🏛️ Courthouse Corner: Sequatchie's Nov. 16 Commission Agenda Is Posted, the East Valley Road Bridge Opens Early, Chattanooga OKs $150 Million in EPB Bonds and Bradley County Grants Pay for New Playgrounds

Or: Monday’s county agenda is on the table, a narrow bridge got wider ahead of schedule, and next door a utility loan and a pile of playground money got the green light. Here it is in plain English, with the week’s dates at the bottom.

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Wednesday, November 11, 2026 · Courthouse Corner in Plain English #37

Happy Veterans Day, and thank you to every veteran in the Valley. Courthouse news on a holiday is like a church potluck table. Some dishes are already served, some are still under foil, and you want to know which is which before you fill your plate. As always we sort things into approved, not approved and coming up, and label each one Local (Sequatchie County), Neighbors (nearby counties) or Statewide.

Here’s the short stack. Sequatchie County posted the agenda for the Monday, Nov. 16 commission meeting. It includes procedural rules, a District 1 parks plan, a highway surplus list and a resolution to opt out of statewide building codes. The county’s East Valley Road bridge at Barker Branch is open to two-way traffic, finished weeks ahead of its December target. Local Nov. 3 turnout came in at 42.36 percent. Next door, the Chattanooga City Council unanimously approved up to $150 million in EPB bonds, and EPB says they won’t immediately change bills. Bradley County handed out $574,723 in yearly grants, much of it for school playgrounds.

⏱️ What this means for you in 30 seconds

• Sequatchie County residents: The commission meets Mon., Nov. 16, at 6:30 p.m. at the courthouse, with a budget committee at 5:30 p.m. Public comments come early on the agenda.
• East Valley Road drivers: The Barker Branch bridge is open both ways. Watch for the sign warning of a slight bump.
• School families: Sequatchie schools have remote learning Thursday and Friday, Nov. 12–13. Classes resume Mon., Nov. 16.
• EPB customers: The new bonds are repaid from utility revenue, not city taxes, and EPB says bills won’t change right away.
• Bradley County families: Five school playgrounds are getting grant money.
• Still waiting: Jasper’s and Pikeville’s Monday results and Bledsoe’s provisional count aren’t posted yet.

📋 Monday’s Sequatchie County Commission Agenda Is Posted (Local · Coming Up · New)

The county posted the agenda today for the regular bi-monthly meeting on Monday, Nov. 16, at 6:30 p.m. in the courthouse courtroom in Dunlap. You can also watch live on BTC Fiber’s YouTube channel. After approving the Sept. 21 minutes and hearing public comments, commissioners are set to hear a Heritage Farms presentation and reports from the trustee, schools, sheriff and highway department.

New business on the posted agenda:

• An update from Angie King on the mobile MOC (the agenda doesn’t spell out what it is; we’ll explain once it’s presented).
• Resolution 819: adopting procedural rules (Robert’s Rules). The Dunlap-Tribune reported in September that a procedural-rules resolution was postponed to the November meeting.
• An appointment to the Cagle-Fredonia utility district board.
• Resolution 821: a Highway Department surplus list.
• Resolution 822: a District 1 parks and recreation plan.
• Resolution 823: opting out of statewide building codes.
• Remarks from County Executive Keith Cartwright, plus notary appointments.

Earlier that day, the budget committee meets at 5:30 p.m. to take up transfers and amendments, highway department amendments and the surplus resolution, an Opioid Abatement Committee award recommendation and a clerk’s office request to “write off” debt. The agenda’s announcements also list an audit committee at 9 a.m.

Plain-English note on building codes: State law lets a county decide, by a two-thirds vote, that the statewide building code standards won’t apply to one- and two-family homes outside city limits. UT’s government advisers explain that an opt-out like this runs out about 180 days after the next election for that governing body unless it’s passed again. The agenda doesn’t say whether Resolution 823 renews an earlier opt-out. Either way, the State Fire Marshal’s Office offers homeowners in opt-out areas an optional state inspection and a certificate of occupancy, which some lenders require.

It’s like the seed catalog showing up in the mailbox. You can circle what you like, but nothing’s planted yet.

What it means for you: Nothing has been voted on yet. If parks in District 1, building rules for homes in the county or the meeting rules matter to you, Monday at 6:30 p.m. is your chance to listen or speak. Questions: County Executive’s office, 423-949-3479.

👉 Read more: Sequatchie County’s posted Nov. 16 agenda

🌉 The East Valley Road Bridge at Barker Branch Is Open Both Ways, and Early (Local · Done)

The Dunlap-Tribune reports that the bridge replacement on East Valley Road at Barker Branch, about 1.5 miles south of the Old York Highway intersection, is finished and traffic is flowing both directions. Road Supervisor Eric Higgins said the old bridge was so narrow that drivers lost side mirrors or scraped other vehicles, and several wrecks happened there over the years on a heavily traveled road.

A Tennessee Department of Transportation grant paid for the new bridge. It was expected to open in December and came in several weeks early. A sign now warns drivers of a slight bump.

It’s like finally getting a wider gate on the pasture. Same trip, no more holding your breath.

What it means for you: If you use East Valley Road, your detour days are over. Slow down for the bump sign and enjoy the extra elbow room.

👉 Read more: The Dunlap-Tribune on the finished bridge

🗳️ Sequatchie County’s Turnout Was 42.36 Percent (Local · Unofficial Until Certified)

The Dunlap-Tribune reports that 4,976 Sequatchie County voters cast ballots in the Nov. 3 election, out of 11,747 registered. That’s a 42.36 percent turnout. The split was almost exactly even: 2,462 voted early and 2,463 voted on Election Day. Local voters also said yes to all three state constitutional amendments, matching the statewide result.

What it means for you: About four in ten registered voters turned out. These numbers stay unofficial until counties certify by Mon., Nov. 23. If you want to check your registration before the next election, call the Sequatchie County Election Commission.

👉 Read more: The Dunlap-Tribune’s local vote totals

🏫 School Board Notes: Two Members Earn “Master” Status, and Remote Days This Week (Local · Done)

The Dunlap-Tribune reports that school board members Debbie Adams and Felisha Snyder earned Level V Master Board Member status from the Tennessee School Boards Association. They were among 11 board members statewide to reach it. The TSBA gives the title to members who keep up with training. At the Nov. 2 board meeting, members also recognized the SCHS Lady Indians soccer team, which finished first in the regular season.

Director of Schools Sarai Pierce announced remote learning days Nov. 12–13, after today’s Veterans Day holiday. She said the days give students who’ve been sick time to recover and free up buses for families traveling to the SCHS football game in East Tennessee.

What it means for you: Kids learn from home Thursday and Friday, and school is back in the building Monday, Nov. 16. Check your child’s class page or call the school with questions.

👉 Read more: The Dunlap-Tribune on remote learning days

⚡ Chattanooga Approves Up to $150 Million in EPB Bonds (Neighbors · Approved · Update)

On Nov. 6 we told you these bonds were on the agenda. On Tuesday, Nov. 10, the Chattanooga City Council voted unanimously to approve up to $150 million in new EPB electric-system bonds. The Times Free Press reports the money is part of EPB’s $430 million capital improvement plan through 2031. It will go toward transformers, equipment, infrastructure and facilities, and no specific projects are earmarked.

The bonds are repaid from EPB revenue, not city taxes. EPB expects to pay about $8 million a year in principal and interest. Its finance chief, Mike Kaiser, said the borrowing won’t immediately affect bills for EPB’s 205,000 customers.

It’s like taking out a loan for a new barn roof and paying it back from the milk check, not the household budget.

What it means for you: If you’re an EPB customer, nothing changes on your bill right away. If your power comes from a Valley co-op instead, this one is just news from next door.

👉 Read more: Times Free Press on the EPB bonds

🛝 Bradley County’s Yearly Grants Pay for School Playgrounds and Fire Gear (Neighbors · Approved · New to Us)

At its Nov. 2 voting session, the Bradley County Commission unanimously approved $574,723 in Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) grants for 11 of 13 applications, the Cleveland Daily Banner reports. The HCI fund comes from yearly earnings on the $15 million the county got from the 2008 sale of Bradley Memorial Hospital.

The awards include playgrounds at Blythe Bower ($96,000), Charleston ($75,000), Oak Grove ($30,000) and Taylor schools, plus $76,833 through the Community Foundation for an Arnold School playground. Arnold School also gets a defibrillator. Bradley County Fire & Rescue gets $94,830 for struts and an air station, and the Cleveland Fire Department gets a ring cutter. The money also covers a Boys & Girls Club project, a dock, walkway and pavilion for the City of Charleston, and pasture repair at the Tri-State Exhibition Center. The leftover $16,856 goes back into the fund.

It’s like a family trust that spends only the interest. The nest egg stays put and the kids still get new swings.

What it means for you: If your grandkids go to one of those schools, new playground equipment is on the way. It’s also a good example of how a one-time sale can keep paying off for a county year after year.

👉 Read more: Cleveland Daily Banner’s full list of grants

🏪 Cleveland Lands Grant Money to Spruce Up Downtown Storefronts (Neighbors · New)

At Monday’s Cleveland City Council meeting, City Manager Joe Fivas announced a grant of roughly $300,000 for downtown improvements, Mix 104.1 reports. It will help businesses fix awnings, windows and building fronts, and will also pay for downtown signs and landscaping. It’s part of about $600,000 in new grants the city announced, along with the road-safety planning money we told you about Nov. 5.

What it means for you: If you shop or run a business in downtown Cleveland, expect fresher storefronts. Business owners should watch for the city’s application details.

👉 Read more: Mix 104.1’s Cleveland council recap

🚰 Chattanooga Asks Questions About a Sewer Plant Loan, but No Vote Yet (Neighbors · Coming Up)

Also on Tuesday, Chattanooga council members asked whether planned wastewater borrowing for the Moccasin Bend treatment plant could also help with aging sewer pipes, NewsChannel 9 reports. Staff said the loan would pay for upgrades the city is required to make under a legal agreement, including replacing and improving the plant. They agreed to bring back more information. The council did not vote.

What it means for you: Chattanooga sewer customers can watch for this to come back on a future agenda. Nothing has been decided.

👉 Read more: NewsChannel 9 on the Moccasin Bend loan

🗓️ Dates to Put on the Fridge

• Wed., Nov. 11 (today): Veterans Day. State and federal offices are closed; call ahead for local offices. Chattanooga garbage and recycling run as normal, but the city landfill and drop-off centers are closed.
• Thu., Nov. 12: Sequatchie County Opioid Abatement Committee, 1 p.m., courthouse. Sequatchie schools remote learning (through Fri.). Hamilton County Board of Education, 6 p.m. Eastern.
• Fri., Nov. 13: Written comments due on the Apison roundabout floodplain notice.
• Sat., Nov. 14: Jasper Veterans Day parade, 1 p.m., and ceremony, 2 p.m., Jasper City Park.
• Mon., Nov. 16: Sequatchie schools back in session. Bradley County Commission voting session, noon Eastern. Marion County School Board, 5 p.m. CST. Sequatchie County budget committee, 5:30 p.m.; County Commission, 6:30 p.m., courthouse in Dunlap. Van Buren County Commission, 6 p.m., Spencer.
• Tue., Nov. 17: Chattanooga City Council, 3:30 p.m. Eastern (2:30 p.m. CST). Rhea County Commission, 6 p.m. Eastern.
• Wed., Nov. 18: Hamilton County Commission, 4 p.m. CST (5 p.m. Eastern).
• Thu., Nov. 19: Sequatchie County Records Commission, 5:30 p.m., Executive’s Conference Room. Dunlap Board of Mayor and Commissioners (third-Thursday schedule; confirm with City Hall).
• Mon., Nov. 23: Deadline for counties to certify Nov. 3 election results.
• Mon., Nov. 30: Hamilton County Christmas Tree Lighting, 4 p.m. Eastern, courthouse lawn, 625 Georgia Ave.
• Fri., Jan. 1, 2027: New proof-of-citizenship-or-lawful-presence rule for first-time vehicle registrations begins statewide.

🔎 Still Waiting Is an Honest Answer

Jasper’s Nov. 9 agenda included two zoning ordinances, one on signs and billboards and one on small-scale distilleries, plus two water and sewer hires, but we haven’t found posted results. We also haven’t found results from Pikeville’s Nov. 9 meeting, the outcome of Bledsoe County’s provisional ballot count (the counting board met Monday), a result from Dunlap’s Nov. 5 paving-bid meeting or one from Dayton’s Nov. 2 water and sewer rate hearing. We won’t guess. Dunlap City Hall is at 423-949-2115, Jasper City Hall at 423-942-3180, and the Bledsoe County Election Commission at 423-447-2776.

✅ Your Front-Porch Courthouse Checklist

• ✅ Circle Mon., Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m. for the Sequatchie County Commission, or watch it live on BTC Fiber’s YouTube channel.
• ✅ Building a home outside city limits? Ask about Resolution 823 and the state’s optional inspection before you pour a foundation.
• ✅ Parents: remote learning Thursday and Friday; back to school Monday.
• ✅ East Valley Road drivers: mind the bump sign at the new Barker Branch bridge.
• ✅ EPB customers: no bill change to watch for from Tuesday’s vote.

Practical rule: An agenda is a menu, not the meal. Read it Saturday, show up Monday and check the minutes before you tell the neighbors what happened.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Courthouse Glossary

• Agenda: The posted list of what a board plans to discuss or vote on. Being on it doesn’t mean something passed.
• Resolution: A formal decision of the commission, usually passed with one vote.
• Building code opt-out: A county’s choice, by a two-thirds vote, not to apply statewide building standards to one- and two-family homes outside city limits.
• Certificate of occupancy (CO): A document saying a building passed inspection and is ready to live in. Some lenders ask for one.
• Surplus: Equipment or property a government no longer needs and can sell or dispose of.
• Revenue bond: A loan repaid from a utility’s income, like light bills, rather than from taxes.
• Certification: The step that makes election results official.
• Remote learning day: A school day when students do their lessons from home.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Did Sequatchie County already opt out of building codes?

Not on Monday’s agenda yet. Resolution 823 is scheduled for Nov. 16, and nothing has been voted on. The posted agenda doesn’t say whether it renews an earlier opt-out. Call 423-949-3479 if you have questions before the meeting.

If the county opts out, can I still get my new house inspected?

Yes. The State Fire Marshal’s Office says owners in opt-out areas can request a state inspection and get a certificate of occupancy. Call 615-741-7170 or look up “residential permits” on tn.gov.

Can I speak at Monday’s county meeting?

The agenda lists public comments near the start of the meeting. Arrive a few minutes early and ask the clerk how to sign up.

Will EPB’s new bonds raise my light bill?

EPB’s finance chief said the borrowing won’t immediately affect bills. The bonds are repaid from utility revenue, not city taxes.

Is the turnout number final?

No. Results stay unofficial until counties certify them, by Nov. 23.

🔗 Other Resources

• Sequatchie County Government news and notices: County Executive 423-949-3479, 22 Cherry St., Dunlap
• State Fire Marshal: inspections in opt-out areas: 615-741-7170
• UT County Technical Assistance Service: sample building-code opt-out resolution
• The Dunlap-Tribune local news
• Chattanooga City Council agendas and minutes
• Bradley County Commission agendas and minutes
• Town of Jasper agendas and minutes: 423-942-3180
• City of Dunlap: 423-949-2115

🌄 Learn a Little, Worry Less and Read the Menu Before Monday

Nothing on today’s list calls for worry. A bridge got wider ahead of schedule, a county posted its plans in plenty of time for you to read them, and the neighbors found money for playgrounds and power lines without reaching for tax dollars. Once you know what’s decided and what’s still on the menu, it’s a lot easier to enjoy your holiday.

Read Dunlap.Today for calm, plain-English follow-ups. We’ll bring you what the Sequatchie County Commission decides Monday night, plus the Jasper, Pikeville and Bledsoe results once they’re posted, so you can spend your week on your own business, not on government paperwork.