The Roane County Commission met last night in its regular session, with not much on the agenda beyond several budget amendments across various departments. However, one notable item arose during committee reports when Commissioner Ron Berry highlighted discussions from the recent emergency services committee meeting. Several volunteer fire departments are seeing their ISO ratings rise—from 0 to 10 in some cases, with others now above 5 and one reaching a level 10 (specifically the West Roane County Fire Department). These higher numbers indicate that the departments lack adequate personnel to respond effectively to fires, which could lead to increased home insurance premiums for residents in areas outside the city limits of Rockwood.

Commissioner Berry urged his fellow commissioners to monitor this issue closely, noting that fewer people are joining volunteer fire departments these days and the future availability of recruits for these agencies remains uncertain.

Under special orders, the commission approved a surety bond for Pam May. It also appointed Roane County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Tim Phillips to the 911 board to fill the vacancy left by Sheriff Jack Stockton’s resignation. This was followed by confirmation of reappointments to the budget committee for commissioners Travis Parks, Ben Wilson, Lance Duff, and Ron Berry.

In new business, the commission approved naming the Glen Alice Convenience Center—located south of Rockwood—in honor of former commissioner and longtime operator of the facility, Benny East.