Elected County Officials

County Mayor (Alan Broyles) - elected to a four-year term. The county executive is the chief executive officer of the county. The county executive serves as a nonvoting, ex-officio member of the legislative body. The county executive or the county executive’s representative also serves as a nonvoting, ex officio member of each committee of the legislative body, except as provided by law or by the legislative body.

County Commission - The county legislative body has twenty-one members, three from each of five commission districts, and two from each of three commission districts. County commissioners are elected in the regular August election to four-year terms which begin September 1^st.

Assessor of Property (Ralph Bowers) - elected to a four-year term. The assessor’s duties include two basic functions: appraisal and assessment. After the assessor has determined the appraised value of property in the county, the assessed value is calculated. Applying the classification percentage, as stated in the Tennessee Constitution, to the appraised value of the property does this. This amount is taxed according to the rate established by the county legislative body In order to keep appraisals current, reappraisals are done in a continuous six-year cycle. Updating is done in the third year of the cycle. Assessors are also required to keep current indexes of taxpayers and to maintain the property maps of the county. ($460,115 budget)

County Clerk (David Thompson) - elected to a four-year term. Formerly called the county court clerk, the county clerk performs a variety of different functions: (1) keeping the official records of the legislative body; (2) keeping a record of all appropriations and allowances made by the legislative body; (3) collecting certain local and state taxes (local wheel taxes, local hotel/motel taxes, wholesale beer tax, business taxes, and vehicle registration fees, for example); and (4) probating or acknowledging deeds and other instruments that are entitled to registration by law. The county clerk also issues marriage licenses. The clerk records the names and date of the license and then, after the ceremony is performed, records the date of the marriage. The returned license is filed in this office as a permanent record.

Register of Deeds (Joy Rader) - elected to a four-year term. The primary function of the register is to make and preserve a record of instruments required or allowed by law to be filed or recorded, including but not limited to deeds, powers of attorney, mortgages, liens, contracts, plats, leases, judgements, wills, court orders, military discharges, papers under the Uniform Commercial Code, and other types of instruments. The records provide public notice of property ownership, liens, and contracts, and other transactions that affect the public interest. The register’s office is in the county seat, and the records and papers must remain in the office at all times.

Sheriff (Steve Burns) - elected to a four-year term. The sheriff and deputies are the conservators of the peace in the county and may enforce the civil and criminal laws. They also serve legal process, taking custody of the jail or workhouse and the prisoners, and may deputize any citizen of the county to assist in carrying out the duties of the office.

County Trustee (Dan Walker) - elected to a four-year term. The trustee serves three primary functions: (1) collecting all county property taxes; (2) keeping a fair regular account of all money received; and (3) investing temporarily idle county funds. In addition, the trustee disburses sales tax revenues and may collect municipal property taxes and other state and local taxes. The trustee must keep a detailed account of these transactions.

Circuit Court Clerk (Gail Jeffers) - elected to a four-year term. Duties include the following: (1) attending each court session with all the papers for the case on the docket; (2) administering oaths to parties and witnesses who testify; (3) keeping minutes of the court in a well-bound book or on a legible computer printout, if the clerk complies with statutory requirements for computer records; (4) maintaining the rule docket and an execution docket in which all court judgements or decrees are entered in order of rendition and all receipts and disbursements in a case entered.; (5) maintaining indexes for all books and dockets that are kept by the office; and (6) investing funds.

Highway Superintendent (David Weems) - elected to a four-year term. Superintendent is the head of the county highway department and has general control over the location, relocation, construction, reconstruction, repair, and maintenance of the county road system including bridges and ferries, except roads and bridges under the supervision of the state department of transportation. He must also perform the following functions: (1) prepare an annual work program which lists projects to be financed under the state-aid highway system program, submitting this report to the county legislative body and the state department of transportation; (2) make a complete inventory of all machinery, equipment, tools, supplies, and materials and file copies of the inventory with the county legislative body and the county executive; (3) file the first inventory within sixty days after taking office, and a revised current inventory annually by September 1 of each year; and (4) make recommendations to the county legislative body on county road classification.

County Board of Education - seven are elected to four-year staggered terms. Responsibilities include: (1) To employ a director of schools under written contract of up to four years duration, which may be renewed, (2) upon the recommendation of the superintendent, to elect teachers who have attained or who are eligible for tenure, to fix their salaries, and to make contracts with them; (3) to manage and control all public schools under its jurisdiction; (4) to purchase all supplies, furniture, fixtures, and materials of every kind through the executive committee. Expenditures of over $5,000 must be publicly advertised and competitively bid; (5) to dismiss teachers, principals, supervisors, and other employees upon sufficient proof of improper conduct, inefficient service or neglect of duty; (6) to suspend or dismiss pupils when the progress or efficiency of the school makes it necessary; (7) to require the superintendent and the chairman of the local board to prepare a budget on forms furnished by the state commissioner of education, and when the budget has been approved by the local board to submit it the county legislative body. (8) To develop and implement an evaluation plan for all certified employees in accordance with the guidelines and criteria of the state board of education, and submit such a plan to the state commissioner of education for approval; (9) such other duties as are required by law.

Constables - ten are elected to four-year terms. Duties primarily include the serving of civil process, but they may be called upon to participate in peacekeeping activities. The number of constables may not exceed one-half the number of county commissioners. Nine constables serve in Greene County.

Road Commissioners - three are elected to four-year terms. Responsible for supervising and controlling the roads of his district, subject to the orders and instructions of the Highway Superintendent. Greene County has three road districts.

Bureaucratic Departments

Superintendent of Schools (Joe Parkins) - appointed. His duties include (1) insure that laws relating to education are faithfully executed, (2) Attend all meetings of the school board and serve on its executive committee, (3) keep records of meeting, actions, and financial transactions of the school board, (4) issue, within ten days, all warrants authorized by the board, (5) make recommendations to the board, although the superintendent may not vote, (6) supervise and visit the schools, (7) enforce the regulations of the commissioner of education regarding courses of study and systems of pupil promotion, (8) sign certificates and diplomas, (9) recommend teachers eligible for tenure to the school board, (10) recommend salaries for teachers, (11) employ school principals, (12) assign teachers and educational assistants to specific schools, (13) keep on file all teachers’ licenses and contracts of teachers and employees, (14) prepare and submit attendance reports, (15) prepare full quarterly financial reports and monitor school spending, (16) prepare and submit a school budget, (17) file a copy of the approved school budget with the commissioners of education within ten days after its adoption by the county legislative, (18) furnish a list of teachers and salaries to commissioner of education, (19) approve access to personnel files when necessary, (20) employ, transfer, suspend, non-renew and dismiss all personnel within the approved budget and within the statutory framework and board policies, rules, contracts, and regulations, and (21) submit a report to the General Assembly by January 1^st each year relative to the number of students in alternative schools.

Accounting and Budgeting (David Lawing) - appointed by the county executive and approved by the county commission to an indefinite term. This is the financial department of the county government. Responsibilities include (1) processing and paying bills, (2) budgets, and (3) payrolls for the county.

Building Commissioner (Leon Bird) - appointed by the county executive and approved by the county commission to an indefinite term. His functions are to consider building permit applications and to issue permits to those who comply with zoning regulations.

Election Commission - five members are appointed by the state election commission to 2-year terms. Salaries are paid by the county. The election commission is required to (1) publish in a newspaper of general circulation in the county a notice of all elections at least ten days before the qualifying deadline (2) provide a semi-annual voter registration report to the State Coordinator of Elections, (3)employ a registrar-at-large (Josephine Roberts), (4) appoint and educate election officials, and (5) the election commission is charged with the general duty of encouraging wider participation in the electoral process.

Purchasing (Diane Swatzell) - appointed by the county executive to an indefinite term. Primary duties of the purchasing agent are to (1) purchase all supplies, materials, equipment, and contractual services, (2) arrange for rental of all machinery, buildings, and equipment, (3) transfer materials, supplies, and equipment between county departments, and (4) supervise the central storeroom. A county commission is also established, consisting of the county executive and four other members appointed by the county executive and approved by the county legislative body. Competitive bids are required for the following transactions; all purchases of and contracts for supplies, materials, equipment, and contractual services; all contracts for the lease or rental of equipment; and all sales of county-owned property which is surplus, obsolete, or unusable. Certain contracts and purchased items are exempt from this requirement, such as professional service contracts and purchases of fuel and perishable commodities. Except for emergencies, purchases and contracts are not awarded unless first certified by the director of accounts and budgets or other county official or employee in charge of the central accounting records. Each purchase order or contract issued or executed must be evidenced by a written order signed by the purchasing agent.

Chancery Court Clerk (Kay Armstrong) - appointed by the chancellor to a six-year term. Duties include the following: (1) attending each court session with all the papers for the case on the docket; (2) administering oaths to parties and witnesses who testify; (3) keeping minutes of the court in a well-bound book or on a legible computer printout, if the clerk complies with statutory requirements for computer records; (4) maintaining the rule docket and an execution docket in which all court judgements or decrees are entered in order of rendition and all receipts and disbursements in a case entered.; (5) maintaining indexes for all books and dockets that are kept by the office; and (6) investing funds. (For budget information see Chancery Court)

Solid Waste (Hubert Metcalf) - appointed by the county executive and approved by the county commission to a indefinite term.. Responsible for picking up solid waste (garbage) in Greene County.

Veteran's Services (Steve Alexander) - appointed by county executive and approved by the county commission to a indefinite term. Provides services for veterans, the main service is filing claims for any veteran entitled to a pension.

Health Department (Rebecca English) - employed by the state for an indefinite term. This office is jointly funded by the county and state. The Greene County Health Department offers a variety of health services to the community of Greeneville and Greene County. Realizing the greatest wealth of our area lies in the people, the department’s main goal is to protect the community through preventive health care programs and services. The following are services provided by the Greene County Health Department. Nursing services, nutrition services, dental health, health education, vital statistics, and TennCare services.

Agricultural Extension (Milton Orr) - a state appointee of indefinite term. Budget costs are covered by both the state and county. The Agricultural Extension Service is an educational branch of the University of Tennessee and the United States Department of Agriculture, with cooperation from the Greene County Commission, that provides useful and practical information on subjects related to agriculture and family and consumer science. Extension has four Base Programs – Agriculture, Family & Consumer Sciences, 4-H and Community Resource Development. Currently within those four base programs there are several Priority Programs that include: (1) Agricultural production efficiency & sustainability, (2) Management & marketing, (3) Environmental stewardship, (4) Natural resources, (5) Family and community economics, (6) Family & community development, (7) Family & community health, and (8) Teen involvement

County Buildings (Danny Ricker, Ed Harned) - appointed by county executive to a indefinite term. Responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the county’s buildings.

Emergency Medical Service (Robert Sayne) - appointed by EMS Board and approved by the county commission to a indefinite term. Established by the county commission as the county ambulance service; it may also contract for the provision of this service by private entities or other governmental agencies.

County Attorney (Roger Woolsey) - appointed by the county executive and approved by the county commission to a one-year term. Acts as a legal agent for the county.

County Medical Examiner (Dr. Vince Pinyard, M.D.) - regional medical examiner for Greene, Unicoi, and Carter Counties. Ray Crum is the Medical Investigator.

Courts

Greene County is part of Tennessee's Third Judicial District which also includes Hamblen, Hancock, and Hawkins Counties and is served by an attorney general & five judges.

Chancery Court (Thomas R. "Skip" Frierson II) - elected to an 8-year term. The Chancery Court hears exclusively civil cases, including: divorce and child custody, paternity, adoptions, child support (including wage assignments), land disputes, contract disputes, collection of debts, workers' compensation suits, administrative reviews (i.e., unemployment compensation), partition suits, collection of delinquent property taxes, appointment of guardians and/or conservators, probate wills, appoint administrators/executors of estates. Tennessee's Chancery Court is an example of the court system's English heritage. This traditional equity court is based upon the English system in which the chancellor acted as the "King's conscience." Chancellors may, by law and tradition, modify the application of strict legal rules and adapt the relief given to the circumstances of individual cases.

Circuit Court (Tom Wright, John K. Wilson, and Kindall Lawson) - each judge is elected to an 8-year term. Circuit Court is a court of general jurisdiction in Tennessee. Circuit judges hear civil and criminal cases and appeals of decisions from City, Juvenile, Municipal and General Sessions courts. The jurisdiction of Circuit Courts often overlaps that of the Chancery Courts. Criminal cases are tried in Circuit Court except in districts with separate Criminal Courts established by the General Assembly.

Criminal Court (John F. Dugger, Jr.) - elected to an 8-year term. This court was established by the General Assembly to relieve Circuit Courts in areas where they are justified by heavy caseloads. Criminal Courts exist in 13 of the State's 31 judicial districts. In addition to having jurisdiction over criminal cases, the 29 Criminal Court judges hear misdemeanor appeals from lower courts. In districts without Criminal Courts, criminal cases are handled at the trial level by Circuit Court judges.

General Sessions Court (Kenneth N. Bailey, Jr.) - elected to an 8-year term. The court has all of the jurisdiction, coextensive with the county, formerly exercised by justices of the peace in civil and criminal cases. General sessions courts have original jurisdiction in: (1) civil cases up to $15,000; (2) forcible entry and detainer actions; and (3) actions to recover personal property, where an alternative money judgement not to exceed $25,000 may be awarded. General sessions judges may issue restraining orders and enforce the penalty provisions for violating these orders. The court has jurisdiction to try misdemeanor cases and may issue sentences within the limits provided by law for the particular offense.

Juvenile Court ((Kenneth N. Bailey, Jr.) - elected to an 8-year term. For individuals under the age of 18 unless that individual is to be tried as an adult.

Greene County Committees

Animal Control Committee – Jim Eagle, Betty Ruth Alexander, Bill Brown, David Thompson, Dallas Gardner, Tim Armstrong, Gary Rector
Beer Board Committee – Alex Edens, Bill Moss, John Carter
Budget Committee – Alan Broyles, Billy McCamey, M.C. Rollins, Bill Moss, Alex Edens, Pat Noland
Building Committee – Betty Alexander,Hilton Seay, M.C. Rollins, John Carter, Alex Edens, Sam Riley, Margaret Greenway
Cable Franchise – Jerry Weems, Gary Rector, Dallas Gardner, Roger Woolsey, Phil King, Betty Alexander, Bill Brown
Civil Service – Gene Gaby, Jack Kilday, Hugh Wells
County Extension – Velta Riley, Silas Maxwell, Tim Armstrong, Hilton Seay, Roger Jones, Tim White, Betty Love
Courthouse and Workhouse – Steve Burns, Jerry Weems, Tim Armstrong, John Carter, Michael Gregg, Billy McCamey, B.L. Williams
Delinquent Tax Board – B.L. Williams, Billy McCamey, David Thompson, Jim Eagle
Education Committee – Betty Alexander, Tim Armstrong, Roger Jones, John Carter, Hilton Seay, Michael Gregg, Jerry Weems, Larry Welch
Ethics – Dallas Gardner, Bill Brown, Bill Moss, Hilton Seay, Phil King, Roger Jones, David Thompson
Industrial Park – Margaret Greenway, M.C. Rollins, Bill Brown, Sam Riley, Gary Rector, Larry Welch, Michael Gregg
Insurance – Buck Williams, Billy McCamey, Alex Edens, Larry Welch, J.C. Jones, Richard Morrison, Steve Burns, Roger Woolsey, Alan Broyles, Dan Jackson
Investment – Roger Jones, Bill Moss, Gary Rector, Dan Walker, Hilton Seay, Jerry Weems, Jim Eagle
Law Enforcement – Betty Alexander, Roger Jones, David Thompson, Gary Rector, Sam Riley, John Carter, Alex Edens, Steve Burns
Personnel Policies – Betty Alexander, Phil King, Jim Eagle, Dallas Gardner, Alex Edens, Bill Moss, Margaret Greenway
Planning Commission – James Carter-Chair, Johnny Ottinger-ViceChair, Sam Riley-Secretary, Chad R. Shelton,  Alan Broyles, B.L. Williams
Purchasing – Alan Broyles, Dallas Gardner, Gary Rector, Margaret Greenway, Larry Welch
Road and Highway – Margaret Greenway, M.C. Rollins, Jerry Weems, B.L. Williams, Sam Riley, Michael Gregg, Jim Eagle
Solid Waste – Jim Eagle, Hilton Seay, Tim Armstrong, David Thompson, Phil King, Dallas Gardner, Mike Gregg

Greeneville/Greene County Joint Committees

Greene County 911 Representative – William Holt, Steve Burns, Jim Bowman, Marty Shelton, Leroy Tipton, Ray Adams, Billy McCamey, Ray Crum, Bill Brown, Robert Sayne
Greene County EMS - William Smith, Sam Riley, Carlyle Walton, Margaret Greenway, Alan Broyles, G. Thomas Love, Sara Webster, Tony Yost, Chuck Whitfield
Greeneville/Greene County Airport Authority – John Carter, Tim Armstrong, Sam Biddle, Walter Johnson, Bill Brown
Greeneville/Greene County Library Board –Pat Garland, Roger Jones, John C. Love, Ginny Kidwell, John McInturff, Carla Bewley, Sam Doak
Greeneville/Greene County Regional Solid Waste Planning Board - John Carter, B.L. Williams, Gary Rupert
Industrial Park Agency – Alan Broyles, Terry Leonard, W.T. Daniels, Larry Welch, Jim Warner, B.L. Williams, Allen Jones
Kinser Park Commission – Glenn Cope, Alan Broyles, Glenn Renner, Phil King, G. Thomas Love, Dr. George Scott, Helen Horner, Bob Schubel, Buddy Yonz, M.C. Rollins, David Nanney

Other Funded Entities

Association of Volunteer Fire Departments - Ryan Holt 
Community Centers  
Frontier Health - Tom Parker 
Greeneville/Greene County Airport Authority - Glenn Renner
Greeneville/Greene County Library - Madge Walker, John McInturff 
GV Parks & Recreation - Butch Patterson 
Keep Greene Clean - Susan Vance 
Kinser Park - Bob Schubel 
Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (Upper ET Human Development Agency) - Ruth Phillips, Marilyn Price 638-3801
Roby Adult Center - Glenda Blazer
TDA Division of Forestry - Bill McCrary
TN Vocational Training Center - Mary Lee McGlothin
District Attorney General - Berkley Bell
Soil Conservation Office - Mike McCrary
Greeneville/Greene County Landfill - Zip Wright
Greeneville/Greene County 911 - Jerry Bird
Emergency Management Agency (Civil Defense) - Bill Brown (joint county-city)