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Vol. I · No. 1 Cleveland, Tenn. · Friday, November 13, 2026 Price: Free

Council Meetings › Bradley County Commission

Bradley County Commission · November 2, 2026

County Commission rewrites its public-comment rules, awards $574,723 in HCI grants

The commission adopted its Rules of Procedure for the new term, including Commissioner Denny Collins's rewrite of the public-comment rules, 13-0, with Rusty Asble absent. It also awarded $574,723 in 2026 Healthy Community Initiative grants to 11 of 13 applicants, confirmed Terri Murray to the Regional Planning Commission and passed the consent agenda, all 13-0.

Video: Bradley County, TN - Government · watch on YouTube

Official record: read the county’s approved minutes (PDF) · source on bradleycountytn.gov. The roll-call votes below are transcribed from this record.

Votes & decisions
ItemMoved / SecondedOutcomeVote
Approve the minutes of the October 19, 2026 regular voting session [03:55] Mike Hughes / Tim Mason Passed 13–0
Confirm the County Mayor's appointment of Terri Murray to the Regional Planning Commission for the unexpired term of Richard Burnett (expiring June 30, 2030) [04:35] Mike Hughes / Cindy Slater (Vice Chair) Passed 13–0
Approve the consent agenda (agenda pages 3-17) [05:28] Bobby Goins / Stephen Beasley Passed 13–0
Finance Committee recommendation: 2026 Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) grant awards, $574,723 to 11 of 13 applicants (about $591,000 available) [10:43] Cindy Slater (Vice Chair) / Mike Hughes Passed 13–0
Approve the voting session agenda for November 2, 2026 [13:53] Bobby Goins / Josh Taylor Passed 13–0
Agenda item A: adopt the Bradley County Commission Rules of Procedure, as amended by Commissioner Collins (Rule 4D, Communication from the Audience, and new Rule 4E, Communication from Non-Commission Members) [14:40] Denny Collins (on behalf of the Legal and Legislative Committee); amendment by Collins / Cindy Slater (Vice Chair); amendment seconded by Stephen Beasley per the chair [18:30], by Slater per the minutes Passed 13–0

Summary

TL;DR: The commission adopted its Rules of Procedure for the new term, including Commissioner Denny Collins's rewrite of the public-comment rules, 13-0, with Rusty Asble absent.[20][27][2] It also awarded $574,723 in 2026 Healthy Community Initiative grants to 11 of 13 applicants, confirmed Terri Murray to the Regional Planning Commission and passed the consent agenda, all 13-0.[14][16][6][7]

Overview

Chairman Milan Blake called the 6 p.m. voting session to order at the Bradley County Courthouse.[1][2] Thirteen of the 14 commissioners answered the roll, the minutes show, and Rusty Asble was absent.[4][2] County Mayor D. Gary Davis, County Clerk Wanda Justice and County Attorney Crystal Freiberg were present.[2] The chairman welcomed library director Keisha Parks and library trustee Tim Akins.[3] Elder Ed Sedouzki of South Cleveland Church of God gave the invocation, and Commissioner Josh Taylor led the pledge.[3][2] Every roll call was 13-0 with one member absent.[2] The meeting adjourned at 6:40 p.m.[2]

  • Minutes [03:55]. The commission approved the October 19 minutes 13-0 (Hughes, Mason).[5][2]
  • Mayor's report [04:35]. Davis appointed Commissioner Terri Murray to the Regional Planning Commission to finish the unexpired term of Richard Burnett, which the minutes say expires June 30, 2030. The commission confirmed the appointment 13-0 (Hughes, Slater).[6][2]
  • Consent agenda [05:28]. Passed 13-0 (Goins, Beasley). It had 14 items: 13 budget amendments the mayor had approved (one for the Finance Department, six for EMS and six for the Sheriff's Office) and the list of notaries public.[7][1]
  • Committee and district reports [06:12]:

- Commissioner Stephen Beasley said the Bradley Central High School science wing groundbreaking took place, and that the Tinsley Park grand opening was set for that Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.[8] At the end of the meeting he said the event starts at 10.[31] - Commissioner Tommy Ledford said the nursing home committee met the previous Tuesday and that "census is up" and "revenues are up," with employee insurance for the nursing home to be finalized the next day.[9] - Commissioner Tim Mason said Household Hazardous Waste Day is that Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon, at the Bradley County Justice Center. The agenda lists the Sheriff's Office.[10][1] - Commissioner Rich Kienlen said he and his wife handed out about 300 bags of candy at Constable Wayne Henry's ghosts and goblins event, and thanked probation and community corrections workers for cleaning the streets after the downtown block party.[12] - Taylor thanked Lake Forest Middle School principal Richie Stevenson for donating grills to schools in the 4th District.[13] - HCI grants [10:43]. Vice Chair Cindy Slater said about $591,000 was available this year and the Finance Committee voted unanimously to recommend awarding $574,723, funding 11 of the 13 applications, some fully, some in part and some with contingencies.[14] Ledford, who said he served on the HCI committee for 14 years, praised its volunteers and said the grant money comes from the sale of the county hospital.[15] The awards passed 13-0 (Slater, Hughes).[16][2] - Slater said the Finance Committee also discussed opioid settlement funding and will bring recommendations to the full commission in December.[17] - Commissioners Collins, Murray, Alford, Hughes, Goins and Beaty had nothing to report.[18][11]

  • Approval of the agenda [13:53]: 13-0 (Goins, Taylor).[19][2]
  • Agenda item A, Rules of Procedure [14:40]. Collins moved, for the Legal and Legislative Committee, to adopt the rules as presented, seconded by Slater.[20] He then moved to amend Rule 4D, "Communication from the Audience," and add a Rule 4E for anyone who wants to speak at other points in a meeting.[20][2]

- Under the new 4D, the commission "shall reserve a period for public comment at each meeting," citing T.C.A. 8-44-112; comments are limited to matters within the commission's jurisdiction; each speaker gets five minutes unless a majority votes more time; and a speaker who makes "offensive, insulting, threatening, insolent, slanderous, or obscene remarks" or becomes boisterous "shall not be permitted to continue" and may be removed at the chairperson's direction.[2] Under 4E, a non-member who wants to speak at another time must be recognized through the chair, and if any commissioner objects, may speak only with a majority vote.[2] - Collins called it "a language cleanup," "not a shift in any policy," and said it "does not eliminate anyone's opportunity to speak." He said the old wording could be read to let commissioners vote to stop a speaker during public comment, and the change prevents that for future commissions.[20][21] - Commissioner Bobby Goins raised a concern about the conduct language.[22] Ledford asked whether the language "limits freedom of speech."[23] - Freiberg said the conduct language has been in the commission's rules "for a long time." She said the new parts add the reference to T.C.A. 8-44-112, which she said did not exist when the rules were first drafted, and make clear the five-minute limit applies both to public comment and to other times. She said the wording on jurisdiction tracks the statute.[24][25] - Freiberg said the rules apply to the commission's standing committees and to committees that include civilians, such as the audit committee, but not to bodies like the nursing home board.[26] - One roll call was taken "on the motion and the amendment," 13-0.[27] The chairman named Beasley as the amendment's second; the minutes name Slater.[20][2] The minutes file the amended rules as an attachment.[2]

  • Communication from the audience [26:35]. Two people spoke.

- Ms. Gleason said she has objected to the conduct language "from the very beginning." She said it applies only to non-commission members, and that vague civility terms "cannot lawfully be used simply to suppress criticism or an unwelcome viewpoint." She described three past incidents she said she witnessed in the last six years, and cited Tinker v. Des Moines School District.[28] - Stephen Nichols said he was concerned about data centers. He said he read the 217-page lawsuit against Bradley County and that, as he read it, the matter goes back to 2022. He asked, "if y'all knew about it in 2022, then why didn't you stop it then?"[29] Blake said the county is in a lawsuit and is following its attorneys' direction on what it can say, and Freiberg said the commission cannot comment on the lawsuit.[30]

  • Announcements [39:04]: work session November 9 at noon in the commission room; Household Hazardous Waste Day Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon; Tinsley Park grand opening Saturday.[31][1]

Decisions

1. Minutes of October 19, 2026: passed 13-0, Asble absent (Hughes, Mason).[5][2] 2. Confirmation of Terri Murray to the Regional Planning Commission: passed 13-0, Asble absent (Hughes, Slater).[6][2] 3. Consent agenda: passed 13-0, Asble absent (Goins, Beasley).[7][2] 4. 2026 HCI grant awards, $574,723 to 11 applicants: passed 13-0, Asble absent (Slater, Hughes).[16][2] 5. Approval of the agenda: passed 13-0, Asble absent (Goins, Taylor).[19][2] 6. Rules of Procedure as amended (Rules 4D and 4E): passed 13-0, Asble absent (Collins, Slater).[27][2]

No member voted against any item.[2]

Sources

  1. Bradley County Commission, Voting Session Agenda, November 2, 2026. https://bradleycountytn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Voting-Session-Agenda-11.2.2026.pdf ↩
  2. Bradley County Commission, Regular Session Minutes, November 2, 2026 (pages 00275 to 00277). https://bradleycountytn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Voting-Session-Minutes-11.2.2026.pdf ↩
  3. Meeting video, 00:00 to 03:28. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=0 ↩
  4. Meeting video, 03:28 to 03:55. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=208 ↩
  5. Meeting video, 03:55 to 04:30. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=235 ↩
  6. Meeting video, 04:35 to 05:26. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=275 ↩
  7. Meeting video, 05:28 to 06:12. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=328 ↩
  8. Meeting video, 06:12 to 07:20. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=372 ↩
  9. Meeting video, 07:25 to 09:20. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=445 ↩
  10. Meeting video, 09:20 to 09:50. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=560 ↩
  11. Meeting video, 09:50 to 09:55. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=590 ↩
  12. Meeting video, 09:55 to 10:25. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=595 ↩
  13. Meeting video, 10:25 to 10:50. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=625 ↩
  14. Meeting video, 10:43 to 11:43. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=643 ↩
  15. Meeting video, 11:50 to 12:54. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=710 ↩
  16. Meeting video, 11:43 to 13:19. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=703 ↩
  17. Meeting video, 13:20 to 13:31. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=800 ↩
  18. Meeting video, 13:31 to 13:53. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=811 ↩
  19. Meeting video, 13:53 to 14:36. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=833 ↩
  20. Meeting video, 14:36 to 18:30. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=876 ↩
  21. Meeting video, 18:46 to 19:42. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=1126 ↩
  22. Meeting video, 18:30 to 18:46. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=1110 ↩
  23. Meeting video, 19:44 to 20:35. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=1184 ↩
  24. Meeting video, 20:45 to 22:47. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=1245 ↩
  25. Meeting video, 23:06 to 25:04. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=1386 ↩
  26. Meeting video, 25:04 to 26:00. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=1504 ↩
  27. Meeting video, 26:02 to 26:35. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=1562 ↩
  28. Meeting video, 26:35 to 32:58. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=1595 ↩
  29. Meeting video, 33:17 to 38:38. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=1997 ↩
  30. Meeting video, 38:38 to 39:04. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=2318 ↩
  31. Meeting video, 39:04 to 39:46. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=2344 ↩

Highlights

Full report

CLEVELAND, Tenn. The Bradley County Commission voted 13-0 on November 2 to adopt its Rules of Procedure for the new term, including a rewrite of the rules for public comment that Commissioner Denny Collins called "a language cleanup."[2][3] Commissioner Rusty Asble was absent.[1]

The new Rule 4D says the commission "shall reserve a period for public comment at each meeting," citing the state law on public comment, T.C.A. 8-44-112. Each speaker gets five minutes unless a majority votes more time, and comments are limited to matters within the commission's jurisdiction.[1] A speaker who makes "offensive, insulting, threatening, insolent, slanderous, or obscene remarks" or becomes boisterous "shall not be permitted to continue" and may be removed at the chairperson's direction.[1] A new Rule 4E covers anyone who wants to speak at another point in a meeting: that person must be recognized through the chair, and if any commissioner objects, may speak only with a majority vote.[1]

Collins said the change "does not eliminate anyone's opportunity to speak." He said the old wording could be read to let commissioners vote to stop a speaker during public comment, and the new wording closes that off for future commissions.[2][4] County Attorney Crystal Freiberg said the conduct language has been in the rules "for a long time" and that the new parts add the statute reference and make the five-minute limit apply at any point in a meeting.[5]

Commissioner Tommy Ledford asked whether the language "limits freedom of speech."[6] During public comment, Ms. Gleason said she has objected to the conduct language "from the very beginning," and that vague civility terms "cannot lawfully be used simply to suppress criticism or an unwelcome viewpoint."[7]

Grants and other business

The commission awarded $574,723 in 2026 Healthy Community Initiative grants to 11 of 13 applicants. Vice Chair Cindy Slater said about $591,000 was available and the Finance Committee recommended the awards unanimously, some in full, some in part and some with contingencies.[8][9] Slater said opioid settlement spending recommendations will come to the full commission in December.[10]

The commission also confirmed County Mayor D. Gary Davis's appointment of Commissioner Terri Murray to the Regional Planning Commission and passed the consent agenda, both 13-0.[11][12][1]

Stephen Nichols asked commissioners about the data center lawsuit against the county. Chairman Milan Blake said the commission is following its attorneys' direction, and Freiberg said the commission cannot comment on the lawsuit.[13][14]

The commission's next meeting is a work session on November 9 at noon.[15]

Sources

  1. Bradley County Commission, Regular Session Minutes, November 2, 2026 (pages 00275 to 00277). https://bradleycountytn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Voting-Session-Minutes-11.2.2026.pdf ↩
  2. Meeting video, 14:36 to 18:30. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=876 ↩
  3. Meeting video, 26:02 to 26:35. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=1562 ↩
  4. Meeting video, 18:46 to 19:42. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=1126 ↩
  5. Meeting video, 20:45 to 22:47. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=1245 ↩
  6. Meeting video, 19:44 to 20:35. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=1184 ↩
  7. Meeting video, 26:35 to 32:58. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=1595 ↩
  8. Meeting video, 10:43 to 11:43. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=643 ↩
  9. Meeting video, 11:43 to 13:19. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=703 ↩
  10. Meeting video, 13:20 to 13:31. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=800 ↩
  11. Meeting video, 04:35 to 05:26. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=275 ↩
  12. Meeting video, 05:28 to 06:12. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=328 ↩
  13. Meeting video, 33:17 to 38:38. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=1997 ↩
  14. Meeting video, 38:38 to 39:04. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=2318 ↩
  15. Meeting video, 39:04 to 39:46. https://youtu.be/JD6oDtMciQ8?t=2344 ↩