Lee Erwin reporting
lerwin@clarksvillenow.com
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – Meeting Monday, Montgomery County Commissioners voted unanimously in favor of allowing natural gas to be provided for parts of southern Montgomery County. The Greater Dickson Gas Authority in Dickson County plans to extend gas service to Montgomery County residents
A few homes in Montgomery County already have access to natural gas from the company and that service is being expanded. There is no firm time frame on when more residents will have access to the gas for heating homes and cooking meals but work is underway.
The expense of expanding natural gas service in the county south of the Cumberland River is one of the main reasons the Clarksville Gas and Water Department has not extended their services to the area.
Also at their meeting the Montgomery County Commission approved a resolution to ask the Tennessee General Assembly to approve the honorary naming of the U.S. Highway 41-A Bypass/Ashland City Road as the David “Bubba” Johnson Memorial Highway.
Johnson, A Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputy was killed in a single vehicle crash while on duty January 12 on the 41-A Bypass/Ashland City Road. Johnson had served Clarksville-Montgomery County for a total of 31 years as a Clarksville Police Officer, in the Montgomery County Emergency Medical Service and finally the Sheriff’s Office.
Chief Deputy John Smith with the Sheriff’s Office talked about the proposal to honor Johnson with his name on the roadway. “The bypass, also known as the Ashland City Road was a road that he responded to EMS calls on and made numerous traffic stops and arrests off of and it was the very road he lost his life on,” said Smith.
The resolution will go to Tennessee State lawmakers who have to approve the honorary memorial naming. Smith emphasized that the change would be strictly honorary, no public tax dollars or resources would be used and it would not require any businesses or residents to change their address.
Montgomery County Mayor Carolyn Bowers recognized March as Athletic Trainers Month in a proclamation she delivered Monday. Theresa Sparn, an athletic trainer from Clarksville High School accepted the proclamation before being joined by a number of other local high school athletic trainers.
Reading from the proclamation Bower talked about the importance of athletic trainers. “Certified athletic trainers are highly qualified health professionals who are trained in preventing, recognizing, managing and rehabilitating injuries that result from physical activity,” Bowers said.