Mayor R.J. Crawford gave the oath of office to the new Crossville city clerk Baylee Rhea during the city council meeting tonight.

Rhea is a lifelong resident of Cumberland County. She graduated from Tennessee Tech in 2019. She started with the City of Crossville in 2012 as assistant city clerk.

Here are other stories from the Crossville City Council meeting this evening:

STUDENT OF THE MONTH HONORED BY THE CITY COUNCIL

Izak Mullen-Beam from Martin Elementary School was honored as the Student of the Month for April 2024. School officials say Izac is a truly kind young man who is polite to peers and adults. He enjoys sharing his knowledge with other kids and is particularly interested in citizenship and good manners.

AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH PROCLAIMED IN CROSSVILLE

Crossville Mayor R.J. Crawford issued a proclamation declaring Autism Awareness Month.

It reads as follows:

WHEREAS, Autism spectrum disorder refers to a broad range of conditions that vary from mild to severe, characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication; and WHEREAS, Autism is a reality that affects millions of families every day, and while our nation has made progress in supporting those with ASD we are only beginning to understand the factors behind the challenges they face.; and WHEREAS, symptoms of autism may present themselves in a variety of combinations, and can result in significant lifelong impairment of an individual’s ability to learn, develop healthy interactive behaviors, and understand verbal and nonverbal communication; and WHEREAS, while there is no cure for autism, it is well documented that if individuals with autism receive early and intensive treatment, specifically Applied Behavior Analysis, they lead significantly improved lives; and WHEREAS, individuals with autism often require a lifetime of specialized and community support services to ensure their health and safety and to support families’ resilience as they manage the psychological and financial burdens autism can represent; and WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one in 59 school-aged children, 1 in 37 boys, have been identified with autism spectrum disorder; and WHEREAS, Crossville is committed to ensuring that people living with autism have access to lifelong care and services needed to pursue their full potential and happiness; and WHEREAS, During Autism Awareness Month, we recommit to helping individuals on the autism spectrum reach their full potential.; and WHEREAS, Crossville is honored to take part in the annual observance of Autism Awareness Month and World Autism Awareness Day in the hopes that it will lead to a better understanding.; and NOW, THEREFORE, I, R.J. Crawford, Crossville City Mayor, do hereby recognize April 2024 as AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH and April 2, 2024, as WORLD AUTISM AWARENESS DAY in our city to raise public awareness of autism and the myriad of issues surrounding autism, as well as to increase knowledge of the programs that have been and are being developed to support individuals with autism and their families.

CROSSVILLE MAYOR PROCLAIMS MAY 6 AS PRE-K DAY

Crossville Mayor R.J. Crawford issued a proclamation setting May 6, 2024, as Pre-K Day.

It reads as follows:

2024 PRE-K DAY WHEREAS, a goal of Cumberland County Schools is to fill 12 classrooms with 20 students each, and for 90 percent of the students in each classroom to be income-eligible based on state income guidelines; and WHEREAS, the goals of Pre-K Day is to pre-register students for Pre-K for 2024-25; to provide families with necessary resources and services on that day to assist them in preparation, and to make it a fun day for future students and build excitement for the upcoming school year, and WHEREAS Pre-K is required to have family engagement and involvement activities for students and families; and WHEREAS, this Pre-K Day in Cumberland County will assist the school system in pre-registering for the 2024-25 school year and will serve as a family engagement and involvement activity, with organizations setting up booths at the registration day. These organizations include the City of Crossville Police and Fire Departments, local pediatrics offices, and Cumberland County Health Department; and WHEREAS, research in Cumberland County has shown over the last few years that students with a Pre-K experience consistently score higher on mandated tests in kindergarten as well as third grade; NOW, THEREFORE, I, RJ Crawford, Mayor of the City of Crosville, do hereby proclaim May 6, 2024 as Pre-K Day in the City of Crossville, in conjunction with the Cumberland County School system.

 

CROSSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT RELEASES LATEST MONTHLY REPORT

The Crossville Police Department released its latest monthly report reviewed by the city council in their meeting.

It states officers wrote 196 citations in March 2024. The breakdown is as follows:

Registration violations – 39

Speeding – 34

Seatbelt violations – 33

Insurance violations – 33

Light law violations – 29

Texting while driving – 7

Ran stop sign – 6

Failure to exercise due care – 4

Ran traffic light – 3

Improper use of lane – 3

No driver’s license – 2

Child restraint violation – 2

Improper passing – 1

 

Crossville police responded to 56 offenses in March 2024 including:

Fraud – 10

Theft from vehicle – 6

Lost property – 5

Vandalism – 5

Shoplifting – 3

Drug violations – 3

Possession of drug equipment – 3

Burglary – 2

Violation of order of protection or bond conditions – 2

Forcible fondling – 2

Vehicle theft – 2

Hit and run – 2

Criminal impersonation – 1

Theft of all other – 1

Accidental shooting – 1

Arson – 1

Animal cruelty – 1

Death – 1

Missing person – 1

Overdose – 1

Death – 1

Theft from building – 1

 

The report indicated 143 arrests in March 2024 including:

Warrants served – 28

Driving on a revoked, suspended, or no license – 25

DUI – 13

Public intoxication – 12

Drug violations – 11

Possession of drug equipment – 9

Shoplifting – 8

Violation of order of protection or bond conditions – 5

Criminal trespassing – 5

Vehicle theft – 4

Resisting or evading arrest – 3

Assault – 2

Weapon law violation – 2

Domestic assault – 2

Hit and run – 2

Child restraint violation – 2

Tampering with evidence – 2

Reckless endangerment – 1

Vandalism – 1

Disorderly conduct – 1

Child neglect – 1

Counterfeit bills – 1

Embezzlement – 1

Fraud – 1

In March 2024, Crossville police responded to 96 accidents. Of those, 55 were minor, 34 were without injury, and 7 involved injuries.

The Crossville Fire Department responded to 174 calls in March 2024. Of those, 135 involved assisting medics, 10 were false alarms or false calls, and 9 were good intent calls. Firefighters went to 8 structure blazes and 6 service calls last month.

In the finance report to the city council tonight, the city collected 892,339 in sales taxes in January. For the fiscal year 2023-2024, the city has seen $7,333,187 in sales tax collections. In wholesale beer taxes, the city collected $52,535 in February. So far in this fiscal year, $445, 745 has been taken in for wholesale beer tax. In liquor taxes, the city saw around $38,000 in February. For the 2023-2024 fiscal year so far, the city collected $238,806 from liquor taxes. In hotel occupancy tax, the city saw $10,003 in February.

In other action from the city council meeting tonight, the following consent items and purchases were approved:

·       A land lease with Azure Flight Support

·       Temporary street closures downtown for Friday at the Crossroads

·       The purchase of a 2024 Ford F-550 bucket truck for the street department

·       A bid for the purchase of 4th of July fireworks for the show at Centennial Park