UCHRA Serves 12,304 Individuals in DeKalb County

“During the past year, Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency’s DeKalb County Office has provided services to 12,304 individuals with $2,854,008 being spent in the County. The UCHRA programs addresses the needs of all ages and has a positive impact on the residents in DeKalb County,” stated County Executive Mike Foster.

The UCHRA provides services to the residents in the fourteen county Upper Cumberland Area through more than 68 programs supported by federal, state, and local dollars. The mission of the Agency is to assist individuals in moving from ‘dependence to independence’.

“The Agency ‘delivers hope’ to approximately 166,000 individuals, annually, and continuously strives to make each of the Upper Cumberland Counties the best place possible to work, live, and retire,” said Phyllis Bennett, Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency Executive Director.

In DeKalb County, approximately 29% of the dollars expended last year supported the following services: 16,409 nutritional meals were provided through the nutrition program for older persons and other adults with disabilities, and the commodities food program distributed food to 1,010 eligible individuals to be used to prepare meals at home. Five UCHRA transportation vehicles provided 21,549 trips to over 1,089 households enabling these individuals to go to the doctor, medical facilities, grocery and drug stores, and other business locations in the County. The fourteen county UCHRA transportation program runs approximately 2,818,617 miles in a given program year and the miles traveled transporting DeKalb County residents to and from locations in the County accounts for approximately 7% of those miles.

“These services are so important to the residents of the City of Smithville and to DeKalb County, especially in the difficult economic situation we have faced during the past year. The City and County is fortunate to have a committed, dependable Agency like the UCHRA to contact to access quality services,” said Taft Hendrixson, Smithville City Mayor.

“The Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency appreciates the work of the City and County officials in DeKalb County, the DeKalb County Advisory Committee for the UCHRA, and the UCHRA DeKalb County Office Staff. This team of local leaders, interested businesses and citizens makes it possible to provide quality services to the residents of DeKalb County,” said Bennett.

For further information about services available through the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency please contact UCHRA’s DeKalb County Office at (615) 597-4504 located at 527 West Main Street, Smithville, TN 37166.

CUTLINE: Pictured are the new officers for the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency’s Board of Board of Directors and Policy Council. These officers were elected for 2011 during UCHRA’s Annual Meeting. Pictured from left to right: Curtis Hayes, Treasurer of the Board of Directors; Dale Reagan, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors; Shelvy Linville, Secretary of the Board of Directors; Michael Nesbitt, Chairman of the Board of Directors; Mike Foster, Chairman of the Policy Council; Mike Gannon, Vice-Chairman of the Policy Council; and Phyllis Bennett, UCHRA Executive Director.

Center Hill Seepage Rehabilitation is in a transition period

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District announced today a normal decrease in construction activity at Center Hill Dam as the Seepage Rehabilitation project transitions from first phase grout placement to the next phase of constructing a foundation barrier wall.

"We want to assure the public there is no reason for concern if they notice a lull in activity," said Project Manager Linda Adcock. "The grouting contract is basically complete and proposals for constructing a foundation barrier wall are currently being evaluated."

The seepage rehabilitation plan is a combination of grouting and construction of a continuous concrete barrier wall for long-term stability. The District anticipates awarding the 2.5-year-long contract to construct the permanent seepage barrier for the earthen dam's foundation in the spring of 2011.

"A vertical concrete wall, at least 2-feet thick, will be constructed through the earthen dam and into the rock foundation below to prevent seepage from harming the foundation," Adcock added.

Awarded in March 2008, the grouting contract was the first major contract of the seepage rehabilitation effort and is essentially complete. The grouting filled voids and soil-filled openings in the rock foundation and prepared for the safe construction of a concrete barrier wall. More than 1.5 million gallons of grout have been successfully placed in the rock foundation along the 800-foot-long earthen dam, 2,700-foot-long left rim and 700 feet downstream of the earthen dam, making the dam safer according to Adcock.

The problem was identified through long-term dam monitoring and stems from the type of karstic limestone rock on which the dam was constructed in the late 1940s.

A study is also underway to determine if rehabilitation is needed in the foundation for the earthen saddle dam built to fill a low area about 1,500 feet east of the main dam and should be concluded in early 2011.

Total cost of the project is estimated at $295 million, with about $120 million spent to date on investigations and construction.

The Corps plans to maintain Center Hill lake levels as it has in recent years, targeting a summer high of 630 feet above mean sea level and a winter pool of about 620 feet; however, day-to-day lake levels are highly weather-dependent.

Additional information is available at http://www.lrn.usace.army.mil/CenterHill/index.htm.