Roane County announced significant economic and community developments in the September edition of “The Rundown.”

Governor Lee visited to reveal Oklo’s $1.68 billion investment to build small modular nuclear reactors and recycle nuclear fuel at the former ETTP airport site in Oak Ridge and Roane County, creating 812 jobs—the largest private jobs announcement in the county’s history and Tennessee’s third-largest single capital investment. This follows the Orano announcement a year prior, marking a historic three-year period with $6.9 billion in private investments and 2,597 new jobs, nearly tripling the county’s taxable property value and doubling high-paying industrial jobs.

Due to efficient spending and growth, Roane County’s 2026 tax rate is the lowest since 1906 at $1.49. Melinda Ferrell was appointed Director of Solid Waste and Recycling, and PetSafe donated 26 pallets of kitty litter to the Roane County Animal Shelter, covering five years of needs. Two restoration projects, Riley Creek Campground and Poplar Creek Boat Launch, were selected for NRDAR grant funding, with a draft plan open for public comment.

A new fire truck, funded by a CDBG grant, was unveiled, and county infrastructure upgrades include a new 8 TB RAID-to-RAID storage system, modern filing cabinets, and organized records management.

The Roane County Health Department reported 963 patient encounters in July, a significant increase from 2024, with strong performance in WIC participation, childhood immunizations, and syphilis screening. The department welcomed a new dentist and hygienist, hosted a Community Baby Shower serving 183 people, and planned an International Overdose Awareness Day event, reflecting robust community health initiatives.