services. The City of Benton indicated that it would run a line from its existing sewer line on Hwy. 64, but Ocoee Utility District said the planned development is in its jurisdiction. At a hearing in July, Bradley County Mayor Gary Davis and County Executive Mike Stinnett voted on opposite sides on whether Ocoee Utilities should be able to serve the area. Developers then decided they would install their own private sewer line.
• In April, developers of The Preserve at Bean Mountain faced penalties of more than a million dollars and damages of nearly $10,000 for alleged non-compliance with the state’s construction storm water laws. The 866-acre site was being developed into 115 lots. The Preserve had made the news in February when homes on Mountain View Road were evacuated as a wind-fed fire swept down the mountain from brush fires at the subdivision.
• In September, Hiwassee Preserve, a 40-lot subdivision on 30 acres of riverfront property in Reliance, opened for business.
• Some progress was made on Corridor K (Hwy. 64). In February, an improved east-west route was named the top priority highway project for Southeast Tennessee. Supporters of the project worried that funds could be in jeopardy when Congress reauthorizes the ARC money if nothing has gotten started. The state is expected to pay 20% of the cost. Wilbur Smith, the consulting firm working on an economic study of the entire region, held a series of meetings to get input, emphasizing that it is possible to combine economic and environmental concerns. Consultants stressed that the previous alignment, which came with a billion-dollar price tag, is no longer under consideration and that the emphasis is on “thinking outside the box” in developing possible routes. The final report showed that area businesses are competing in the global economy but are hampered by the lack of easy access to ports on the East Coast.
• London Mill was one of the key buildings in the processing of copper ore that was demolished as part of Basin cleanup operations by Glenn Springs Holdings.
• BalsamWest FiberNET held a celebration for the connection of the Tri-State Southern Appalachian region with major metropolitan areas through an ultra-high-speed fiber optic network.
• Intertrade announced that the smokestack that had been a landmark for many years would be demolished.
• A pair of bald eagles made Polk County their home with a nest on Parksville Lake and this year there were two babies.
• The Chilhowee Farmer’s Market opened its doors at the Showbarn in Benton.
• The county commission approved Sunday beer sales.
• Gov. Phil Bredesen announced that he would like to see a state lodge in Polk County. Planning funds were included in the state budget and the county commission approved a resolution supporting the idea.
• Agro*Gas Industries was looking at the possibility of using kudzu and other agricultural products to produce an alternative fuel. There were hopes for a local manufacturing facility to serve as a test.
• The Martin Campbell Airport was leased to Whitewater Aviation, owned by Hans Von Ovost, for 25 years. Later in the year, a grant was awarded for planning and installation of a fuel farm.
• The Ocoee Post Office reopened after problems with the building were repaired.
•The school system received around $1.2 million in additional funds, of which $605,000 was normal growth money and $158,000 for a 3% pay raise. That left $431,000 for an improvement plan. In addition to computer labs, there was funding for special software to help with basic skills, staff development, assessment programs, coaches for math, reading and writing, supplies and materials.
• Cell phone use continued to be an issue for the School Board. In January, a parent complained that a mandatory six-week confiscation for having a cell phone during regular school hours was too much. By year’s end, the Board was considering a change that would allow students to have cell phones during the school day as long as they were turned off and not visible.
• Polk County High School students continued to earn top awards in the regional science and history fairs. This year also saw winners in computer competitions.
• There was discussion in Copperhill of the need to improve the Police Department by adding a fourth full-time officer. Bar owners complained about what they called overzealous police activity and harassment of their customers and there were complaints that Copperhill was becoming a speed trap.
• William “Doc” Mitchell, owner of Copper Basin Veterinary Clinic, suggested a cooperative effort  between Copperhill and McCaysville -- and, possibly, Ducktown -- to hire one person to serve as animal control officer. He later purchased a site to be used as a shelter, but was told that the city charter does not allow more than three dogs or cats in a residence, that the site in question reverted to residential when it ceased to be a business,
• Barbara Beaver began work to restore the old Copperhill cemetery and hoped to get it listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The city was considering taking on ownership of the site.

2008

Many of the big news items in 2008 were a continuation of stories that started in 2007 or earlier – rafting tax, Copper Basin Medical Center, Benton Banking Company, library efforts – while others, like the election were mostly limited to 2008.
• In October 2008, the 102-year-old Benton Banking Company became a part of the county’s history with a name change to First Volunteer Bank, bringing an end to the county’s last community-owned bank. First Volunteer had bought the bank, minus the bad loans, and efforts were made by Bancshares to recoup the losses to shareholders.
• After a year of ups and downs in the rafting tax case, 2008 ended with the county commission trying to come up with an estimated $1.2 million in case they have to refund rafting tax money. In February, the chancellor stopped the county from issuing distress warrants for unpaid amusement tax but ordered the outfitters to post bonds for the amount owed. Also in February, an individual who had rafted the river and paid the tax filed a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality as a way of getting around the question of whether the outfitters had standing to sue. In June, Bryant ruled on that case, saying the Maritime Act takes precedence over the local tax.
The state Court of Appeals handed down a decision in November stating that the tax violated federal law and also that the outfitters have standing. The Court said the county must have funds available to pay refunds to the customers, not the outfitters, with any money left after a year to be turned over to the state’s unclaimed property fund. The county asked the state Supreme Court to hear an appeal.
• The year began with the Copper Basin Hospital District trustees threatening to sue Copper Basin Community Hospital, Inc., the company running the hospital under a lease from the trustees.  Key concerns were lack of information, unpaid bills, and a lease provision that apparently makes the county, Copperhill and Ducktown liable for debts at the end of the lease. For the first time, the hospital was unable to make its bond payment, forcing the county to pay the funds, although it was reimbursed. The trustees also began looking at other possibilities for operating the hospital, settling in July for a management agreement with Brim, a hospital management company that specializes in not-for-profit hospitals. Brim said a line of credit would be needed, with the county, Copperhill and Ducktown cosigning. Ducktown and Copperhill agreed quickly to cosign the loan, but the county wanted more information. Approval was given in October and a resolution to co-sign for 50% of a $1.4 million line of credit was approved in November. The IRS placed a lien on the hospital in November.
• The year brought unprecedented news on the national level – some financial institutions shutting down, others being bailed out by the government, a federal loan program designed  to keep the auto manufacturing industry alive, and talk of a major stimulus package in 2009. Gas prices in the middle of the year spiked at more than $4 a gallon, putting a big hurt on local folk, but were down to $1.50 or less by year’s end. Unemployment jumped at the end of the year and food banks were feeling the pressure from families facing rising costs and layoffs. Bowater laid off 150 people and idled two of its paper machines. The state was hard hit by declines in revenue, especially the sales tax, prompting Gov. Phil Bredesen to order cuts in all state agency budgets for the current year and more cuts for the new budget.
• The final hope for building two full-service libraries was dashed when voters turned down an $11 wheel tax to provide operational funding. FOL went back to the county commission in March, offering a greatly reduced budget and a $10,000/year commitment from Ducktown, making the county’s commitment around $49,000 more than was being spent on the three library rooms. There was not enough support. In April, commissioners didn’t even take a vote on a library request that had been pared down to $25,320 a year in new county money and private commitments for operational funds.
A lawsuit was filed in July, asking the court to order the commission to live up to its commitment. Circuit Judge Mike Sharp dismissed the case, saying FOL did not have standing to file a Writ of Mandamus to order the county commission to take action and also saying the court was not the proper place to settle budgetary matters.
In November, FOL offered to cover funds that were cut by the state for two years and help defray costs for a new Ducktown site if the commission would fund $40,000 for library operations beginning in fiscal year 2010-2011 and accept the funds to begin construction of the two planned libraries. The settlement was turned down. The commission did vote to spend up to $5,000 to provide computers in the library rooms, two for each side of the county. In December, the commission agreed to make up the state funds for the book lease program for the fourth quarter of the budget year.
The Ducktown library got a new home when J.V. Newman donated use of the old Ducktown Dodge showroom. The Ducktown and Copperhill libraries were to be combined in the new location.
• Two major road construction projects got underway in 2008 – the four-laning of Hwy 411 south of Benton and the widening of Hwy. 64. The Hwy. 64 project calls for widening the highway for 2.65 miles from Hwy. 411 to west of the Ocoee River with a 5-lane rural section -- two lanes in each direction plus a center turn lane. For Corridor K through the Ocoee Gorge, a bid was let for the Environmental Impact/design phase.
• The Presidential election brought a landmark vote, as Barack Obama became the first African-American to win the highest office in the land. Polk County and nearly every county in Tennessee supported Republican John McCain. This was bound to be a historic election, as Hillary Clinton nearly won the nomination to be the Democrat candidate and John McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate.
• By year’s end, Intertrade was down to a handful of employees. In April, the company sold its IT organics business (better known locally as the “soap plant”) to Pilot Chemical, a long time competitor. High fuel and transportation costs were a key factor in the decision, along with the growing cost of raw materials. Loss of the organics business meant a loss of 80% of the 40 jobs still at the company, which once employed thousands of copper miners and sulfuric acid workers. Some chemical production and blending were to continue as well as operation of the water treatment facilities. In October, Intertrade sold more than five million tons of calcine to Tennessee Iron Products, a division of Ohio-based Dan T. Moore Company.
• The new Justice Center was up and running throughout the year and by year’s end had been certified by the state – the first time in more than a decade that the local jail has passed state guidelines. The county receives money for housing state prisoners, which has helped the local budget, providing around $90,000 - $95,000 a month to offset jail expenses, according to Sheriff Bill Davis.
• At the end of 2007, the state Assessment Appeals Commission upheld the decision to allow the county to tax the “leasehold interest” in the special use permit cabins around Parksville Lake. The value of the cabins themselves has always been subject to local property tax assessments, but the land value has not. Using sales of the special use permits issued by the Forest Service, Assessor Randy Yates determined that the value is more than the cabins themselves and was taxable, even though the permit holders do not own the land. In May, the cabin owners took their protest to Chancery Court,
• The economy, high gas prices and fear of shortages took a toll on tourism. The Chamber of Commerce reported in June that calls were down, with most calls coming from nearby states. The lodging industry reported losses, apparently the result of visitors coming from closer and the desire to spend less money. Fewer advance reservations were being made and even holiday weekends left some cabins and rooms empty. Talk of gas shortages later in the season had a big impact on the Hiwassee River Rail Adventure, as would-be passengers were afraid they wouldn’t be able to get gas to go home.
Ocoee River whitewater use was down but still one of the best years on the river with around 286,437 people.
The Tennessee Overhill (Polk, McMinn and Monroe counties) was one of 28 sites featured in a new map of driving tours in the April edition of National Geographic Traveler magazine.
The Hiwassee River Rail Adventure provided trips to the Bald Mountain Loop throughout the season, with trips to Copperhill several times each month. The Blue Ridge Scenic Railway extended the stay for passengers in Copperhill from 90 minutes to two hours.
The Ducktown Basin Museum received new artifacts from copper mining as Glenn Springs Holdings uncovered them during its cleanup operations.
• Rabies was a big problem in nearby Fannin County, and an Isabella woman was bitten by a rabid fox in September. Several rabies clinics were held to keep the disease from spreading to pets and the state dropped rabies vaccination baits in an attempt to inoculate raccoons, foxes and other wildlife.
• The fight over who can provide sewer service to new developments in the Sloan Gap Road area came to an end. Benton and Ocoee Utilities had been battling over the territory, with Benton having an existing system and Ocoee Utilities have the exclusive rights to provide service. Tim Lawson, General Manager of Ocoee Utilities, sent a letter to Benton relinquishing some of the District’s wastewater rights.
• In July, Volkswagen announced that it would build a manufacturing plant in Hamilton County. Employment was estimated at 2,000 workers, not counting the thousands of potential jobs from related businesses. Hamilton County officials stressed the importance of regional planning to get the most benefit for the entire area.
• Mark Stone was elected to the School Board in August while he was still fighting his firing by Director of Schools James Jones. In June, Chancellor Jerri Bryant heard arguments over whether the firing was “arbitrary and capricious.” In September, she upheld the firing but said “the court is of the opinion that punishment did not fit the crime.” She added that the court is not allowed to substitute its judgment for that of the School board unless the decision was arbitrary or capricious. In October, Stone asked Chancellor Bryant to reconsider her decision that she cannot substitute her judgment for that of the School Board and asked the court to change the judgment to reflect a punishment less than termination.
• Cop complaints once again dominated the news in Copperhill in 2008. Police officers were alternately praised and criticized, but by year’s end there was just one officer left due to lack of funding. The city also celebrated a sewer system grant, began renovating City Hall (the old YMCA building) and saw a change in leadership – several times.
Barbara Beaver reported on progress at the city cemetery and urged the city to help, including to take ownership of the site. By fall, the cemetery was named to the National Register of Historic Places as an extension of the Copperhill Historic District. Beaver’s hope that restoration would bring a sense of pride and cut down on vandalism was smashed in December when vandals did major damage to the cemetery,
• The BMX Park in Ducktown was up and running with about 300 visitors at the first race that was held March 22.
• Ducktown annexed  165.88 acres with few public comments. The area of annexation includes Copper Basin Medical Center but neither of the schools.
• The paving of several roads inside the city limits, concerns about a new DHS facility being built and more accolades for Benton’s police department topped the events of 2008 for the City of Benton.