The Chester County Commission met Monday evening, May 6, in regular session, with 16 members present. Commissioners Carolyn Higgins and Brenda Matthews were absent. The meeting presented a changing of the guard for multiple departments as the upcoming library director and county fire chief were introduced to the commission, and Sheriff Blair Weaver announced his retirement.
Weaver thanked the county for their support over the years. “This whole commission has been good to me and my family for many years, and I appreciate it. You’ve been good to the sheriff’s department and I knew I always had your support,” he said. “It’s made my job a lot easier, but it’s time to go home.”
Weaver said July 1 will mark 31 years with the Chester County Sheriff’s Office. His last day in office will be July 3. July 1 will mark 31 years with the sheriff’s office. He was appointed Chester County Sheriff in 2009, following the death of then-Sheriff Mark Davidson and was elected to office the following year. “I would ask one thing,” Weaver said of his departure, “Support Mark Griffin. He’s very capable and very deserving. I couldn’t have made it the last 15 years without him.”
Library board chair Harvette Croom took an opportunity to introduce the library’s new director, Chrystal Richerson. Upon approval by the board, Richerson will begin May 20. “I’m excited about where the library is going,” Richerson said. Library board members include Erin McEarl, Kristie Montague, Megan Hunt, Lorilyn Barnes, Alba Hardin, Dan DeFilippo, county representative Carolyn Higgins, city representative Jason Rhodes, Mary Dunbar, secretary and Harvette Croom, chair.
County Fire Chief David Harwell presented the new Chester County Fire Chief, Stephen Moore. Moore said he hopes to seek additional grant money to help fund the department, saying “We’re going to do what we can to make it happen and to make this whole county proud of our fire department.”
Budget amendments and quarterly reports all passed without opposition and school budget amendments were passed with none opposed. Gary Irwin presented the remaining budget amendments, which were approved unanimously with a roll call vote.
Quarterly reports approved unanimously included those for the school system, highway department, trustee, general fund, library, county fire department, UT Extension and West Tennessee Healthcare.
Bobby Thompson with West Tennessee Healthcare approached the board, sharing response data from March. The Chester County ambulance service saw 303 total responses for March, 192 of those emergency and 111 non-emergency. Of the total, there were 222 transports, including 101 from the city of Henderson, 54 from Chester County, 16 from Madison and 17 from McNairy. Eighteen transports were returning discharges from Jackson Madison County General Hospital and 22 were Madison or McNairy units responding in mutual aid to Henderson. Thompson said the local ambulance service is currently fully staffed.
Resolutions were approved for amending the economic impact hotel plan, unanimously, and for the Chester County Board of Education capital outlay, which was approved 14-2, with Kevin Faulkner and Nathan Ward voting against. They also approved confirmation of the Three Star designation for Chester County.
New members for the Board of Equalization were approved. The new list includes Donnie Patterson, Billy Shultz, Charles Dyer, Judy Cranford and Marty Watson. Cranford fills the seat of Vicki Dixon, who recently died.
Continuing service was approved for the Southwest TN Development District for the Chester County Planning Commission, the rate remaining at $8,400.
Thomas Winbush, Solid Waste Director, requested authorization to submit an application for a TDOT litter grant for 2024-2025, in the amount of $44,000, with no local match. The grant provides funding for litter pickup and education and for two employees.
In other news, Mayor Barry Hutcherson announced UT Extension will host Ag Days Wednesday and Thursday at the old Fairgrounds location on Fourth St., in Henderson.
