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By Robert Sorrell

Star Correspondent

The Carter County Commission approved a few budget items during its March meeting on Monday.

Commissioners unanimously approved a motion to move funds within the Carter County Parks and Recreation Department budget.

Budget Commission Chairman Robert “Bob” Acuff said approximately $63,000 would be used to match a grant that will be used to complete work in the Gap Creek and Roan Mountain sections of Carter County.

Chris Schuettler said the USDA grant funds allow work to be done on streams in the county.

The commission also unanimously approved a resolution that allows Carter County Mayor Patty Woodby to sign off on a project to provide radios to local volunteer fire departments.

Acuff said $62,759 would come from American Rescue Plan funds for the purchase of radios.

The project only provides radios for the county’s volunteer fire departments and not the Elizabethton Fire Department, according to Woodby.

Commissioners also approved a resolution that allows HVS, a hospitality consulting firm, to conduct a hotel feasibility study in Carter County.

Back in December 2023, the commission approved the acceptance of a $50,000 grant from the ThreeStar program, which serves to promote economic and community prosperity through collaboration to positively impact Tennesseans.

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development provides $50,000 grants to certified ThreeStar counties every other year to be used for economic and community projects. In 2021, Carter County was awarded money for a career and technical education project.

The project would focus on a study for a hotel in Carter County, Acuff said.