Commissioner Wayne Cole
District 6
170 Burkhart Road
Maynardville, TN 37807
Email -
cole170@bellsouth.net
6th District Wayne Cole
Union County is facing a lot of growing
pains and challenges but, as of today,
Commissioner Wayne Cole believes that the
biggest looming issue is that of the
overcrowding at the county jail and the
impending lawsuit. While he understands
that most citizens would rather not tackle
this problem right now, the fact is that if
we don’t have an adequate solution we may be
directed by a Federal judge on exactly how
he wants the jail issue addressed. Crime is
escalating nationwide and this county is
certainly no exception. The increase in
county population additionally causes a rise
in the number of inmates we house in our
jail and that number will continue to grow.
Wayne feels that the present jail can be
renovated but that costly renovation will
not provide the needed additional space to
prevent overcrowding – one of the main
elements of the lawsuit against the county.
It might buy us time until the next lawsuit
comes down the pike – maybe a few years at
most. This situation will not get any
better.
Wayne Cole has utilized his leadership and
teaching skills as the Union County
Sheriff’s Dept Assistant Chief, the training
officer for the Sheriff’s Department and as
a DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education)
officer. And as such, he spends a lot of
time in the schools. “There are too many
students for the available space,” said
Wayne. “A lot of the classes are in old
portable buildings that were meant to be
temporary and are in need of repair. Some
students at MES have to walk ¼ - ½ mile from
their classroom in one of these buildings to
eat lunch, go to the office, library, gym or
to any other part of the main building.
That puts the kids out in all weather -
rain, sleet, snow, heat and humidity -
simply because they do not have an adequate
school facility. County Commission needs to
work closely with the schools and school
board to find a reasonable solution and to
do a better job than we are doing now.
More jobs need to be created within the
county so that the majority of citizens do
not have to travel so far to work.
“Although in the past 4 years no businesses
have approached county commission about any
specific difficulties or problems they may
be having”, said Wayne, “several businesses
have pulled up stakes and left the county.
It might be important to find out why they
left and do what we can to keep the
companies that we do have. We should
evaluate exactly what we need to do to
attract new businesses”. He thinks the
county needs to attract sufficient
industries and companies to allow Union
Countians to be able to support themselves
while working within the county’s borders.
Wayne believes that is possible while still
retaining the rural status of the county.
During his first term as commissioner, Wayne
supported the new Community Center in Sharps
Chapel, the new Ambulance Service and worked
on the continual problem of repair of the
school roofs. Wayne Cole is involved in this
community not just as a commissioner but
also with 15 years of active service in the
Rescue Squad serving as Captain. He and
his wife Debbie and 2-year-old son Riley
attend the Community Baptist Church. They
believe in this county and Wayne would like
to continue to serve the people who live
here.
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