The University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service

Center for Local Planning Executive Director Josh Suddath is part of a Rural Housing panel webinar hosted by the Sycamore Institute. Tune in to the webinar on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 1 pm (central time). This event will feature a deep dive into Tennessee’s housing landscape—why it matters, how it got so expensive, and the federal, state, and local policies shaping the market.

Register for the free webinar: https://champ.ly/DXnuNRjv

This summer's class of Public Service Interns delivered their final projects to members of the IPS leadership team. Individual 📷 from top right are Brock Runyan, Michael Hanson, Carson Adams, Molly McGill and Irman Sazzad. Not pictured is Kristian Ozane. Special thanks to Elizabethton, Washington County, Morristown, Cleveland and Bradley County for providing them with plenty of practical experience!

We're happy to have Courtney Viar as a new member of the team! Courtney is a finance and accounting consultant with MTAS in East Tennessee.

As our Public Service Interns wrap up their experiences, they are sharing their final projects with the cities and counties that hosted them this summer. Brock Runyan, who interned with Washington County, presented his findings on Accessory Dwelling Units to Planning Director Angie Charles, her team, and his supervisor Wendy Robertson.

Join us in welcoming Ashley McDonald to the IPS team. Ashley will serve as a training specialist for the Naifeh Center.

Last week, Public Service Intern Molly McGill attended a meeting about making an RFP (request for proposal) to update the canopies and signs in downtown Elizabethton. She has had the opportunity to see the planning side of this process and how projects in downtown Elizabethton are planned and executed.

Public Service Intern Carson Adams was part of the Rotary Club of Cleveland meeting where the city of Cleveland announced a $3.6 million grant for the revitalization of Greenway Park. The project will include a new skate park and splash pad, as well as features for the area's duck population.

Happy National Internship Day to this summer's Public Service Interns!

Public Service Intern Molly McGill attended a Main Street Elizabethton board meeting last week. This summer she's learned to structure and execute a productive meeting where everyone shares their input and is encouraged to collaborate.

It's been a busy week for Public Service Intern Brock Runyan, who spent time in the Washington County Sheriff's Office with Sheriff Keith Sexton (pictured with Brock). He also attended the Washington County Local Emergency Planning Committee meeting.