News
Honor a Veteran with Your Vote
August 23, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
When DeKalb Countians and other Tennesseans head to the polls for the November election, they have the opportunity to proudly honor someone who is serving or has served our country.
The Honor Vote program allows registered Tennessee voters to dedicate their vote to a U.S. veteran or active duty military member, both online and with a commemorative button, to thank them for protecting our country.
“Once enrolled, dedications are posted on the official Honor Vote List as well as the Honor Vote Twitter account @tnhonorvote. Voters can also share their dedication on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using (hasktag) #GoVoteTN,” said Dennis Stanley, DeKalb Administrator of Elections.
The Division of Elections will send a packet to each participant with an official Honor Vote button. Voters are encouraged to wear their button while going to the polls in honor of the veteran or service member they are recognizing.
“The men and women of the U.S. military ensure our freedom to participate in free elections, allowing us to cast a ballot each Election Day. It’s important we honor those who protect that right,” said Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett. “I’m proud we are able to offer customized buttons to honor the specific branch each honoree represents.”
The program returns this election season with the ability to honor military service members by branch, including Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and Tennessee National Guard.
Each branch now has its own button branded with its unique camouflage pattern.
To learn more, visit GoVoteTN.com/honor.
DeKalb County Needs Mentors for Tennessee Promise
By: Dwayne Page
DeKalb County needs 18 mentors for the Tennessee Promise and currently none have applied.
As students begin to apply for a two-year state scholarship through the Tennessee Promise, tnAchieves, the organization that operates the program in 83 counties, is recruiting 9,000 volunteers across the state to serve as mentors.
“While TN Promise funding is important, our mentors represent the heart of our program,” said tnAchieves Executive Director Krissy DeAlejandro. “Providing a complete wraparound support system for our students, both financially and emotionally, is the key to their success. It is also part of the broader culture change that we are working on in Tennessee.”
Mentors will work with a small group of three to seven students as they transition from high school to college. Mentors send reminders of important deadlines, serve as a trusted college resource and, most importantly, encourage students to reach their full potential. All mentors complete a one-hour training in person or online, and attend two, one-hour meetings with their students over the course of the year.
The Tennessee Promise offers every high school senior the opportunity to attend one of the state’s 13 community colleges or 27 colleges of applied technology tuition-free.
The mentoring program, organized by tnAchieves, requires a one hour per month commitment after a mandatory training and background check.
In the first three years of the Tennessee Promise Scholarship, nearly 180,000 students have applied. The state’s college attendance rate has increased 4.6 percent, more than the previous seven years combined.
Enrollment at the state’s community and technical colleges increased more than 20 percent, and enrollment at all of the state’s public higher education institutions increased 10 percent. With the scholarship, approximately 4,000 new students are entering the college pipeline. Those students are also retaining at rates higher than their peers who are not enrolled in Tennessee Promise.
Visit https://tnachieves.org/mentors/ to find more information on the program, or to enroll as a Tennessee Promise mentor.
UCHRA and UCDD Adopts Shared Management Plan
By:
An agreement designed to better serve the recipients of resources offered by the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency and Upper Cumberland Development District was approved Tuesday during the agencies’ Executive Committee meetings.
A shared management plan was agreed upon by the boards of both agencies. Over time, cost-saving measures outlined in the agreement stand to save the Agency more than $550,000 in costs by consolidating the administrative, finance, and management pools with those of the Upper Cumberland Development District.
Under the agreement, each entity will remain separate and will continue to be controlled by their respective bylaws and governing boards. No programs would be eliminated as a result of entering into the shared services agreement, according to Executive Director Mark Farley.
UCHRA’s Executive Committee and UCDD’s Executive Committee each approved the measure unanimously; solidifying the commitment to ensure each entity continues to serve the needs of the region.
Farley’s vision includes UCHRA shifting more of its focus on county-specific needs and ensuring county offices have the tools and resources necessary to help residents in need.
“I think we need to make the county offices the central focus of UCHRA,” Farley told members of the Agency’s Executive Committee Tuesday. “That’s where the service meets the clients and [the county coordinators] understand the needs of the clients.”
Farley is confident that the alignment will make a positive impact on the region. “Both agencies have dedicated staff, who when given the resources and direction they need, can make a substantial impact on the direction of the region as a whole.”
UCDD took on the management of UCHRA in March 2018. Following Tuesday’s decision, Farley, who has been serving as the interim director of UCHRA, will move into the permanent role of Executive Director for both agencies. Ginger Stout, UCDD’s Finance Director and interim Finance Director for UCHRA, will lead the Finance Department of both agencies as the Finance Director. A Deputy Director of Finance would be added to the finance team serving both entities.
Deputy Directors of each entity were also designated. Rebecca Harris, UCHRA’s Transportation Director,will serve as the Agency’s Deputy Director while Tommy Lee, UCDD’s Director of Economic and Community Development/Local Planning, will serve as the District’s Deputy Director.
Farley says any changes to existing programs would be for the better; providing the opportunity to grow new programs and ensure that there are no gaps in services and that all residents are able to receive the services they need.
“I would like to thank the board members for entrusting me with both agencies. The last several years have been very trying for the Board Members as they juggled their community responsibilities with the obligations of the region. This decision was not made lightly, but with great consideration for the citizens of the Upper Cumberland region. I appreciate the ongoing dedication of our board members who madethis alignment possible.”
To commemorate the occasion, members of UCHRA’s and UCDD’s executive committees signed a resolution recognizing the shared services agreement between the two entities.
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