Benchmarks 2018 | Section D | Health & Education

The Greeneville Sun, Benchmarks Edition — March 24, 2018

Health & EDUCATION SECTION

BENCHMARKS

Page 2 The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

GreenevilleSun.com

Saturday, March 24, 2018

County School Board Passes School Consolidation Plan

BY NICK SHEPHERD STAFF WRITER A new, single high school in Greene County is shaping up to be one of the most contentious issues for the upcoming county elections. Candidates are coming out against the option or saying taxpayers should be allowed to vote on the issue since it would involve a large tax increase.

The Greene County Board of Education voted 6-1 in favor of a $90 million school consolidation plan in December, including a new 2,200-seat high school located somewhere in the center of the county during their regular monthly meeting.

Along with a new, $79 million high school, the plan would see all four high schools converted to grades 6-8 middle schools at a cost of $11 million. It would also see: • Chuckey-Doak Middle School closed, • West Pines consolidated into Baileyton K-5 and Ottway K-5, • Glenwood consolidated into McDonald K-5 and Mosheim K-5, and • Camp Creek consolidated into DeBusk K-5 and Nolachuckey K-5.

Before the vote, public comments were largely in favor of the one high school option.

Haley Dean, a North Greene alumna and parent of a 6-year-old girl and 4-year-old boy, said at first the idea of school consolidation seemed crazy to her.

But then she started going to steering committee meetings and listening to the benefits of one high school.

“I was educated,” she said. “It got my mind going. I thought tonight would be a good time for me to fight for my children and to fight for the students of this county.”

Mark Rothe, a parent who has a student in band, said offering more programs was very important.

He also spoke about the age of the schools in the county, many more than 50 years old.

“Since 1993, we’ve only built one new school,” he said. “We can only kick this can down the road so many times.”

Wayland Seaton was the lone citizen to speak out against the plan. He provided a nine-page packet to the board outlining the benefits of small schools.

He said Greene County needed to become a magnet for students and that did not come from facilitates but from students and teachers.

“We’ve got to focus on what’s going to make a difference,” he told the board. “You need to do what’s right for Greene County Schools. It’s the teachers that make the difference, not the building.”

The board was asked to vote on a portion of the first recommendation made by Cooperative Strategies, the consulting agency that conducted a facilities study earlier this year. That included building the single high school and converting current high schools to middle schools, but avoiding any vote on closing other schools.

But the motion was amended to include the full recommendation,

SUN FILE PHOTO BY NICK SHEPHERD

The Greene County Board of Education voted in December to approve a school consolidation plan that called for the construction of a single high school.

SUN FILE PHOTO BY NICK SHEPHERD

A packed crowd gathered to watch the Greene County Board of Education approve a school consolidation plan in December.

including the school closures.

The consulting company presented the board with two recommendations during a called meeting back in October. The board approved the recommendation that would actually increase their annual operations costs by nearly $200,000.

Both recommendations called for the construction of a new high school at a cost of $79.2 million.

According to the presentation, the plan would cost a total of $90.2 million.

BOE member Kathy Austin was vocally against the consolidation plan.

She attempted to address the differences between large and small schools.

“Smaller schools get better results, lower drop-out rates,” she said. “Those from smaller schools do better in college than those from larger schools.”

Austin said smaller schools had higher rates of participation. She said larger schools can offer more opportunities but could also take away some opportunities.

She was also concerned about the effects of school closures on businesses and communities. She said the community of Camp Creek may lose their million-dollar medical clinic if the school closes. She said property values around those closed schools would also decrease.

“I think we need to be

What’s Inside County School Board Passes School Consolidation Plan Meen Center Opens, Tusculum To Transition To University City Schools Seek New Director After Moorhouse Leaves Walters State’s New Building Opens Downtown Hurley Named President of Tusculum College New Equipment, Certifications At Greene Tech Center Ballad Health Launches In Region Opioid Lawsuits Pick Up Steam In Court System TDH Stats Show Scope Of Opioid Epidemic Family Ministries Announces Restructuring, Closes Residential Services On Main Campus Greene Valley Closes, Future Uncertain Camp Creek Medical Center Construction Now Complete City, County Foundations Honor Alumni

very careful in what we’re doing here,” she said.

“Because we’re changing education in Greene County forever.”

At the end of the discussion, Nathan Brown made a motion to approve the plan.

Austin was the sole no vote on both the amendment and the consolidation plan. It passed 6-1.

Now that the BOE has given the go-ahead, the Greene County Commission would need to vote on whether or not to fund the project — and potentially to fund the annual increased operations costs as well. Commissioner Butch Patterson has said previously taxes would need to be raised in order

to pay for the plan.

At least one commissioner told the board before the meeting that he could not support funding the project if they only voted on part of the recommendation from Cooperative Strategies.

“While I cannot speak for the other 20 members of the Greene County Commission, I will speak for myself in saying that I see the pros and cons of both options presented by Cooperative Strategies and I understand how difficult the decision to consolidate and close schools can be,” Commissioner Brad Peters said in a letter sent to BOE members and obtained

by The Greeneville Sun. “But I will not support any

proposal from the board of education that fails to encompass the consultant’s recommendation in its entirety — including the recommendation to increase the system’s efficiency by closing schools.”

Peters said in the letter that closing the specified schools — West Pines, Glenwood and Camp Creek — would help save on maintenance and operational costs and could help offset construction costs.

The letter may have persuaded BOE member Clark Justis to amend the approved motion.

Chairman Rick Tipton said he was unsure if the commission would vote to fund the project.

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Saturday, March 24, 2018

The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition Page 3

Meen Center Opens As Tusculum College Transitions To University

BY EUGENIA ESTES STAFF WRITER One of the most striking visual changes to the Tusculum College campus in several years opened in 2017 and will house some of the new academic programs that are part of the institution’s transition to a university.

The Meen Center for Science and Mathematics opened for classes in January at the beginning of the spring 2017 semester and was officially dedicated as part of homecoming activities in October.

Built on a small rise along the Erwin Highway, the four-story structure is the largest building on its side of campus, containing approximately 100,000 square feet with wings for biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science, environmental science, and undergraduate and graduate nursing.

It has state-of-the-art labs and research areas for use by faculty and students, a large lecture hall and classrooms equipped for distance learning. The building also has areas for independent student study.

Funding for the facility included a $4.7 million USDA Community Facilities Loan, a $3.9 million gift from Verna June Meen and funds raised during a $25 million capital campaign. The building is named for Meen and her husband, Ronald H. Meen.

She gave the gift in honor of her late husband, who was a chemist at Eastman.

The construction of the building began in May 2015, and finishing work was still being completed as classes began in January. Students and construction workers coexisted for the semester as the work inside the building was completed.

In October, more than 100 people gathered to dedicate the Meet Center.

The outdoor ceremony was held in front of the building’s lobby, which is being named for Dr. Nancy Moody, the college’s outgoing president, for her countless hours of effort to make the building a reality, it was announced during the ceremony.

Dr. Ken Bowman, chair of the Tusculum College Board of Trustees, who said he majored in chemistry at Tusculum “many years ago,” recounted spending “countless hour in Treadway Hall,” known then as “the science building.”

Of the new math and science building, he said, “I am absolutely awed by the building behind me today and the opportunities that it represents for our students, both today and in the future.”

TRANSITION TO UNIVERSITY After the Meen Center dedication, new Tusculum President Dr. James Hurley said that the new building is a great launching pad for the future vision for the college.

“If we want to continue to build on the health sciences, if we want to look at adding professional colleges and some other professional-related health care programs to help populate the building, we have this gorgeous building now,” he said. “It’s state of the art and it’s health care ready.”

Addition of professional health care programs are part of the effort the institution is undertaking to transition from a college to a university.

It was announced after the October Board of Trustees meeting that the college would transition to university status beginning July 1 and officially become Tusculum University in the 2018-19 academic year.

“The change will be primarily in regards to status, helping to distinguish Tusculum from the community college

SUN FILE PHOTO

Students stroll out of the Meen Center for Science and Mathematics on the Tusculum College campus in January 2017 after the building opened.

SUN FILE PHOTO BY EUGENIA ESTES

Dr. James Hurley, president of Tusculum College, announced Feb. 9 that a full service Chick-Fil-A would be locating on campus as the result of a new partnership between the school and Chartwells food service.

programs that have gained widespread attention through initiatives such as Tennessee Promise,” said Dr. Greg Nelson, chair of the Board of Trustees, in the announcement. “However, most of what people know about Tusculum will remain the same.”

According to Nelson, the decision to transition to university will provide the right structure for new programs being developed, including a School of Optometry and a physician assistant program. The current School of Nursing will also be part of the newly created College of Health Sciences. In addition to the College of Health Sciences, the structure of Tusculum University will include the three established schools, now changing in name from school to college.

These include the College of Education, the College of Business and Technology and the College of Arts and Sciences.

The next publicly visible steps of the process occurred early in 2018 with a poll regarding the design of a new logo and the announcement of a change in food service and the location of a new Chick-Fil-A on campus.

The announcement Feb. 9 of the partnership with Chartwells food service beginning in June and the opening of a Chick-Fil-A on campus in July are part of the effort to enhance student life as part of the

transition to university, according to Hurley.

“Going to university status means if you are going to call yourself a university, you have to act like a university, and that involves a lot of things,” he said. “It involves new programs, programatic growth and enrollment growth, which

leads to financial solvency and long-term stability.”

The move to Chartwells came as a result of students wanting a change in food service, Hurley said. Bringing the popular restaurant chain to campus became a priority, he said, after hearing students say they wanted at least two

national chains on campus, specifically naming ChickFil-A, when he interviewed for the president’s position.

Chartwells is working on securing another national chain to provide food service on campus, he added.

Another need that Tusculum is addressing is the creation of a wellness cen-

ter on campus for students, faculty and staff, a place for non-athletes to use, Hurley said. A feasibility study for the center is underway.

The new logo has not been unveiled, Hurley said, and will be revealed once the legal process to trademark the logo is completed.

A focus of recent efforts in business and health care is the development of certification programs to meet needs in Knoxville and the Tri-Cities, Hurley said.

Individuals may not be ready to commit to a full program, but are open to earning a certificate in human resources, accounting or some other area that can benefit their careers and may, in time, lead to degree completion, he said.

“It is an up-and-coming trend in higher education, and it is a need we can meet,” Hurley added.

Dr. Jacob Fait, the new dean of the College of Business and Technology, has started developing certificate programs for the Board of Trustees to consider later this year, he said.

Partnerships between Tusculum and universities in China and South America are also being actively explored.

Hopefully, in June or July, Tusculum will be able to make an announcement detailing the new international partnerships, Hurley said.

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Page 4 The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

GreenevilleSun.com

Saturday, March 24, 2018

City Schools Seek New Director After Moorhouse Resigns

BY EUGENIA ESTES STAFF WRITER The Greeneville Board of Education began 2018 tackling a task that was unexpected — finding a new director of schools.

Following an announcement that Dr. Jeff Moorhouse had accepted the position as director of the Kingsport City Schools in mid-December, the school board began the process to seek his successor with the hiring of the Tennessee Schools Board Association to help conduct the search in January.

The school board has debated qualifications for the director as it has revised board policies and set a schedule for the interview process.

Applications are to be accepted through mid-March and names of recommended candidates for interview are to be presented to the board March 27. The board hopes to have the new director in place as close as possible to May 1 to enable the administrative leader to participate in planning for the upcoming academic year.

The process has gone quickly since the unexpected announcement on

Dr. Jeff Moorhouse

Ken Fay

Dec. 18 that Moorhouse had been selected as the new director of schools for the Kingsport system. That position opened when Dr. Lyle Ailshie left the system to take a position with the state Department of Education. Ailshie had served as director of the Greeneville school system from 2000 to 2012 before taking the Kingsport position.

“It’s bittersweet,” Moorhouse said in an interview after the news became public. “I’ve been honored to have been able to serve the teachers and students of Greeneville City Schools.” Moorhouse served the system for twoand-a-half years.

He said he made the decision to take the position with Kingsport City

Schools after much prayer and consideration and calling it a unique opportunity that will allow him to impact a larger number of students and one that he couldn’t turn down.

While wishing Moorhouse well in his next endeavor, the school board also quickly began to discuss how to conduct the search to fill the vacancy.

Meeting in called session on Jan. 11, the school board directed Chairman Craig Ogle to contract with the Tennessee School Boards Association to conduct a search for the system’s next director at an estimated cost of $6,500.

During that meeting, the school system also appointed longtime school administrator Ken Fay to

serve as interim director until the new school district leader is hired.

Fay, who is serving as federal specialist for the school system, began serving in the interim position Feb. 2. He served in a similar situation as interim director after Ailshie went to Kingsport.

The next step in the process took place on Jan. 30 when the school board met with Randall Bennett of the TSBA, setting a timeline for the search process and making changes to policies addressing the director of schools position.

Some of the policy changes approved were to bring school system’s regulations into compliance with state law changes that had been made since the policies were originally approved.

One change was the source of some hearty, civil debate in the January session as well as its February meeting as board members discussed whether the director should be required to have a teacher’s license as had been mandated in the existing policy.

Thinking back to the last director search, board member Dr. Craig Shepherd said during the

January meeting that some changes in wording from “required” to “preferred” on some requirements might need to be considered to widen the pool of candidates who might be interested in the position.

School board member Jerry Anderson said it is important that the director have an educational background as the position must provide academic direction as well as administrative leadership.

He added that he could see the advantages of having a strong administrative background in a candidate, but the educational side is also needed.

Revising the wording to say “preferred” rather than “required” would provide a flexibility to attract candidates with varied backgrounds, board member Brian Cook said, while the board would still have the final decision of whether a candidate met its standards.

The changes approved by the board followed that suggestion, revising the requirements to say that a doctorate and teacher’s license are preferred but not required of director of school candidates.

In the regular board

meeting in February, the board revisited this policy and again approved the revision stating that a teacher’s license was preferred rather than required.

Board member Cindy Luttrell asked that the amendment be reconsidered with the requirement of a teacher’s license returned to the language of the policy.

Reiterating what he had said at the January meeting, Shepherd said, “There are plenty of examples of leaders of strong organizations who don’t have a degree in what that organization does. ... I am not anti-education. It would be great if that person is an educator. I want to find the best leader we can find for the school system.”

After further discussion, Anderson made a motion to amend the proposed policy revision to add the requirement for a teacher license back. It was seconded by Luttrell. Ogle requested a roll call vote.

Anderson and Luttrell voted in favor of the amendment with Shepherd and Board member Brian Cook voting against the amendment. Ogle cast the deciding vote against the amendment.

New WSCC Greeneville Center Opened For Classes In The Fall

BY EUGENIA ESTES STAFF WRITER Students began taking classes during the fall semester at the new building of Walters State Community College’s Greeneville campus downtown.

The building was 41 percent completed, ahead of the projected 35 percent, when the new center opened for fall semester classes, and work continues this spring to complete the building’s construction.

While interior work is continuing towards completion, exterior changes will be the most evident in the coming months. College officials say that landscaping, widening of sidewalks and other exterior should begin soon, weather permitting.

This exterior work will include landscaping around the new building, increasing lighting for pedestrians and widening sidewalks, according to J.B. Pectol, WSCC vice president for communications and marketing.

Plans also call for the creating of an amphitheater green space in the the courtyard area of the new building. “We want to create a space not only for our students but also for the overall community to enjoy as well,” Pectol continued.

A target of early fall has been set for completion of the exterior projects, he added. Funding for the work is coming from Tennessee Department of Transportation grants that the Town of Greeneville

has obtained to assist in the project.

Work is continuing this spring to finish the remaining interior construction, Pectol continued, including a section of the building along Main Street that is intended for use by the college’s police academy.

That program continues to meet in the older facility next door.

Students and construction workers have been sharing the new building since the fall, but college officials say that the students are enjoying the new spaces. Pectol commended faculty and staff for a seamless transition to the new building at the start of the fall semester.

The section of the building that students began to use in the fall included 10 classrooms in a wing comprised of science classrooms with state-of-the-art equipment for nursing, respiratory therapy and physical therapy programs.

They are furnished with mobile desks and furniture to allow flexibility in setting up the classrooms.

“All the feedback that we’re getting back from students is that they really like the new spaces and so while parts of the building are still under construction, the opening this fall has exceeded our expectations as far as being ready to serve our students in that new facility,” Pectol said in the fall.

Drucilla Miller, dean of the Greeneville-Greene County Campus, noted that the move to the new build-

SUN PHOTO BY LORELEI GOFF

Nicole Gruber, Cassie Andrews and Flor Reynosa enjoy the student lounge and library in the new Walters State Community College building. They gathered in one of several study rooms available to students.

ing coincided with a record enrollment of approximately 1,200 students this fall in the new center. The spring enrollment was up 4 percent over the previous spring semester, according to Pectol.

“The students seem so pleased to be here,” Miller said. “I’ve talked to several students and they have smiles on their faces. They say they like being here.

They love the classrooms and library.”

Freshman Nicole Gruber said she loves attending classes in the new building.

“It’s definitely a different feel,” said Gruber, who

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is majoring in computer science. “I don’t get as lost in this building even though it’s bigger. All the new electronics really help you learn.”

Flor Reynosa, a freshman majoring in general studies, said she’s happy with the new campus. “It’s a really modern feel,” Reynosa said.

“I like the technology. I like that we have somewhere to study upstairs. I use the student lounge every morning to study.”

Teachers are enjoying the new learning environment as well. Lori McCallister, an English instructor, said the layout of classrooms

and office, as well as the availability of computers, printers and other resources, fit the college’s mission to offer a collaborative classroom environment and readily accessible resources to support student success.

“I think even the students feel like it’s far more collegiate,” she said. “They can collaborate with each other and at the same time have access to me and a printer and computers. Everything they need right at their fingertips.”

McCallister noted that the layout of the classrooms and student lounge area also helps overcome the

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“bubble of isolation” that can accompany the college experience. She said she believes that may help students to feel more supported and promote a sense of belonging.

WSCC President Tony Miksa noted in the fall that the new center will allow the college to offer courses and programs to meet the needs of business and industry and allows graduates to find jobs.

“There are not a lot of community colleges across the country that have the resources that you’re going to see in this building,” he noted.

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Saturday, March 24, 2018

The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition Page 5

Hurley Begins Tenure As Tusculum College President

BY EUGENIA ESTES STAFF WRITER Tusculum College ended 2017 with a new leader with a vision to make the oldest institution of higher education in Tennessee a college of distinction in the region.

Dr. James Hurley took the helm as president of Tusculum in late September, succeeding Dr. Nancy Moody, who announced her retirement in February after leading the college eight years.

Hurley came to Tusculum from Lincoln Memorial University, where he served as executive vice president, dean of the School of Business and professor of leadership and education. He previously served as president of his alma mater, the University of Pikeville in Kentucky.

Tusculum’s Board of Trustees voted in August to hire Hurley after a national search was conducted to fill the position.

The new president said in his first interview with the newspaper, “We chose to be here as much as they chose us. This is an area where we want to raise our family. I see tremendous potential at Tusculum. I think we can be one of the top liberal arts, civic arts comprehensive institutions in the country. And that’s really my goal: to move us from good to great.”

During the same meeting in August, the board honored Moody with the distinction of president emerita. A release from the college noted that during Moody’s tenure the college completed the most successful fundraising campaign in its history, raising more than $26 million, constructed two new apartment-style residence halls and a 100,000

SUN FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL S. RENEAU

Dr. James Hurley assumed the presidency of Tusculum College in September with a vision of making the oldest college in Tennessee an institution of distinction in the region.

square foot, state-of-the art science building, and has increased the endowment by more than $6 million.

PRESIDENT’S PRIORITIES In an interview shortly after he took the reins at Tusculum, Hurley indicated one of his short-term priorities would be a focus on controlling expenditures and increasing enrollment. He noted that the college showed about a $3.5 million operating deficit last year, something that is not uncommon for small, private, liberal arts institutions.

“We’re not in the business of making these huge surplus amounts of money, because then we’re not investing back into our students and faculty and staff,” he said. “But we do need to be very close to a zero-based budget. Because then we’re investing in our people, we’re investing in our students, we’re investing in our programs, but more importantly we’re investing in infrastructure to make sure that the campus not only looks good today but it’s gonna look good for the next 225 years.”

Finding ways to increase Tusculum’s net revenue will also be a priority and growing philanthropic

support is important, he said. “We will launch a new fundraising campaign in the next year to two years that will focus on some strategic initiatives and academic programs,” Hurley continued.

Tusculum needs be distinct, something different, from other institutions in the region, he said, and that can be achieved by starting programs in demand that aren’t currently offered at other institutions.

“I think we have some very good programs here that we have to think about marketing more strategically and also placing a greater emphasis on

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those programs to create distinctions,” Hurley said.

“Because a lot of students now are going to institutions where they can find distinction. They want to know that what degree they’re seeking will give them an advantage in the work force.”

While Tusculum does need to adapt to a changing climate in higher education, the college also needs to embrace and preserve its heritage, he said.

under Hurley to establish a school of optometry and a physician’s assistant program, and is investigating certification programs in business. Hurley has noted that there are only four colleges of optometry in the South.

These distinct academic programs, Hurley has said, will also help Tusculum overcome the challenge posed by the state’s Drive to 55 initiative that includes programs that provide two years of education at either a community college or technical school tuition free to adults and qualified students after they graduate high school.

Preparing students for a global economy also means attracting international students to Tusculum and developing programs to send students for learning experiences overseas, Hurley said. Partnerships in business and health science with institutions in China are now being explored as well as partnerships in South America, he has said, and the college hopes to make announcements about new partnerships this summer.

In Hurley’s first few months, the college experienced restructuring with departments realigned and leadership changes. New vice presidents were hired including John Wilkinson as chief financial officer and Jill Salyers as vice president of institutional advancement. A new dean of students, Dr. David Smith, was also appointed, and Ashley Edens was hired as director of financial aid.

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Page 6 The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

GreenevilleSun.com

Saturday, March 24, 2018

Upgraded Equipment, Increased Opportunities Mark Year At Greene Tech Center

BY EUGENIA ESTES STAFF WRITER A significant upgrade in classroom equipment, a new dual enrollment partnership and efforts to increase certification opportunities for students marked the last year at the Greene Technology Center.

In August, the school received word that it had been awarded a $460,000 grant from the state, which has allowed the center to update equipment for the machine tool, welding, health since, electricity and computer science programs.

This spring, 144 students at the center are earning dual enrollment credit through a partnership with the Tennessee College of Applied Technology Morristown. A grant covers TCAT tuition expenses for the students, who have the opportunity to acquire 270 clock hours toward a TCAT certification.

One of the goals this year for the center is to increase certification opportunities for students, and work is ongoing to identify and implement certification options for each program offered at the center.

EQUIPMENT GRANT In August, the center was awarded the $460,000 grant from Gov. Bill Haslam’s CTE (career and technical education) Funding Initiative. It was the second largest grant from the CTE Funding Initiative in the state, according to Greene Tech Center Principal Randy Wells.

“This is going to help us catch up on some equipment needs,” said Wells.

“This is going to make a huge difference.”

Eight welders, 114 computers, 12 engine lathes, three pieces of exercise equipment for the new personal trainer program, a tool room lathe, and three patient communication

SUN FILE PHOTO BY NICK SHEPHERD

North Greene Senior Cody Parris is studying to be a machinist at Greene Technology Center.

Here he is showing how to make a peg game similar to the ones found at Cracker Barrel using the tools found at the center. Equipment for the machine shop was among the purchases made through state funding.

simulators have been purchased with the funds thus far with plans to purchase more welding and electrical trainers by the end of the fiscal year.

The engine lathes were among the first purchases made from the grant to replace the lathes that dated from the 1940s. One of the engine lathes is the same one used by local industry, Wells noted.

Computers purchased included 25 for the computer science program; 70 for health science, electricity and welding; 14 for the machine shop; and five for teachers.

The three state-of-theart patient communication simulators will replace older equipment used by the health science students.

Health science students at the Greene Technology Center will soon have stateof-the-art patient communication simulators for use in their courses.

In addition to the state grant, programs have

received other grants and donations to help upgrade equipment. The auto collision repair program received two substantial donations and a grant including a plastic welder and paint and supplies.

DUAL ENROLLMENT, CERTIFICATION Some of the computers replaced as part of the CTE grant are being repurposed in an ongoing effort to create a Pearson Certified testing room to help move the center forward in meeting its goal of increasing certification opportunities for its students.

Wells’ plans for the school call for all GTC programs to lead students toward some type of career certification and to continue emphasizing partnerships with area industries that can help students land jobs right after — and sometimes before — graduation. Wells is in his first year as the principal of the center after succeeding

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Jerry Ayers in July upon Ayers’ retirement.

These certifications will not only continue attracting students, but help build the type of capable workforce that will attract more industries and improve the economy, Wells continued.

“The main thing I want to do is connect students with those industries,” the principal said in an interview after taking the leadership position. “One of my main areas of focus is to increase the number of student certifications we have. That will improve our level of instruction and encourage students to challenge themselves. It’ll make certain that we provide the equipment and staff development needed to reach those certifications. We’re setting some lofty goals.”

Dual enrollment is part of that effort as well.

Students at the center can earn post-secondary credit

PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE SUN

Sparks fly as students learn to weld at the Greene Technology Center. New welding equipment was among the purchases made with state funding provided through the governor’s career and technical education initiative.

in six programs of study including welding, machine tool, electricity, information technology, cosmetology and collision repair through a partnership with TCAT Morristown.

The center offers industry certifications in 11 different programs. During the fall semester of 2017, Greene Technology Center had 94 students qualify and take industry certification exams, including two of its newest programs — culinary arts and personal training. There was no cost for courses or certification tests for students attending the center in the fall due to a $11,000 Perkins Reserve Grant that covered certification costs.

The center is continuing to seek ways to mitigate costs of certification exams in the future, according to Wells, which is the largest obstacle

the center faces in its goals regarding certification.

Certification exams costs can vary from $40 to over $300.

Another way that the center is connecting students with industries to prepare them for future careers is through internships. The school received a LEAP grant to fund summer workplace internships, and eight students will be in grant-funded placements this summer.

According to Kim Gass, career counselor at the center, a student that participated in the program last summer continues to work part-time for the company. This is not uncommon as many of the center’s students who participate in workplace internships continue at their placements after the internship is over, she said.

GreenevilleSun.com

Saturday, March 24, 2018

The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition Page 7

Ballad Health Launches In Region

BY LISA WARREN STAFF WRITER It’s a little too soon yet to hear if patients will be singing its praises, but Ballad Health is now a reality.

The merger between Wellmont Health System and Mountain States Health Alliance became official on Feb. 1.

The merger combines 21 hospitals, about 15,000 full- and part-time employees and impacts all of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. It was only created through a Certificate of Public Advantage in Tennessee and cooperative agreement in Virginia. Each document establishes significant state oversight of the operations and monitors a series of pledges to invest $308 million in new health initiatives over the next 10 years.

For residents in Greeneville, this meant that for the first time ever, Takoma Regional Hospital and Laughlin Memorial Hospital would be working under the same umbrella.

The Greeneville hospitals are two of the 21 hospitals now part of the Ballad Health network in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.

Officials say its still too soon to tell what the ultimate impact the merger will have on patients in Greeneville.

For the time being, not much has changed other than the logos. Patient care at all of the sites has been proceeding as normal.

However, as far as the future goes, most people expect there could be some changes made.

As time progresses, several new services are expected to become available to the 1.2 million residents within the region, officials say.

Former Mountain States Health Alliance president and CEO Adam Levine, who is now serving as Ballad Health’s president and CEO, called the finalization of the merger between Wellmont Health System and Mountain States Health Alliance “an important milestone” not only for the health system, but also for “the entire region.”

Former Wellmont Health System board member David Lester, who now serves as a member of the Ballad Health board of directors, said the merger was the best decision that could have been made for the region.

“The private and public debate favored local control, and our board favored local control,” Lester said, adding that board members visited a number of potential partners outside this region.

“It became very clear that the merger with Mountain States was the only option that would give us the ability to keep local control.”

At the same time, Levine noted that it remains “a challenging time for hospitals.”

A wave of consolidation is happening among hospitals across the country, Levine said. In addition, rural hospitals are continuing to close not only nationwide, but also in Tennessee, which is “second among the states” in the number of rural hospitals that have closed in recent years, he noted.

“Our leadership saw what was coming,” Levine said. “They saw rural hospitals closing. They saw an opioid epidemic established in this region.

They saw the need for services people wanted, and we wanted to provide, but we couldn’t because culturally our systems were too busy beating each other over the head to make the proper investments in the things that will ultimately make our community healthier and more competitive as a

Alan Levine

region,” Levine said.

The management teams and boards, Levine said, have “a vision to refocus resources” and provide “less duplicative, more focused services based on the needs of the popula-

tion — and not just simply each system’s financial needs.”

This vision, he said, includes: • taking steps to increase access to pediatric services in the region, • investing more into addiction treatment services, • expanding mental health services currently available, and • partnering with academic institutions to expand research opportunities and maintain “a robust pipeline” of doctors, nurses and allied health talent throughout the region.

Among those plans include the addition of a pediatric trauma center at Niswonger Children’s

Hospital in Johnson City.

In addition, plans are also in the works to establish dedicated pediatric emergency rooms in Kingsport and Bristol.

Ballad Health is also working toward the development of a residential addiction treatment facility in the region, Levine said.

One site being considered for the placement of the addiction treatment center is the former location of Greene Valley Developmental Center in Greeneville, he noted.

The merger between Wellmont and Mountain States was made possible through the passage of legislation in Tennessee and Virginia, which was supported by the gover-

nors of both states.

The legislation authorized the issuance of a certificate of public advantage in Tennessee and a cooperative agreement in Virginia, and represents the first transaction of its kind to involve approval and supervision from two states. It is the largest COPA-governed merger in the country to date, officials said.

Levine said that while he certainly anticipates challenges lying ahead for Ballad Health, he also expects positive things to arise as well.

“This is not going to be all milk and honey,” he said. “Bringing two systems together is tough … The headwinds in the health system have not

gone away; they’re going to get worse. They are external. Everything from cuts to Medicare … to things that are happening in the marketplace are very challenging for hospitals. Those aren’t going away,” the health system leader said.

“But there are some very good things that are going to happen as well,” Levine said.

“Ballad Health will serve as a conduit for targeted improvement in the health of our community,” he said. “I believe what we spend will be important, but I also think we’re also going to attract significant outside investment into what we’re trying to do as we tell our story nationally.”

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Page 8 The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

GreenevilleSun.com

Saturday, March 24, 2018

Opioid Lawsuits Proceed In Court System

BY KEN LITTLE STAFF WRITER Lawsuits launched in 2017 by attorneys general against pharmaceutical companies and other defendants who allegedly fuel East Tennessee’s opioid addiction epidemic are proceeding through the court system.

Three district attorneys general who initiated a lawsuit in June 2017, including Dan Armstrong of the 3rd Judicial District that includes Greene County, will be present in state court for the next scheduled hearing in May in Sullivan County Circuit Court in Bristol.

A hearing scheduled in March was continued by Chancellor E.G. Moody so all pharmaceutical companies named in the civil action can file amended documents. A motion is pending before Moody to dismiss the lawsuits. Armstrong and other top prosecutors who filed the initial lawsuit in June 2017 hope to see the case resolved in court by 2019.

Opioid manufacturers named in the civil action include Purdue Pharma L.P. and related companies, Mallinckrodt LLC and Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc., and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. District Attorneys General Armstrong, Barry Staubus of the 2nd Judicial District and Tony Clark of the 1st Judicial District, whose jurisdictions cover much of Northeast Tennessee, were the first in the state to initiate lawsuits against the pharmaceutical companies and other defendants. Since the

lawsuits were filed, district attorneys general in at least 15 other Tennessee judicial districts have filed similar legal actions.

Governments are also getting involved in the legal battle against the opioid epidemic, which Staubus said is so severe in Northeast Tennessee he labeled Sullivan and surrounding counties as “ground zero” in the fight to stem the opioid addiction crises.

Moody, chancellor for the 2nd District Chancery Court in Sullivan County, continued a decision on the motions pending inclusion of an additional motion to dismiss the case filed by the now-closed Center Pointe Medical Clinic in Kingsport, another lawsuit defendant.

Moody has indicated that once a ruling is made on the motions to dismiss by the pharmaceutical companies, he will try “to expedite (the case) as much as possible,” Armstrong said in March.

Discovery is proceeding while a ruling on the motion to dismiss is pending.

The case could go to trial or be otherwise resolved within a year, Armstrong said.

The Nashville law firm of Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings PLLC, represents Tennessee attorneys general in the growing number of lawsuits.

The June 2017 lawsuit was filed in Sullivan County Circuit Court in Kingsport on behalf of those it claims are victimized by “fraudulent market campaigns” that convince doctors that drugs like OxyContin are not highly addictive and

SUN FILE PHOTO

Area law enforcement officials and district attorneys general were among those present in June 2017 at the Niswonger Children’s Hospital for an announcement of a lawsuit filed against several prescription opioid manufacturers.

a safe means of reducing pain.

The lawsuit alleges Purdue Pharma L.P. and other manufacturers, Center Pointe and two private individuals convicted of pill sales all contribute to the opioid epidemic.

A fourth plaintiff, Baby Doe, through his Guardian AD Litem, was born addicted to opiates in 2015 at Holston Valley Regional Hospital.

Other governmental entities, including Greene County, have also filed lawsuits against pill manufacturers.

Lawsuits framed by Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings PLLC on behalf of participating judicial dis-

tricts claim that as Purdue’s marketing efforts demonstrated success in the form of rapid increases in opioid prescriptions, Mallinckrodt, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Teva Pharmaceuticals, and other opioid manufacturers joined Purdue “in its fraudulent scheme.”

“Purdue’s efforts and those of the other defendants to mislead doctors and the public about the need for, and addictive nature of, opioid drugs led to an opioid epidemic, created an environment for thousands of individuals in Tennessee to become addicted to opioids, and fueled a dramatic increase in (East Tennessee) counties in the number of individ-

uals exposed and addicted to OxyContin, Roxicodone, Opana and other opioids,” the lawsuits state.

Lawsuits further allege that the manufacturer defendants “knew their products were being diverted to the illegal drug market, but did nothing to stop it — choosing profit over people.”

“The opioid epidemic that is currently ravaging Tennessee, Appalachia and the entire nation did not appear overnight,” J. Gerard Stranch IV, of Branstetter, Stranch & Jennings, said in a 2018 news release.

After the June 2017 lawsuit was filed, Purdue Pharma issued a statement

that emphasizes the manufacturer does “vigorously deny the allegations in the complaint, (but) we share public officials’ concerns about the opioid crisis, and we are committed to working collaboratively to find solutions.”

It adds that addiction and drug abuse “are multi-faceted problems that require multi-faceted solutions.”

“Pointing fingers will not solve the problem, nor will it help those who are suffering. We urge all stakeholders to seize the opportunity to work together so that collectively we can address this crisis,” the Purdue Pharma statement concludes.

Statistics Show Scope Of Opioid Epidemic In State

BY KEN LITTLE STAFF WRITER The numbers speak for themselves: The ongoing opioid epidemic in East Tennessee and across the state poses formidable challenges for law enforcement and prosecutors.

Dan Armstrong, district attorney general of the 3rd Judicial District that includes Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins and Hancock counties, recently cited numbers that give an idea of the scope of the opioid problem in his district.

Armstrong said that Greene and the other three counties in his district are deeply impacted by the opioid epidemic.

In 2016, there were 21 cases of autopsies of Greene County residents attributed to drug overdoses or listing drugs as a “significant factor” in the cause of death, out of a total of 76 autopsies conducted. That means drugs were a direct or closely related factor in the death of more than 27 percent of all autopsies conducted.

Figures for 2017 were not available as of March.

Statewide, unintentional overdose deaths now account for more premature deaths in Tennessee than automobile accidents, suicides or homicides and increased more than 400 percent from 1999 to 2015, a news release from the Tennessee Department of Health states.

Seventy-two percent of Tennessee’s overdose deaths in 2015 involved opioids, the news release states.

TDH data show 1,631 Tennesseans died from drug overdoses in 2016, the highest annual number of such deaths recorded in state history. The total is a significant increase from the 1,451 overdose deaths recorded among Tennessee residents in 2015.

“Each of these numbers represents a person, with family and friends who are now facing the loss of someone dear to them to a cause that is preventable,” TDH Commissioner Dr. John Dreyzehner said. “The rate of increase in these deaths is slower than in the previous year, but it is still a horrible increase, and as we feared, our data show illicit drugs

like fentanyl are now driving the increase.

“If this is a threat to any of us, it’s a threat to all of us,” Dreyzehner continued.

“Now more than ever, we have to work across our sectors and communities, recognize this epidemic is changing and evolving and find new and better ways to address it together.”

Overall, rates of death from drug overdose among Tennesseans have increased 12 percent from 2015 to 2016. Overdose deaths related to fentanyl have dramatically increased 74 percent, from 169 to 294 in that time period. The biggest increase in fentanyl deaths is in those aged 25 to 34, where deaths increased from 42 in 2015 to 114 in 2016.

TDH data show heroin was associated with the deaths of 260 Tennesseans in 2016, a 26 percent increase over the previous year.

“We know as it becomes harder to obtain illicit prescription pills, people are turning in greater numbers to substances such as heroin and life-threatening combinations with fentanyl and other substances,” Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Marie Williams said.

Tennessee drug overdose deaths due to stimulants like methamphetamine also increased substantially, especially in people aged 25 to 44, where they increased from 57 deaths in 2015 to 101 in 2016. Most people who die from drug overdose are found to have more than one drug in their systems that contributed to their deaths.

TDH data show an increase in deaths where both opioids and stimulants were used, from 65 deaths in 2015 to 111 in 2016.

Buprenorphine, which is often used in medication-assisted treatment to help people recover from abuse of opioids, is increasingly associated with drug overdose deaths in Tennessee. TDH found 67 deaths associated with buprenorphine in 2016; 61 percent were also found to have a benzodiazepine drug in their systems at the time of death. Almost all of these people were between the

ages of 25 and 54.

Benzodiazepines are tranquilizers such as Valium and Xanax, and are easily abused and best avoided when taking opioids due to worsening of respiratory de-

pression and increased risk of death, the news release states.

“We have worked to improve our surveillance when deaths occur, so this may contribute to some extent to

the increase in the number of deaths attributed to drug overdose,” Tennessee Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Julia Goodin said. “However, we believe these deaths remain undercounted and continue

our efforts to improve data collection so we can better understand this crisis of drug overdose deaths in our state, and use that information to develop strategies for prevention.”

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GreenevilleSun.com

Saturday, March 24, 2018

The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition Page 9

Free Will Baptist Family Ministries Announces Restructuring Plans expecting almost 600 children to enter into custody this coming year — pushing the total amount under the state’s care to at least 8,000.

“I am convinced the time has come that we must refocus our energies by going in a different direction in caring for hurting youth,” Woods said.

“Our current residential program serves youth for a period of 30 to 60 days on an average stay. This is such a tiny window of opportunity to build any significant structure into the lives of these young people,” he continued.

By expanding the foster care program, Woods said he feels confident that Family Ministries will be able to care for an even greater number of children and youth in the future.

“In the restructure, we feel it will also be a better fit for our neighbors in this area, reassuring the residents of Camp Creek of their safety, and as a result, will allow us to be a vital part of our surrounding community,” he added.

The roots of Family Ministries first began as an orphanage back in 1939.

Since that time, the Christian-based organization has evolved into a comprehensive social service agency with a full range of services to meet the needs of pregnant teens and young women, infants, toddlers, adolescents, atrisk teens, senior citizens and families.

Many changes have taken place as the faith-based ministry has continued to grow and expand through the past 78 years.

“Our emphasis has always been serving hurting children and families,” Woods said. “From mothers-to-be to senior citizens, we are committed to taking our outreach to those in great need.”

BY LISA WARREN STAFF WRITER Free Will Baptist Family Ministries announced in December a restructuring plan to end its residential group home services for most of the children and youth whom it serves on its main campus in the Camp Creek community.

As part of the restructuring, Family Ministries officials said they will be expanding the organization’s existing foster care program as well as other services.

Among those expansions is a maternity home project, currently in the fundraising phase, which will provide for young mothers who need a home for themselves and their babies. The project is part of The Hope Center, which is a Greeneville-based crisis pregnancy center operated

by Family Ministries. The mothers’ home is expected to be located next door to the Hope Center, on Tusculum Boulevard, near Greeneville High School.

The Rev. Frank Woods, who serves as executive director of the faith-based organization, noted Family Ministries also reopened the John M. Reed Center in Limestone this past year.

The nursing facility features 63 skilled nursing beds and 12 assisted living apartments. Family Ministries also operates assisted-living facilities in Erwin and in Wise, Virginia.

Family Ministries now also provides personal home care services, called “Hands To Help,” within Greene, Carter, Unicoi and Johnson counties. The service offers one-on-one, personalized, non-medical assistance to seniors in their own homes.

According to Tim York, who serves as chairman of the Family Ministries board of directors, the de-

SUN FILE PHOTO BY LISA WARREN

Under a restructuring plan, Free Will Baptist Family Ministries announced an end to its residential group home services for most of the children and youth that it served on its main campus in Camp Creek. The faith-based organization expanded its foster care program and other services, officials said.

The Rev. Frank Woods

cision to close the residential program at the main campus basically “came down to where we could be the most productive within the system that the state gives us.”

“Foster care,” York continued, “is where we can

reach the most kids, do the most good, and have the greatest impact on the lives of children.”

Since the end of May, Family Ministries’ foster care program has facilitated 14 adoptions, Woods noted.

“That’s where we really feel like we can make a difference and help give children a permanent structure to call home,” he added.

At the time of the restructuring, Family Ministries was caring for about 22 youth within its residential group homes in Camp Creek.

Family Ministries will continue to keep at least one residential group home available for up to 10 youth who may not be able to reside in a family setting

due to their treatment needs, Woods explained.

In such cases, a youth will be placed there until he is stabilized to the point in his treatment that he can be returned to a foster home, he added.

About 35-40 employees were impacted by closure of the residential group homes, with about half losing their jobs.

Employees were offered any available positions within the Family Ministries network of services.

About half were shifted to other positions.

Some of those open positions were available at John M. Reed Center.

In regards to the expansion of its foster care program, Woods said that Family Ministries is

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“Our goal,” he continued, “is to devote more of our campus to serving extended foster care children.”

These are young adults who have nowhere to go because they have “aged out” of the regular foster care system and they have no other place to call home, Woods said.

In the coming years, a growing number of children and youth are expected to be in need of foster care programs, Woods noted.

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Page 10 The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

GreenevilleSun.com

Saturday, March 24, 2018

Greene Valley Closes, Future Use Uncertain

BY EUGENIA ESTES STAFF WRITER An era came to an end when Greene Valley Developmental Center closed its doors May 26, 2017, after 56 years of serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Suggestions have been voiced by governmental officials, health care administrators and the public about the future use of the large campus. However, the state has not indicated what is next for the 19-building complex that has six of those buildings still in use. The former Greene Valley campus is more than 400 acres in size with 330 of those acres leased for agricultural use.

One of the latest potential uses for the site came from the leader of Ballad Health, who said it is being considered as a possible site for a residential addiction treatment center.

“That’s one of the sites that we have talked about,” Ballad Health executive board chairman, President and CEO Alan Levine said in February, when asked by The Greeneville Sun about that possibility. “It’s a great piece of land. Its use has been parred back substantially, and that may be an opportunity.”

FACILITY CLOSES The last two residents at Greene Valley transitioned to community group homes on May 26, effectively closing the facility.

It ended an era of care for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the state as Tennessee joined 13 other states and the District of Columbia with having no large, state-run institutions of its kind. Greene Valley was the first large facility for the care of people with intellectual disabilities in the state.

Closure of Greene Valley was the last provision to be completed of an agreement allowing the state Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to resolve a federal lawsuit.

The suit was brought by People First of Tennessee and the U.S. Department of Justice in 1995 over conditions at three state-run developmental centers. The case was dismissed following the centers’ closures.

During a tour of the facility at its closing, Cara Kumari, director of communication for DIDD, noted that Greene Valley was costly to run. She said the decreasing number of residents over the years,

SUN FILE PHOTO BY KRISTEN EARLY

In August, State Rep. David Hawk discussed the current and future use of facilities at Greene Valley Developmental Center in front of the facility’s main administrative building, one that is still in use.

as more individuals and their families opted for community homes rather than Greene Valley, caused the per person, per day cost of running the institution to rise each year, making “budgetary decisions,” including reductions in staff, necessary.

At its height, 1,100 people lived at GVDC. As options for community care grew, the census at the institution declined. Over the past two years, DIDD transitioned 84 people into community placements and private providers in East Tennessee constructed 15 four-person homes for people living at Greene Valley.

However, when it was dedicated on Dec. 2, 1960, Greene Valley was touted as the most advanced facility of its type in the United States. The first buildings on its campus, which incorporated state-of-theart technology of the time, opened in 1960 with a price tag of a then-staggering $15 to $20 million.

In addition to residential units, educational buildings and administrative offices, Greene Valley was developed with nursing facilities, a maintenance center that included carpentry, paint and machine shops, and medical and surgical buildings. Later, units for patients with severe levels of brain damage were added, as was a $1.1 million

hospital, an auditorium and a gymnasium.

At one time in the 1990s, Greene Valley was one of the largest employers in Greene County as a number of direct care providers were required for each resident. At the time of its closing, there were 280 employees who lost their jobs. Forty-seven of those retired. An additional 16 employees were offered transfers within the state department, according to the DIDD. For employees, the closure was often about more than losing a job. Chan Humbert, who worked at Greene Valley for 17 years, described the closing as “heart rending.”

“It’s one big family,” Humbert said of the residents and staff. “Now, it’s like our family has been split up.”

Bernice Jozsa, who retired when Greene Valley closed, had worked there for more than 40 years.

She said the closing was difficult for residents and their families as well.

“It was very hard for parents to accept that we were closing,” Jozsa said.

“Most of them were very distraught. It was like a nightmare to them. They had all these decisions to make. (They had to decide) ‘Where’s my person going to be going after this?’”

Despite the controversy

that forced its closure, Humbert said that Greene Valley left a legacy in the care of the developmentally disabled. “The care it provided, it was just something that you can’t get anywhere else,” she said. “I knew the level of care it provided. That never changed.”

FUTURE UNCERTAIN Since its closing, citizens have not been shy about making their wishes for the future of Greene Valley known: a site for veterans to receive medical and mental health care and, if homeless or in need, housing; a national cemetery; or a respite for those struggling with the opioid addiction that has gripped the region.

However, the state has not determined what the future will be for the facility.

State Rep. David Hawk, R-5th, of Greeneville, who opposed the closure throughout the process, has said many people have expressed a desire to use the property to serve veterans in some way. U.S. Rep. Phil Roe, R-1st, of Johnson City, has expressed hope that the property be used to serve the large veteran population in the region Hawk has cautioned that any entity, whether federal, state or local, that would choose to take residence in or have office space at this location, would be paying a fair market value.

In July, Hawk sent a letter to Gov. Bill Haslam inquiring about the future

of the site and received no response. In August, he met with DIDD officials and the Department of General Services and left with the impression that the state has no plans.

“Not having a plan in place for future use of the Greene Valley campus has been a surprising disappointment for me,” he said.

Currently located at Greene Valley are DIDD Central Office and East Tennessee Regional Office employees; East Tennessee Homes office and the east region Seating & Positioning Clinic; a new mobile Seating & Positioning Clinic based at the campus; and employees with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Division of Forestry, according to DIDD.

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SUN FILE PHOTO BY KRISTEN EARLY

Most cottages at Greene Valley Developmental Center now sit empty after the last patients were relocated to community homes in 2017.

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GreenevilleSun.com

Saturday, March 24, 2018

The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition Page 11

SUN FILE PHOTO BY LISA WARREN

The Camp Creek Medical Center operated out of this mobile unit until the clinic’s permanent structure, seen in the background, was finished. The clinic is located directly across the road from Camp Creek Elementary School.

Camp Creek Medical Center Now Has A Permanent Home

BY LISA WARREN STAFF WRITER The previous year has seen the completion of a permanent structure to house the Camp Creek Medical Center.

Operated by Rural Health Services Consortium Inc., the rural, primary care clinic has had a presence in the Camp Creek community for the past three years. For the majority of that time, however, the clinic had been operating out of a mobile unit, located on property owned by Free Will Baptist Family Ministries.

Last summer, the clinic’s new home — a 4,250-square-foot structure — opened its doors to patients. It is located directly across the road from Camp Creek Elementary School.

The new clinic space

features six exam rooms, an X-ray room, a laboratory room and a vaccination room.

Last May, it was also announced that funds from the Blanche W. Grady Community Service Award were also being designated to build a helicopter landing pad and an ambulance parking area at the new medical center building. This feature for the clinic was provided through the Blanche W. Grady Service Award Program, which is facilitated by the Laughlin Health Care Foundation.

The 2016 Grady Award winners, Allan and Bea Brown, and the 2013 Grady Award recipient Judy Bettis, each designated portions of their financial awards to the medical clinic project, which cost about $7,000.

“This is just so exciting,” Bea Brown said during the

announcement of the fund designation, as she noted the work progressing on the medical center. “This is God’s hand at work.”

Her husband was equally as thrilled. He said the Camp Creek Medical Center has been “a real blessing” for the Camp Creek community since its opening.

Located across the road from Camp Creek Elementary School and the main campus of Free Will Baptist Family Ministries, the medical clinic is within walking distance of at least 500 people, he noted.

Since its opening three years ago, the clinic has remained busy, today serving at least 25-30 people daily.

Judy Bettis, whose 2013 Grady Award money provided the seed money for the medical clinic, said she feels that the clinic is a wonderful

asset for the Camp Creek community.

“I feel that the clinic will really be utilized,” she said.

The idea for the Camp Creek clinic was born from community leaders within the Camp Creek Ruritan Club following the tornado that struck the community in 2011.

The clinic offers a full range of primary health care services, including adult and pediatric health care, well-child checks, immunizations, school sports physicals, directly observed treatment, and employee and pre-employment physicals.

The medical center honors most insurance plans and offers the sliding payment scale for patients who do not have health insurance.

Rural Health Service Consortium, which operates

the clinic, is a nonprofit health care organization, which was founded in 1985 in Roan Mountain. Today, RHSC has grown to 12 clinics.

In the Greene County area, in addition to the new Camp Creek Clinic, there are also Rural Health clinics in

#

Baileyton, Limestone and Bulls Gap. The mission of the organization, officials said, is to provide quality, affordable health care to people in need of medical care within Northeast Tennessee — regardless of their ability to pay.

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Page 12 The Greeneville Sun Benchmarks Edition

Larry Brotherton

Allen Johnson

Bob Hurley

GreenevilleSun.com

Saturday, March 24, 2018

Joe Ann Lintz

Michael Sauls

Ben Thompson

Doug Woolsey

City, County School Foundation Honors Alumni, Community Members

BY EUGENIA ESTES STAFF WRITER The Greeneville and Greene County school systems honored alumni and those in the community who contributed in the past year through their foundations.

The Greeneville City Schools Education Foundation recognized four CORE Champions in 2017.

Eight alumni of the Greene County School System are being recognized in March with the inaugural Stars of Greene County Schools awards. The awards are sponsored by the Greene LEAF (Local Educational Advancement Foundation) for the Greene County Schools.

CORE AWARDS Each year, the Greeneville City Schools Education Foundation recognizes “champions” who demonstrate dedication to service by “Committing to a cause, Optimizing resources, Re-investing in the community and Equipping others for success.”

A news release announces this year’s CORE Champion honorees as: • Dr. William R. Gray Roncal, Greeneville High School class of 1999 — Outstanding Young Alumni; • Claire Whitfield Tucker, GHS class of 1971 — Distinguished Alumni; • Marilyn duBrisk — Distinguished Service Award; and • Forward Air Corporation — Outstanding Patron Award.

Dr. William R. Gray Roncal is a project manager in the Research and Exploratory Development Department at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Roncal currently works in connectomics, an emerging discipline within neuroscience that seeks to create a high-resolution map of the brain, according to a news release.

Roncal co-founded The College Prep Program at APL, a free, volunteer-led program that has supported and encouraged over 150 underserved students with the desire and academic potential to excel in college, but lacking mentoring and other resources, the news release states.

Claire W. Tucker serves as president and CEO for CapStar Financial Holdings Inc., a $1.3 billion financial institution. Tucker raised more than $88 million in start-up capital for the institution, a record for a de novo bank in Tennessee, the news release says.

Tucker recently chaired

SUN FILE PHOTO BY SARAH R. GREGORY

Recipients of the Greeneville City Schools Education Foundation’s fifth annual CORE Champion Awards are, from left: Distinguished Alumni Claire Whitfield Tucker; Distinguished Service Marilyn duBrisk; Outstanding Young Alumni Dr. William R. Gray Roncal; and Rodney Bell, representing Outstanding Patron Forward Air Corporation.

the board of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and has chaired the boards of the Nashville Ballet, Nashville’s Table, St. Luke’s Community House, Tennessee Wesleyan College and others, the news release says.

Marilyn duBrisk graduated from the Grandison College of Dance and Drama, receiving diplomas from the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance and from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, the news release says. She established performing arts programs in Germany, Portugal, Thailand and Greece.

In addition to serving as artist-in-residence at Tusculum College, she has also served as the artist-in-residence for Greeneville City Schools.

Forward Air, based in Greeneville, has grown to include an array of logistics services, according to the news release. It operates through four principle business segments: Expedited LTL, Expedited Truckload (TLX), Intermodal and Pool Distribution.

According to the news release, for over 26 years, Forward Air has provided substantial resources and support to the community, including Greeneville City Schools.

STARS AWARDS A new award was presented in 2018 by the Greene LEAF Foundation

for Greene County Schools to recognize alumni who have made significant contributions to their communities.

Chosen as the first honorees were Dr. Larry Brotherton, Gregory Lynn Hope, Bob Hurley, Allen Johnson, Joe Anne Lintz, Michael Sauls, Ben Thompson and Dr. James Douglas Woolsey, according to a release from the foundation.

A committee of community members selected the honorees from all areas of Greene County.

From the northern end of the county are Dr. Larry Brotherton, owner of Ortec Inc. and a member of the Tusculum College Board of Trustees, and Dr. Doug Woolsey, a veterinarian and leader of the Greene County Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Representing the eastern end of the county are Lynn Hope, owner of Lynn Hope Towing and sponsor of the Chuckey-Doak High School Band Program, and the late Ben Thompson, a 15-year member of the Greene County Board of Education, and a local, state and national agricultural leader.

The honorees from the western end of the county are the late Bob Hurley, longtime columnist for The Greeneville Sun who was recognized as one of Tennessee’s Most Influential People by the Associated

in the

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Press, and Joe Anne Lintz, retired Greene County teacher and librarian who volunteers at the Tusculum College Library, the Doak House Museum and the Nathaniel Greene Muse-

um.

To be honored from the southern end of the county are Allen Johnson, owner of Greeneville Oil and Petroleum and National Hot Rod Association world

champion, and Michael J. Sauls, retired captain of the Greeneville Police Department and 14-year board member for the Boys and Girls Club of Greeneville and Greene County.