TOP PHOTO: Aldermen Josh Monday, who played a key role in bringing United Rare Earths to Caryville, has been invited by Jeffrey Willis of United Rare Earths to travel to Belfast, Ireland. This photo from WLAF’s Charlie Hutson was taken at the Dec. 2023 groundbreaking of Phase One of the United Rare Earths complex at the Collins Industrial Park.

CARYVILLE, TN (WLAF)- Last night the Town of Caryville Board of Mayor and Aldermen met and worked through the agenda quickly. Aldermen Josh Monday has been invited by Jeff Willis of United Rare Earths to travel to Belfast, Ireland. The trip is to visit a recycling facility that is already set up and running that will resemble Phase One of the Caryville facility of United Rare Earths. The board approved paying for the trip out of the industrial fund.

Mayor David Chambers spoke with the board about the cost of recycling garbage to the town. Chambers stated that about 50 citizens are currently recycling, and it takes staff about four hours to sort the recycling. The recycling has to be sorted before it can be taken to the county facility. Chambers stated that it was in the best interest of the town to discontinue collecting recycling.

The board approved a second reading of Ordinance NO: 2025-02 amending the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Fund  annual operating budget for fiscal year 2024-25 in the amount of $5,016.20. The renewal of QuickBooks at an estimated cost of $3,221 and the East Tennessee Development District contract for fiscal year 2025-26 in the amount of $8,917.50 were approved.

The police department had two items on the agenda. The first item to be discussed was tabled at last month’s meeting. The police department had previously requested to purchase two radar units for $4,898.34 from the proceeds of the 2024-25 THSO grant. Last night the board suspended the rules of the meeting to change the wording on the agenda item from purchasing radar units to purchasing two laptops. All of the money received from the grant which totals $5,000 will go toward the purchase of the laptops. The next item was the hiring of a police officer, which was tabled. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-05/13/2025-6AM)

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