Tuesday, December 9, 2014 10:58 am

By MIKE WEST, Courier Editor

Commissioner Jim Bush offered a plan Thursday (Dec. 4) to institute Sunday beer sales in Cannon County.

"I'm proposing that we implement Sunday beer sales and that we take Saturday and Sunday revenues to improve the Dixie League fields," Bush said.

"It will benefit our children," the commissioner said. Bush is also chairman of the Cannon County Beer Board and is aware of the situation the county faces in light of passage of liquor by the drink.

"On Sunday they are going everywhere around us to buy beer," Bush explained. "We can turn a blind eye to this," he said, adding "We're not here to preach morality."

Auburntown, Cannon County's other other municipality, already allows Sunday beer sales.

"I don't believe the commission who represents Auburntown should freeze out the rest of the county. We're here for everybody, not just a spot," Bush said.

Commissioner Mark Barker asked, "Will the state let you earmark where the sales can go?"

Bush said that's a point that should be considered and that was why he was just bringing up the issue for discussion "before we start down that slippery road."

In other business, County Executive Mike Gannon presented a newly completed personnel policy to the Commissioners for their study.

"It's been 14 years since we updated the personnel policy. I promised the Audit Committee and the state auditors it would be done this year," Gannon said.

Other than a basic update, the main changes deal with the county's travel policy, sexual harassment and bringing the policy to include the federal family/medical leave act. The new policy will also require all full-time county employees to join the TCRS (Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System.)

Both the county attorney and state auditors have signed off on the policy, which will take effect Jan. 1.

"Every employee will be given a copy of the policy and will sign that they have received it," Gannon said, adding that plans are to hand out the copies of the new policy next payroll.

Turning to cost overruns on the county's new ambulance center, Gannon resolved a tied vote by casting his ballot in favor of a $52,500 loan to the ambulance service.

"What happened was unforeseen," Gannon explained ground work for the new building was more expensive than anticipated. "If not, we will have to cut the paved driveway," he said.

"We don't want a slip-shod job," Commissioner Barker said.

In other action, the Commission voted unanimously in a voice vote to remove Cooper Hollow Road off the county's map. The narrow, private roadway has never been worked by the County Highway Department and has only one resident on it.

The Commission also voted to name a bridge on Highway 53 North (over Connell Creek) in honor of Gribble Morris. Karen Ashford made the motion which was seconded by Todd Hollandsworth. It passed on voice vote.