Bolivar Councilman Chris Williams Speaks at Republican Meeting
City of Bolivar Councilman Chris Williams was the guest speaker at the October meeting of the Hardeman County Republican Party. Williams was elected to the Bolivar City Council in May 2023 and is serving a four year term.
He is a veteran law enforcement professional with over 10 years of experience in city government and administration. Williams currently works for the Memphis Police Department in Executive Administration (Public Information Officer).
Councilman Williams gave an update on recent happenings in Bolivar, some of which included:
- The City of Bolivar was recently awarded a $602,000 grant that will be used to add an amphitheater, pavilion, boat ramp, restrooms, and more to Sand Beach Lake.
- The City of Bolivar was recently awarded a $500,000 grant for the Tannery Building – Brownfield Project. The grant may be used to conduct water and soil samples to assist in cleaning up the site. Once assessed and cleaned up, properties such as the Tannery can be redeveloped for other uses, such as stores, affordable housing, and parks, amongst other things.
- As of July 1, 2023, the State of Tennessee began paying all School Resource Officer (SRO) salaries for the entire state to enhance school safety and security. Bolivar Police Department has three SROs, which equals approximately $120,461.79 in salaries. That money was already allocated for police department salaries and was redistributed as salary increases for other officers. Increasing officers’ salaries and benefits positively affects morale and keeps the Bolivar Police Department competitive with neighboring counties that pay significantly more. Williams commends Chief Jones and his administration for their hard work and for making sure retaining officers and increasing salaries remain a top focus.
- Members of the Bolivar Dive Team participated in training during the week of September 11-16, 2023. Divers participated in five days of classroom and confined water (pool) training followed by a day-long final evidence recovery scenario.
- In August 2023, the Tennessee Fire Marshal’s Office ranked the Bolivar Fire Department # 1 in the STATE for their Data Quality Score. This was a huge accomplishment, given the size and operation levels of other departments across the state.
- Currently, they’re hiring for (one) firefighter who is set to resign at the end of the month to accept a position with the Jackson Fire Department. We need to increase salaries and benefits for firefighters to decrease our attrition rate. We have to be competitive with neighboring agencies paying significantly more. Every time we hire a firefighter or police officer, we offer them the best training and certifications and then lose them a year or two later, primarily due to pay.
- Library updates – Recently, it was approved by the Hardeman County Commission and Bolivar City Council to increase all employees’ pay to a minimum of $15 per hour and Library Director Phillips to $20 per hour. The Bolivar City Council passed this in 2021, and has been awaiting the county to do the same. In September 2023, the County Commission also approved the raises. The raises took effect immediately.
- The City of Bolivar and Hardeman County is open for business. We need to ensure that we’re attracting, welcoming, and streamlining the process for new businesses looking to call Hardeman County home.
Councilman Williams also made mention of upcoming events including the Bolivar BBQ Fest and the first annual Christmas Festival.
The Hardeman County Republican Party will host a free tailgate/watch party for the Tennessee vs. Alabama game on Saturday, October 21, beginning at 2 p.m. at the Bolivar Farmers Market Pavilion. Everyone is welcome to attend.
Read more local news by clicking here.
Stay informed on what’s happening in Hardeman County by subscribing to Hatchie Press e-mail updates.
Do you have community news you’d like to share? E-mail us at news@hatchiepress.com.
