🏛️ Courthouse Corner: Rhea County Posts Tuesday's Agenda, Chattanooga and Hamilton County Launch "The Chattanooga Company," Governor-Elect Blackburn Names Her First Three Commissioners and the 4th District Count Wraps Up Monday

Or: a neighbor county lays out its to-do list, Chattanooga hangs one sign over several front doors, Nashville starts filling chairs for January, and a close race nears its last count. Here it is in plain English, with the week’s dates at the bottom.

By Thomas Seest, Dunlap.Today · Friday, November 13, 2026 · Courthouse Corner in Plain English #39

Friday courthouse news is a lot like reading the church bulletin on the way out the door. Most of it is what’s coming next week, and it’s handy to know before Sunday dinner. 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. Rhea County posted its Tuesday, Nov. 17 agenda, with grant money for sheriff’s body-worn cameras, an off-season day-use plan for Rhea Springs and $100 holiday bonuses for convenience center workers. In Chattanooga, the city and county mayors announced the Chattanooga Company, one group for tourism, sports events and convention sales. Statewide, Governor-elect Marsha Blackburn named her first three commissioners. The last 4th District provisional ballots get counted Monday. And here at home, the Sequatchie County Commission still meets Monday at 6:30 p.m.

⏱️ 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 in Dunlap (budget committee at 5:30 p.m.). Records commission: Thu., Nov. 19, 5:30 p.m.
• Rhea County neighbors: The commission meets Tue., Nov. 17, at 6 p.m. Eastern in the Phil Swafford Building in Dayton. These are agenda items, not decisions yet.
• Chattanooga visitors and businesses: Nothing changes for you today. The new group’s funding plan still needs City Council and County Commission approval.
• Everyone in Tennessee: The new governor’s team is taking shape for January. No action needed.
• 4th District voters: The remaining provisional ballots are counted Mon., Nov. 16. Results stay unofficial until certified.

📋 Rhea County’s Tuesday Agenda: Body Cameras, Rhea Springs and Holiday Bonuses (Neighbors · Agenda Only)

The Rhea County Commission meets Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 6 p.m. in the conference room of the Phil Swafford Building in Dayton. The posted agenda lists these resolutions, among others:

• Applying for and accepting up to $250,000 from the federal Bureau of Justice Assistance (FY 2026 Rural Violent Crime Reduction Initiative) for body-worn cameras for the sheriff’s department.
• Approving day use of the Rhea Springs Recreation Area during the off season.
• A memorandum of understanding for a rural fire defense automatic aid agreement, the kind of deal where nearby departments roll to each other’s calls without waiting to be asked.
• A $100 holiday bonus for all convenience center employees.
• A two-year lease renewal for the Southeast Tennessee Human Resource Agency‘s office space in the Rhea County Justice Center, running through Jan. 31, 2028.
• A loan agreement through the Public Building Authority of Sevier County of no more than $8.2 million, listed under the hospital board.
• Letting the county building department handle plan review, inspections and demolition permits for Spring City, plus appointments to the county Agricultural Committee and a sponsorship for the 2026 United Way Jingle Bell Run (amount left blank on the agenda).

An agenda is like a grocery list stuck to the fridge. It tells you what’s planned, not what actually made it into the cart.

What it means for you: If you shop, work or have family in Dayton, Spring City or Evensville, Tuesday is when these get decided. The agenda doesn’t say what the $8.2 million loan pays for, so we won’t guess. We’ll report results once they’re posted.

👉 Read more: Rhea County’s agendas and minutes

🤝 Chattanooga and Hamilton County Launch “The Chattanooga Company” (Neighbors · Announced · Funding Still Needs Votes)

On Thursday, Nov. 12, Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly and Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp announced the Chattanooga Company. It was created by the board of the Chattanooga Tourism Company as that group’s successor. The plan folds in the Sports & Events Corporation and the convention center’s sales, marketing and booking. At first, business recruitment will be handled through an arrangement with the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce. Former U.S. Senator and Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker will chair the board, which is starting a national search for a chief executive.

The proposed money plan begins in fiscal year 2028 and still needs approval from the Chattanooga City Council and the Hamilton County Commission. As announced, it would put 50 percent of each government’s hotel and short-term rental tax money toward tourism, set aside 1 percent for keeping and landing big events, and send each government’s current Chamber economic development money to the new group. Officials said tourism brought $1.9 billion in economic impact to Hamilton County in 2025.

It’s like a family that’s been running three yard sales on three driveways deciding to put up one big sign at the end of the road.

What it means for you: If you drive to Chattanooga for work, shopping or a ballgame, nothing changes now. This mostly affects how the city and county market themselves and chase new jobs. Watch for council and commission votes on the funding plan.

👉 Read more: Chattanoogan.com’s report on the Chattanooga Company

🏛️ Governor-Elect Blackburn Names Her First Three Commissioners (Statewide · Announced)

Governor-elect Marsha Blackburn started naming her cabinet this week:

• Todd Kaestner, Finance and Administration (announced Thursday). The announcement says he has more than 40 years in finance and corporate leadership, including at Brookdale Senior Living, and has served on the Tennessee Board of Regents and the Williamson County Commission.
• Andy Holt, Agriculture (announced Friday). Farm folks may remember our Farm & Garden Report mentioned it this morning.
• Mark Ezell, Tourist Development (announced Friday), staying on in the job he’s held since Governor Lee appointed him in January 2019. The announcement says visitor spending in Tennessee hit a record $32.53 billion in 2025 and points to programs like the Office of Rural Tourism.

It’s like a new preacher picking deacons before the first Sunday. The choir’s the same, but you like to know who’s passing the plate.

What it means for you: These are the people who’ll run state departments that touch farm programs, the state budget and tourism money that reaches small towns. Nothing changes for you right now, and no action is needed.

👉 Read more: The Tourist Development appointment · Finance and Administration

🗳️ The 4th District’s Last Provisional Ballots Get Counted Monday (Statewide/Federal · Update)

The 4th Congressional District includes Sequatchie, Bledsoe, Grundy, Marion and Van Buren counties. Unofficial results still show Democrat Victoria Broderick ahead of U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais by about 280 to 285 votes, and the race hasn’t been officially called. The Tennessee Lookout reports about 700 provisional ballots remain districtwide, about 600 of them in Davidson County. The Davidson County Election Commission plans to count them at an 8 a.m. meeting on Monday, Nov. 16, and to certify on Nov. 19.

It’s like the last few jars at the county fair still waiting on the judge’s ribbon. The rules for judging them were set before the fair opened.

What it means for you: You don’t need to do anything. Provisional ballots are a normal part of every election. Counties have until Mon., Nov. 23 to certify, and we’ll report the official result once it’s in.

👉 Read more: Tennessee Lookout on Monday’s count

🏫 Hamilton County’s School Board Moves Policy Changes to a December Committee (Neighbors · Postponed)

At Thursday’s meeting, Hamilton County school board Chairwoman Jodi Schaffer said proposed policy changes about board agendas and rules would go to the board’s policy committee on Tue., Dec. 1, at 5:30 p.m., Chattanoogan.com reports. The board’s attorney said one change would give people seven days instead of 24 hours to sign up to speak to the board. A committee will also hold a hearing Tue., Dec. 8, at 5:30 p.m. on a proposal to move Orchard Knob Middle School students to the Howard Connect site in Alton Park.

What it means for you: If you have kids or grandkids in Hamilton County schools, Dec. 1 and Dec. 8 are the dates to know. Sequatchie County schools aren’t affected.

👉 Read more: Chattanoogan.com’s school board report

🗓️ Dates to Put on the Fridge

• Mon., Nov. 16: Sequatchie schools back in the building. Davidson County counts 4th District provisional ballots, 8 a.m. Bradley County Commission voting session, noon Eastern. Pikeville special meeting on the SR 28 utility agreement (call 423-447-2919 for the time). Sequatchie County budget committee, 5:30 p.m.; County Commission, 6:30 p.m., courthouse in Dunlap.
• Tue., Nov. 17: Chattanooga City Council, 3:30 p.m. Eastern (2:30 p.m. CST). Rhea County Commission, 6 p.m. Eastern, Phil Swafford Building, Dayton.
• 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, 22 Cherry St. Dunlap Board of Mayor and Commissioners (third-Thursday schedule; confirm with City Hall, 423-949-2115).
• Mon., Nov. 23: Marion County Commission, 6 p.m., Lawson Building, Jasper. Deadline for counties to certify Nov. 3 election results. The State Funding Board is set to vote on its revenue estimate.
• Tue., Dec. 1 and Tue., Dec. 8: Hamilton County school board policy committee and Orchard Knob hearing, both 5:30 p.m.

🔎 Still Waiting Is an Honest Answer

We still haven’t found posted results from Pikeville’s Nov. 9 meeting or Jasper’s Nov. 9 meeting. Jasper’s website lists its November minutes as “available soon.” The Sequatchie County courthouse closes at 11:30 a.m. on Fridays, so if you need something there today, call first: 423-949-3479. Pikeville City Hall is at 423-447-2919 and Jasper City Hall at 423-942-3180.

✅ Your Front-Porch Courthouse Checklist

• ✅ Circle Mon., Nov. 16, 6:30 p.m. for the Sequatchie County Commission. It streams live on YouTube if you can’t make it.
• ✅ Got family in Rhea County? Tell them Tuesday at 6 p.m. Eastern is when the commission votes.
• ✅ Driving to Chattanooga? Nothing changes for visitors or shoppers right now.
• ✅ 4th District voters: no action needed. The count finishes Monday, and certification comes by Nov. 23.
• ✅ Write one date on a sticky note: whichever meeting matters most to your household.

Practical rule: An agenda tells you what’s on the table. The minutes tell you what got decided. Wait for the minutes before you worry.

— Dunlap.Today

📚 Plain-English Courthouse Glossary

• Agenda: The posted list of what a board plans to discuss or vote on at a meeting.
• Resolution: A formal decision a commission votes on, like approving a grant or a contract.
• Automatic aid agreement: A deal where nearby fire departments respond to certain calls together without waiting to be asked.
• Interlocal agreement: A written deal between two local governments, like a county and a city, to share a job or service.
• Public Building Authority: A local body that can arrange financing for public projects and loans to governments.
• Hotel/motel tax: A local tax added to overnight stays, often set aside for tourism.
• Commissioner (state): The person the governor picks to run a state department, like Agriculture or Finance.
• Provisional ballot: A ballot set aside on Election Day until officials confirm the voter is eligible.
• Certification: The official step that turns unofficial election results into final ones.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Did Rhea County approve the body-camera grant?

Not yet. It’s on the agenda for the Tuesday, Nov. 17, meeting. We’ll report the outcome once results are posted.

Will the Chattanooga Company raise my taxes?

The announcement describes splitting up existing hotel and short-term rental tax money and the Chamber money the city and county already spend. It doesn’t announce a new tax. The funding plan still needs City Council and County Commission votes.

When does the new governor take office?

In January. Until then, Governor Lee and his commissioners keep running state government as usual.

Who won the 4th District?

It hasn’t been officially called. Broderick leads by about 280 to 285 votes in unofficial results. The last provisional ballots are counted Monday, and counties certify by Nov. 23.

Is Sequatchie County’s Monday meeting still on?

Yes. The county’s website lists it for Monday, Nov. 16, at 6:30 p.m. in the courthouse courtroom in Dunlap, with the budget committee at 5:30 p.m.

🔗 Other Resources

• Sequatchie County Government news and notices: County Executive 423-949-3479 (Fridays until 11:30 a.m.)
• Rhea County Commission agendas and minutes
• Chattanoogan.com: The Chattanooga Company announcement
• Chattanoogan.com: Andy Holt named Agriculture commissioner
• Tennessee Lookout: Election results statewide
• Hamilton County Board of Education Nov. 12 agenda
• Marion County Commission meeting listing: 423-942-2552
• The Dunlap-Tribune local news
• City of Dunlap: 423-949-2115

🌄 Learn a Little, Worry Less and Enjoy Your Weekend

Nothing on today’s list calls for worry. A neighbor county has its list ready, Chattanooga is tidying how it sells itself, the next governor is filling chairs, and a close count is finishing by the book. Knowing the dates lets you relax this weekend and show up Monday if you want to.

Read Dunlap.Today for calm, plain-English follow-ups. We’ll bring you what the Sequatchie County Commission decides Monday night, what Rhea County settles Tuesday and the official 4th District result once it’s certified, so you can spend your week on your own business, not on government paperwork.