Hardly a seat was vacant at the February Union County Commission meeting. Several citizens from Sharps Chapel attended. Four representatives from Friends of Sharps Chapel appeared before commission to make public comments regarding the organization and the factory chicken farm.
Jim Johnson related that the next meeting for the group would be March 8 at 5:30 p.m. at the Sharps Chapel Senior Center and more information would be available on the Sanford Project.

The Union County Commission elected Cheryl Walker to fill the second district vacancy at its January regular meeting. Sidney Jessee Jr. nominated Walker. No one nominated the other qualifying citizen, Lance Grigsby.
Commissioner England asked that nominations close and that Walker be elected by acclimation. Commissioner Jessee, the other second district representative, provided the second. Then County Mayor Jason Bailey administered the oath of office, and Walker took her seat on the Union County Commission.

Union County Commission rejected a proposal developed by the Election Commission and reviewed by the Redistricting Committee.
The proposal would have reduced the 19 percent out of compliance to being in compliance of 10 percent or less variation for district representation.

Mary Johnson addressed the Union County Commission at its September 27 meeting regarding the construction of a pharmaceutical chicken farm by Alpes Sanfer, Inc., in Sharps Chapel.
The company would place eight barns with 9,000 chickens in each barn on one of the oldest farms in Sharps Chapel, according to Johnson. Sanfer will be developing pathogen-free eggs to be used in making vaccines. The facility will employ approximately 30 people at an hourly rate of $13 to $17 but have made no promise to hire Union County residents, according to Johnson.

Growth was the theme of Mayor Jason Bailey in his report to Union County Commission at the regular August meeting.
Union County has grown by more than 500 according to the 2020 US Census. The growth of internet or broadband service will be the focus of the American Rescue Plan money in the amount of $1.9M.
Bailey is partnering with the Ayers Foundation, a non-profit, to work with Clinton Utility Board and LaFollette Utilities Board to provide broadband in Big Ridge and Speedwell with the goal of providing fiber based internet throughout Union County.

Fourteen of 16 county commissioners attended the called Union County Commission meeting on June 14 to approve a budget for FY 22.
Following the lead of the Budget Committee, Commissioner Jody Smith offered a motion to accept the FY22 Budget as recommended by the Budget Committee, and Larry Lay provided a second.
Several commissioners commented on various aspects of the budget. Debra Keck, Janet Holloway, Earl Cox, Bill Cox, Sidney Jessee Jr. and Kenny Hill voiced concerns about cutting the funding for the Union County Historical Society as well as some fire protection.

With the budget issues resolved, the regular Union County Commission meeting on June 28 covered a special recognition, a contract extension, and some 20 pages of FY 21 budget clean up to close out the fiscal year.
Mayor Jason Bailey awarded Carson “Eddie” Thompson a plaque for his years of dedicated service as the Veterans Service Officer.

County Mayor Jason Bailey has prided himself on promoting transparency in government. His background in education probably directed his schooling of the county commission at the regular May meeting.

In announcements during the regular Union County Commission Meeting in April, Mayor Jason Bailey reminded commissioners that the order allowing for the holding of county meetings by electronic devices expires April 30.

At the March meeting, Union County Commission unanimously approved a budget amendment to allow the county to pay $45,000 toward the match for two Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grants.

At the regular February meeting, the Union County Commission continued to prepare for the next fiscal year. Each spring the County Commission approves the appointment of a tax attorney to carry out the procedure for collecting delinquent property taxes in arrears by more than two years.

Mayor Jason Bailey unveiled the new voting technology for Union County Commission at the regular meeting on January 25, 2021. The mayor, his staff and Maynardville Librarian Chantay Collins assisted the commissioners in a practice session to learn the process of clicks to make motions and vote on business items.

Union County Commission closed out its final meeting for 2020 by supporting a couple of changes with huge local impact.
It seems that local cattle producers are enduring a waitlist of 18 to 24 months to get their beef processed.
Commissioner Jeff Brantley brought the issue to Commission's attention and introduced James Acuff, a Grainger County Commissioner and President of Grainger County Cattle Association to explain the issue.

With energy, enthusiasm, and vision, the Union County Farmers Market, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, applied for a Tennessee CARES Act Grant with a very limited window of opportunity.
The vision was for Union County farmers to be able to sell their end-of-season produce as a food product that was produced in a commercial kitchen.

During the mayor's report, Union County Commission received the first visual of the farmers market at the regular October meeting. Mayor Jason Bailey commented that from Highway 33, the building would look like “a big barn with barn doors and the name, Union County Farmers Market.”

“Union County has received the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) in the amount of $253,143,” announced Mayor Bailey at the September Union County Commission Meeting.
The CDBG money will be used to purchase a fire engine for the Northeast Union Fire Department. Any remaining funds will be offered to the other fire departments to purchase needed equipment. However, Bailey stated that most likely the amount would just cover the cost of the truck.

At one of Mayor Bailey's early commission meetings, he promised to seek as much funding from grants as possible.
True to his word, he requested acceptance of another state grant, the Tourism Enhancement Grant, for $75,000 with a 5% county match of $3,750, at the August Union County Commission meeting. Commissioners eagerly approved the motion and second by Commissioners Bill Cox and Keck along with multiple seconds.