🏛️ Courthouse Corner: Marion County Takes Up Patrol Cars and a Beaver Contract Monday, Hamilton Lines Up State Rural Health Money for the Birchwood Clinic, the County Drops Its $6.5 Million Minimum Bid on a North Shore Building, and Chattanooga Weighs Head Start Spots for 48 Babies and Toddlers

Or: A Plain-English Sunday Look at the Week’s Agendas, From Jasper’s Back Roads to a Country Clinic in Birchwood, a Big Empty Building on the North Shore and Child Care for the Littlest Ones

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Sunday, October 25, 2026

This week’s courthouse news is like reading the church bulletin on Sunday morning: it tells you what’s coming up, so you can decide where you want to be. On Monday, the Marion County Commission meets in Jasper with sheriff’s patrol cars, a new beaver eradication contract and a road name change on its agenda. On Wednesday, Hamilton County commissioners take up a state rural health contract for the Birchwood Health Clinic and a water project at McDonald Farm in Sale Creek. Hamilton County has also dropped its $6.5 million minimum bid for a big county building on Chattanooga’s North Shore. And on Tuesday, the Chattanooga City Council considers Early Head Start spots for 48 infants and toddlers.

Here’s what’s in this twentieth Courthouse Corner in Plain English: Marion County’s Monday agenda, Hamilton County’s Wednesday agenda, from Birchwood to Sale Creek, the Business Development Center sale, Chattanooga’s Tuesday agenda, and what we’re still waiting on, plus the week ahead.

We label each item Local (Sequatchie County or Dunlap), Neighbors (nearby counties) or Statewide/Federal. Facts come from local news reports, government websites and official notices, linked in each section. Items on an agenda have not been voted on yet. This is not an endorsement of any official, candidate or proposal.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Marion County, Mon., Oct. 26, 6 p.m.: Patrol cars, a beaver eradication contract, a 911 board appointment and a Herkey Road name change are on the agenda. Lawson Building, 300 Ridley Drive, Jasper.
• Birchwood: Hamilton County would sign an $89,635 state contract for the Birchwood Health Clinic under Tennessee’s Rural Health Transformation Program. Vote expected Wed., Oct. 28.
• North Shore building: Hamilton County dropped its $6.5 million minimum bid for the Business Development Center on Manufacturers Road.
• Chattanooga, Tue., Oct. 27: Early Head Start partnerships for 48 infants and toddlers at two child care sites.
• Remember: Early voting ends Thu., Oct. 29. Clocks fall back Sun., Nov. 1. Election Day is Tue., Nov. 3.

🦫 Neighbors: Marion County’s Monday Agenda, From Patrol Cars to Beavers to a Road Name

The Marion County Commission meets Monday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. at the Lawson Building, 300 Ridley Drive, Jasper. The posted agenda, signed by County Mayor David Jackson, lists these items. None has been voted on yet.

• Sheriff’s patrol cars: The purchase of Sheriff’s Department patrol cars. The agenda doesn’t list how many or the price.
• Budget amendments: Separate sets for county government, the Board of Education and the Highway Department.
• Beavers: Approval of a new contract for beaver eradication.
• 911 Board: Appointing Randy Neal to the 911 Board.
• Hwy 2: Acquiring a utility easement along Highway 2.
• Herkey Road: Approving a road name change for Herkey Road.
• Also: Public comments, approval of notaries, the mayor’s report and general business.

What it means for you: Anybody who’s lost a culvert or a low field to a beaver dam knows those busy critters can flood a road faster than you can say “who left the water running.” A county beaver contract is about keeping ditches and roads draining. If you live on Herkey Road, a name change can touch your mailing address and how 911 finds your house, so it’s worth a call to the courthouse at (423) 942-2552, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m., to ask what’s planned. Public comments come early on the agenda, item 7.

👉 Read more (Marion County: Oct. 26 Commission agenda, PDF) · Marion County: meeting listing

🩺 Neighbors: Hamilton County’s Wednesday Agenda, From a Birchwood Clinic to McDonald Farm

The Hamilton County Commission holds its regular meeting Wednesday, Oct. 28, at the County Courthouse in Chattanooga. The posted agenda includes these items. All are proposals until the commission votes.

• Birchwood Health Clinic: A $89,635 contract with the Tennessee Department of Health for the Office of Safety Net and Health Care Access initiatives of the state’s Rural Health Transformation Program at the Birchwood Health Clinic, running Sept. 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028.
• Homeless Health Care Clinic: A second contract under the same state program, for $179,270, same dates.
• TB clinic: Accepting a donation of eight wall-mounted HEPA air purifiers and filters from the state health department’s Southeast Region, valued at about $12,500.
• McDonald Farm: Accepting a $105,000 bid from Nitzschke Communications, Inc. for the McDonald Farm Water Upgrades project for county Parks and Recreation. McDonald Farm is in Sale Creek.
• Lakesite: A contract for the Sheriff’s Office to provide police services to the City of Lakesite, with the capital budget amended by $120,000.
• Children’s Advocacy Center: $60,000 in restricted opioid distributor settlement funds for its Hope Forward Project.
• Also: $2,000 for the Red Bank High School Band Boosters, cyber liability insurance (about $100,000 a year), audiovisual upgrades (up to $504,459.49), and appointments to the Juvenile Court Commission.

What it means for you: Birchwood sits out in the country at the north end of Hamilton County, a lot like many of our own communities, and a clinic out there is like a country store that keeps the basics close so nobody has to drive to town for every little thing. The money comes through a state program aimed at rural health care. If you’re on the Rhea or Sequatchie side of the line and don’t know where your nearest clinic is, your county health department can tell you.

👉 Read more (Hamilton County Commission: Oct. 28 agenda, PDF)

🏢 Neighbors: Hamilton County Drops Its $6.5 Million Minimum Bid on a North Shore Building

Hamilton County has dropped the $6.5 million minimum bid it had set for the Business Development Center on Manufacturers Road, Chattanoogan.com reported Friday, Oct. 23. The building on Chattanooga’s North Shore is the former American Lava headquarters.

• Why: Officials said, “After conversations with our broker, we decided to remove the minimum bid of $6.5 million to encourage broader conversations about the property and its highest and best use.”
• Where the number came from: Officials said the minimum bid “was based solely on the appraised value.”
• What’s next: The county plans to sell the building and set up a “tech hub” in part of the Gateway Building, which will also include a technical school.

What it means for you: It’s like a farmer who put a firm price on the old barn, then decided to hear every offer before saying no. Dropping a minimum doesn’t mean the building sells cheap. It just opens the door to more buyers and more ideas. The plan to pair a tech hub with a technical school is worth watching for anyone in the Valley thinking about job training close to home.

👉 Read more (Chattanoogan.com: County drops $6.5 million minimum bid)

👶 Neighbors: Chattanooga’s Tuesday Agenda Includes Early Head Start for 48 Babies and Toddlers

The Chattanooga City Council meets Tuesday, Oct. 27. The agenda, as published by Chattanoogan.com on Friday, Oct. 23, includes these items. None has been voted on yet.

• Early Head Start: A resolution letting Chattanooga Head Start enter collaboration partnerships for the 2026–2027 school year, so Early Head Start can keep serving 24 infants and toddlers at each of two sites, Chambliss and Children’s Academy, for 48 in all, over a budgeted 234 classroom days.
• City reserves (first reading): Budget changes that would move $29,321,000 from General Fund reserves to departments and $26,439,000 to capital projects. A final vote is listed for Tue., Nov. 3.
• Sewer work: A $1,797,210 change order to finish about 740 feet of 24-inch sewer line in the Riverview Park area, part of a project to stop chronic sewer overflows.
• Ballfields: A $32,162.40 change order for extra wiring at the John A. Patten ballfield improvements.

What it means for you: Early Head Start is for the littlest ones, from babies to toddlers, and for working parents a steady spot is as important as a reliable truck. The resolution says these partnerships keep enrollment at current levels, so it’s about holding steady, not cutting back. If you have a little one at home and wonder about early learning help in our area, ask your county’s Head Start office what’s available.

👉 Read more (Chattanoogan.com: Upcoming City Council agenda for Tuesday)

⏳ What We’re Still Waiting On, and the Week Ahead

We report results only once we can confirm them. As of Sunday afternoon, these were still not posted:

• Dunlap’s Main Street rezoning (Local): The city board met Thu., Oct. 15, with Ordinance No. 321 (1466 and 1494 Main Street) on the agenda. The city’s website still shows only the agenda. City Hall: (423) 949-2115, Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–4 p.m.
• Bledsoe County Commission (Neighbors): Met Mon., Oct. 19. Official results still aren’t posted on the county website. Mayor’s office: (423) 447-6855.
• Marion County School Board (Neighbors): Met Thu., Oct. 22, in Jasper. Results on the teacher agreement and bus contract haven’t been reported yet.

This week:

• Mon., Oct. 26, 5 p.m. — Monteagle city meeting, Monteagle City Hall, 16 Dixie Lee Avenue.
• Mon., Oct. 26, 6 p.m. — Marion County Commission, Lawson Building, Jasper. Same evening: the Rhea County Commission special called meeting, 6 p.m., Dayton, and Sequatchie’s bus garage roof bids are due at 10 a.m. (Local).
• Mon., Oct. 26, 6:30 p.m. — Grundy County Commission. The state’s CTAS county directory lists Grundy’s commission meeting as the fourth Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. The county doesn’t post agendas online, so call ahead to confirm.
• Tue., Oct. 27 — Chattanooga City Council and the Sequatchie County school board working session (Local).
• Wed., Oct. 28 — Hamilton County Commission, County Courthouse, Chattanooga.
• Thu., Oct. 29 — Last day of early voting. Sequatchie County Records Commission, 5:30 p.m., courthouse, Dunlap (Local).

What it means for you: Waiting on a result is like waiting on bread to rise: you can peek, but it’s ready when it’s ready. If it matters to you, a phone call is the fastest way to find out.

👉 Read more (City of Dunlap) · Bledsoe County: Oct. 19 agenda · Monteagle city meeting · CTAS: Grundy County · Sequatchie County: News and Notices

🗓️ Dates to Put on the Fridge

• Mon., Oct. 26: Monteagle city meeting, 5 p.m. Marion County Commission, 6 p.m., Jasper. Rhea special called meeting, 6 p.m., Dayton. Grundy County Commission, 6:30 p.m. (call to confirm).
• Tue., Oct. 27: Chattanooga City Council. Sequatchie County school board working session.
• Wed., Oct. 28: Hamilton County Commission.
• Thu., Oct. 29: Last day of early voting. Sequatchie Records Commission, 5:30 p.m.
• Sat., Oct. 31: Scare on the Square, 5–7 p.m., Harris Park, Dunlap. Halloween in the Park, 5–8 p.m., Marion County Park, Jasper.
• Sun., Nov. 1, 2 a.m.: Clocks fall back one hour.
• Mon., Nov. 2: Sequatchie County school board regular meeting. New Hope city meeting.
• Tue., Nov. 3: Election Day.
• Wed., Nov. 11, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.: Marion County Veterans Day Ceremony, American Legion Hall, South Pittsburg. Free lunch for veterans and those serving.
• Mon., Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m.: Sequatchie County Commission, courthouse.

✅ Your Courthouse Corner Checklist

• ✅ Haven’t voted early yet? You have Monday through Thursday. In Sequatchie County, early voting runs 9 a.m.–5 p.m. In Grundy, it’s 9 a.m.–4 p.m. in Altamont and Tracy City. Bring your photo ID.
• ✅ Live on Herkey Road in Marion County? Call the courthouse at (423) 942-2552 to ask about the proposed name change.
• ✅ Got a beaver problem flooding a county road or ditch in Marion County? Note Monday’s contract and call the county about who to contact.
• ✅ Want to speak at a meeting? Most boards take public comments near the start. Arrive a few minutes early.
• ✅ Live near 1466 or 1494 Main Street in Dunlap? Call City Hall at (423) 949-2115 to ask how Ordinance No. 321 came out.
• ✅ Saturday night before bed: set the clocks back one hour. Good time to test the smoke detector, too.
• ✅ Know a Marion County veteran? Tell them about the Nov. 11 ceremony and free lunch in South Pittsburg.

Practical rule: An agenda is a heads-up, not a done deal. If an item touches your road, your address or your family, call before the meeting, not after.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Courthouse Glossary

• Agenda: The official list of what a board plans to discuss or vote on at a meeting.
• Budget amendment: A change to the budget after it’s passed, moving money between accounts or adding new money.
• Utility easement: Permission to run or maintain lines like water, power or phone across a piece of land.
• Minimum bid: The lowest offer a seller will accept. Removing it lets buyers make any offer, but the seller still doesn’t have to accept.
• Appraised value: A professional’s estimate of what a property is worth.
• Rural Health Transformation Program: A Tennessee Department of Health program that funds efforts to improve health care in rural areas.
• Early Head Start: A free federal early learning program for babies, toddlers and pregnant women from qualifying families.
• Change order: An approved change to a construction contract, often adding work and cost.
• First reading: The first of the votes needed to pass a city ordinance. It usually comes back for a final vote later.
• Opioid settlement funds: Money paid to states and local governments by drug companies and distributors, restricted to uses like prevention and recovery.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Has Marion County approved the patrol cars or the beaver contract?

Not yet. Both are on the agenda for Monday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m. The agenda doesn’t list prices or how many cars. We’ll report results once they’re available.

What is Herkey Road being renamed to?

The agenda doesn’t say. If you live on Herkey Road, call the Marion County courthouse at (423) 942-2552, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where is the Birchwood Health Clinic?

It’s run by the Hamilton County Health Department in Birchwood, a rural community in northeast Hamilton County. The $89,635 state contract is on the county commission’s Wednesday agenda.

Does the Business Development Center sale affect Sequatchie County?

No. It’s a Hamilton County building on Chattanooga’s North Shore. It’s worth knowing about because the county plans a tech hub and technical school in the Gateway Building.

Does the Chattanooga Head Start item affect families here?

It’s for two Chattanooga sites. Families in other counties can ask their local Head Start program about early learning options.

When does early voting end, and when is Election Day?

Early voting ends Thursday, Oct. 29. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Find your polling place and sample ballot at GoVoteTN.

When do the clocks change?

At 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, clocks fall back one hour, to 1 a.m. Most phones change on their own. Wall clocks, stoves and car clocks usually don’t.

Did Dunlap approve the Main Street rezoning?

As of Sunday afternoon, Oct. 25, the result of Ordinance No. 321 wasn’t posted on the city’s website. Call Dunlap City Hall at (423) 949-2115, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. We’ll report the outcome once we can confirm it.

🔗 Other Resources

• Marion County Commission: Oct. 26 Agenda (PDF)
• Marion County: Veterans Day Ceremony in South Pittsburg
• Marion County: Halloween in the Park
• Hamilton County Commission: Oct. 28 Agenda (PDF)
• Chattanoogan.com: County Drops $6.5 Million Minimum Bid
• Chattanoogan.com: Upcoming City Council Agenda
• CTAS: Grundy County Officials and Meeting Times
• Grundy County Early Voting Sites
• Sequatchie County News and Notices
• City of Dunlap Government
• WVLT: Daylight Saving Time Ends Nov. 1
• GoVoteTN: sample ballots, polling places and hours
• Dunlap.Directory: free local business listings

🌿 Keep Learning, Stay Calm

This week is mostly agendas, and that’s a good thing: it means you get to see the plans before the votes. Patrol cars and beaver crews in Marion County, a country clinic in Birchwood, a building opened up to new ideas and care for the littlest ones in Chattanooga. None of it asks anything hard of you today. Write Thu., Oct. 29 on the fridge for early voting, set the clocks back Saturday night, and if an agenda item touches your road or your family, make one phone call. For more calm, practical Sequatchie Valley reporting, visit Dunlap.Today.