Scott County approves another pay hike for law enforcement
Good Thursday evening! This is The Weekender, a final look at this week’s news from the Independent Herald. The Daybreaker (Monday) and The Weekender (Thursday evening) are our two news-first newsletters. We publish several other newsletters throughout the week, as well as our regular E-Edition on Thursday and our Varsity E-Edition on Sunday (during sports season). If you’d like to adjust your subscription to include (or exclude) any of these newsletters, do so here. If you haven’t subscribed, please consider doing so!
Today’s newsletter is sponsored by Buckeye Home Medical Equipment. Serving Scott County and several other communities in the Upper Cumberland region, Buckeye is a full-line DME providing home health equipment to its patients.
New county budget includes pay increase for county employees
HUNTSVILLE | Meeting in special called session Monday evening, Scott County Commission gave its final approval to the budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, which includes no new taxes and a 6.5% raise for county employees — those employed by county government offices, as well as EMTs and paramedics, sheriff’s department law enforcement officers, and corrections officers.
Incremental pay raises for county employees has become an annual goal of County Commission as a way to bring local government salaries closer to those in neighboring counties, and have been lobbied for by office-holders that include County Mayor Jerried Jeffers and Sheriff Brian Keeton.
According to Jeffers, county employees have now seen their salaries increase 23% over the past four years, while employees with 10 or more years on the job have seen pay increases exceeding 23%, due to longevity pay increases.
The budget for fiscal year 2026-2027, which begins July 1, will leave the county’s property rate unchanged at $1.60 per $100 assessed value for property owners outside the Oneida Special School District. Inside the OSSD, the property tax is $1.96 per $100 assessed value. The special school district tax was approved by voters on referendum in the late 1980s for the purpose of funding new school buildings. The tax levy was approved by commissioners on June 15.
The proposed budget for FY 2026-2027 includes estimated revenues of $11.55 million for the general fund, and total expenditures of $11.48 million. The road department’s budget is $2.47 million, as proposed. The school system’s budget is $26.84 million.
Huntsville Post-Acute & Rehabilitation Center offers short-term or long-term care … on your terms. Learn more. (Sponsored content.)
TCAT launches search for new vice president
HUNTSVILLE | Tennessee College of Applied Technology Oneida/Huntsville announced this week that it has launched a search for a new vice president.
The school’s former vice president, Tim Smith, was promoted to president on June 16, following the retirement of Dwight Murphy, who had served as the school’s president since 2006.
TCAT Oneida/Huntsville has a main campus in Huntsville, satellite campuses in Oneida and Jamestown, and also offers programs in Wartburg and Clarkrange, in addition to the Morgan County Correctional Complex.
TCAT is also searching for a campus coordinator for the Jamestown campus, which is a shared space with Roane State Community College and is slated to open in September.
The application period will close July 17.
Mountain People’s Health Councils offers general practice dentistry for all ages, using the latest technology for dental imagery and digital scanning. Sliding scale fees apply! Learn more. (Sponsored.)
ICYMI
Threads of Life: This week’s Threads of Life newsletter is in remembrance of Betty Robbins, Deborah Cross, Nova Jones, Connie Owens, Marty Shoemaker, Donna Tipton, and Keith Wilson. » Read It
Echoes in Time: This week’s Echoes in Time newsletter looks back at the Paint Rock Coal & Coke Company, which was founded in 1889 as one of Scott County’s first industries and helped transform the community. » Read It
The Weekend
🌧️ Weather: Rain will become likely for a while this weekend. After a slight (30%) chance of thunderstorms on Friday, there’s an 80% chance of rain Saturday and Saturday night. Sunday will see a return of mostly sunny skies, but there’s still about a 50/50 chance of scattered thunderstorms. Check out our daily Eye to the Sky updates on our Facebook page— published each morning at 7 a.m. on the dot.
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⛪︎ Featured Church
Denomination: Baptist
Pastor: Carlie Duncan
Address: 5126 Norma Road, Huntsville
Services
Sunday Morning: 10 a.m.
Sunday School: 11 a.m.
Sunday Evening: 6:30 p.m.
4th Saturday: 6:30 p.m.
» See the complete Church Directory, and thank you to our sponsors of the Church Directory.
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📅 Community Calendar
• Saturday: The Scott County Farmers & Crafters Market (Scott High Drive, Huntsville) will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. with fresh produce, baked goods, and handmade crafts.
• Saturday: The Big South Fork swimming pool at Bandy Creek will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $3 ($2 for ages 6-12; free for 5 and under). The Huntsville Municipal Pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3.
• Saturday: The U.S.S. Tennessee Battleship Memorial Museum will be open on Saturday, June 27, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission is free. The museum is located on the campus of Scott High School.
• Saturday: Fourth Saturday night worship services will be held at Straight Fork Baptist Church (7 p.m.), and Antioch Baptist Church (6:30 p.m.). For more information, see our Church Directory at indherald.com.
• Saturday: Narcotics Anonymous will meet at 7 p.m. at the Highway 27 Unity Club (17737 S. Alberta Street, Oneida).
• Sunday: The Big South Fork swimming pool at Bandy Creek will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $3 ($2 for ages 6-12; free for 5 and under). The Huntsville Municipal Pool will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3.
• Sunday: Celebrate Recovery, a 12-step program designed to help with addiction, co-dependency and domestic abuse, will be hosted by Fire & Purpose Ministries from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at 27192 Scott Highway in Winfield. There will be food, fellowship, praise and worship. Childcare is provided.
The Community Calendar is presented weekly by Citizens Gas Utility District. You can help prevent pipeline damage and leaks by calling 811 before doing any excavating or demolition and submitting a utility locate request. Visit citizensgastn.com.
Scenic Sale!
This week’s sale items at Scenic Foods in Huntsville! The sale continues through Tuesday. Sponsored content.
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Our Newsletters:
• Monday morning: The Daybreaker (news & the week ahead)
• Tuesday: Echoes from the Past (stories of our history)
• Wednesday: Threads of Life (obituaries)
• Thursday evening: The Weekender (news & the weekend)
• Friday: Friday Features (beyond the news)
• Sunday: Varsity (a weekly sports recap)