Looking to 2024…
As we begin a new year, we want to take time to highlight some of the important, yet often overlooked, agencies in our area:
CITY OF CLEVELAND STORM WATER
Chris Broom is the City of Cleveland Stormwater Coordinator. He and his staff work within the city limits of Cleveland in minimizing stormwater runoff.
Cleveland is one of the cities and counties in Tennessee that are covered under Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s (TDEC) Tennessee general stormwater permit. This permit has the goal of minimizing stormwater runoff.
Stormwater runoff is a form of water pollution that flows across parking lots, construction sites, and streets and then flows untreated into streams and rivers. The City of Cleveland has developed a program to manage the quality of stormwater runoff from stormwater drainage system to protect its citizens from this form of water pollution.
For more information on the City of Cleveland Stormwater, please contact Chris Broom at cbroom@clevelandtn.gov, or (423) 479-1913 or visit their website at www.clevelandtyn.gov/stormwater.
BRADLEY COUNTY STORMWATER
Sarah Jenson is the Stormwater Coordinator for Bradley County. The Bradley County Stormwater Department’s jurisdictional area is the urbanized area of Bradley County. This area is based on population density.
Their aim is to protect the surface waters of Bradley County and educate citizens on what can go in storm drains. Bradley County does not have a sewer treatment facility to process stormwater, and everything that goes into the storm drains eventually makes it way to a nearby steam, river, pond, or lake. Simply put, if it is not stormwater, it should not go into the storm drains. Additionally, the County has a stormwater management program in place to protect water quality and satisfy the requirements of the Federal Clean Water Act.
For more information on Bradley County Stormwater, please contact Sarah Jenson at sjenson@brdleycountytn.gov, or (423) 728-7104, or visit their website at https://bradleycountytn.gov/departments/planning-inspections/stormwater/
You can follow their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/bradleystormwater
Both, the City of Cleveland, and Bradley County Stormwater Programs focus on the following six areas that are essential to achieving the programs goals:
Public Education
Public Participation and Involvement
Illicit Discharge Detention and Elimination
Construction Site Runoff Program
Post-Construction Stormwater Management Program
Pollution Prevention and Good Housekeeping
Thanks to City of Cleveland and Bradley County Stormwater offices for all the efforts you do.
KEEP CLEVELAND/BRADLEY COUNTY BEAUTIFUL
“Keeping Cleveland and Bradley County Beautiful, so you can do beautiful things” is the objective of Keep Cleveland and Bradley County Beautiful (KCBCB). They also work to educate and inspire citizens to take action every day to improve and beautify the community’s environment.
Amanda Peels was the director of KCBCB from 2018 until recently. Through Amanda’s dedicated service to our community the following projects have been a great success: Two Annual Hazzard Waste Days, Conservation Camp for 3rd through 5th graders, Parksville Lake Cleanup, Cleveland Greenway Cleanup, Adkisson Drive Cleanup, Tinsley Park Cleanup, College Hill Area Cleanup, Honey Bee Project and Bee Recycled Project, Highway 60 Cleanup, Wildflower Seed Ball workshops at local elementary schools, Mouse Creek Cleanup, collected 336 tires at the Tire Recycle Day, Planting Day at Avail Senior Living, worked with local law enforcement to implement a Crime Stoppers reward on reporting illegal tire dumpers.
One of the major accomplishments was the abatement of the illegal tire dumpsite near Exit 20. With the help of awesome volunteers, 8,321 tires were removed from the site. It took 14 months to fully abate the site but it was completed! We thank Amanda for her dedicated work to Bradley County and KBCCB.
KCBCB wants to stress how important it is to recycle not only on designated recycle days, but every day. Bradley County has two recycle points, Urbane Road and at the Peerless Road Farmers Market – KCBCB encourages everyone to take advantage of these locations.
At the present time, Allen Mincey is the Interim Director of KCBCB. He and the Board will continue to have many community projects in 2024.
For more information, please contact KCBCB at (423) 559-3307 or cbkab@clevelandtn.gov
Visit their website at: https://keepclevelandandbradleycountybeautiful.org/
You can follow their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/ClevelandTnKAB
MAIN STREET CLEVELAND
MainStreet Cleveland is all about downtown! With more than 50 restaurants, unique shops, salons, coffee shops, wine bar, and craft beer, Downtown Cleveland has a lot to offer.
Sharon Marr, the Executive Director gives the following update of the events of MainStreet Cleveland:
Great things are happening downtown including festivals, public art, loft living, retail and restaurants, and revitalization of the former Cherokee Hotel. Mainstreet hosts events that bring over 65,000 people downtown each year. Some of these events include the Friday Festivals sponsored by Wacker, Hot Slaw, and Art Y’all, Mainstreet Cruise In, Halloween Block Party, Community Tree lighting and Carols in the City, Christmas Parade, Market at the Mill, and the Downtown Dine Around. A complete list of events is listed on their website: https://msctn.org.
Mainstreet Cleveland and “Art is here Partnership” is working together to bring more Public Art to downtown. In the spring of 2024, you will see a refresh of the Back Alley Gallery.
For more information, contact Sharon Marr at mainstreet@clevelandtn.gov or (423) 479-1000.
Follow their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/mainstreetcleveland
MORE INFORMATION
TN Environmental Council Tree Day orders are being taken now until March 4, 2024.
The Pickup days will be March 15th and 16th, 2024.
For 2024 the following seedlings are available: American Beautyberry, American Plum, Bald Cypress, Black Cherry, Eastern Redbud, Flowering Dogwood, Cherry Bark Oak, White Oak, Willow Oak, Pecan, Persimmon, River Birch, Serviceberry, Shortleaf Pine, and Tulip Poplar. Prices range from $.99 to $4.99 depending on the variety. Order soon, as the most popular trees will sell out quickly. To place your order, visit their website at: https://www.tectn.org/tennesseetreeday, choose the site of your choice, then place your order. There are two pick-up sites for Bradley County this year:
1. Red Clay State Park
2. Peerless Road Farmer’s Market, sponsored by Bradley County Master Gardeners.
Spring Planting will be here soon:
Look for more Gardening information in our next article. And always remember the Master Gardener’s Plant Clinic is available for any questions you have. You can reach us by calling the UT Extension office at (423) 728-7001 or by visiting our website at: https://bradley.tennessee.edu/bradley-county-plant-clinic.