Hamblen seeks another term as county executive
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“We’ve accomplished a lot in the last four years,” Hamblen said in declaring her candidacy. “But we’ve got a lot more to do and I want the voters to know that I stand ready to face our county’s important issues, not avoid them.”
Hamblen, a CPA who holds two degrees from Tennessee Tech, noted she hit the ground running when she was first elected in 1998, dealing with major issues which faced the county. She also tapped the highly coveted grant system to help the county in many ways without burdening taxpayers with debt.
Hamblen said there has been numerous accomplishments during her first term, some of which include:
• Sowing the seeds for new industries and jobs by working for improvements to Mountain View Industrial Park. The work included the construction of a spec building, a new access road and a development of a master plan for the site.
• Preparing McMinnville’s workforce with new skills and better training. Grants are now in place to help displaced workers learn additional skills at Motlow, the Technology Center and other professional training centers.
• Improvement of emergency services including the purchase of two new ambulances which came at little cost to local taxpayers due to a $325,000 grant.
• Extension of water service to the Dibrell-Lucky, Pedigap Road and Northcutt’s Cove areas, which again came at lesser cost to local taxpayers due to a $477,000 grant in cooperation with Warren County Utility District.
• More than $1.5 million in grants to begin construction of a new water treatment plant in conjunction with the West Warren-Viola Utility District.
• Numerous annual grants to aid law enforcement, recycling efforts and roadside litter pick up.
“This has truly been a wonderful four years for me,” Hamblen said. “I have enjoyed working with so many wonderful people, not only in Warren County, but in other counties and other states. If re-elected, I pledge to continue giving 110 percent to the advancement of Warren County. The people deserve no less from a county executive.”
In her first year in office, Hamblen held 13 focus groups across the county. Although there were some tough issues facing her, Hamblen said she listened to the citizens of Warren County and their ideas and insights were helpful in setting her agenda for her first term.
Hamblen said it was that kind of interaction which helped Warren County improve its homeland security even before the tragedy of Sept. 11. The E-911 board, of which Hamblen is a member, had already begun work on a new mapping display system and a new radio system for the rural fire departments.
“We’ve also achieved better pay for our teachers, re-roofing the grandstand at the fairgrounds, and many other worthy projects,” Hamblen said.
Professionally, Hamblen is a member of the both the American Institute of CPAs and the Tennessee Society of CPAs, a member of the Association of Government Accountants, a past president and life member of the Junior Auxiliary of McMinnville, a past chairman of the board of the McMinnville-Warren County Chamber of Commerce, a member of Leadership Warren, a member of the McMinnville Chapter 349 Order of the Eastern Star and the American Legion Auxiliary.
She has two daughters, Leann and Megan, three stepchildren, Michele, Doug and Jason, and six step-grandchildren. She is the daughter of Robert Lee and the late Dorothy Dodson Lee. She is an active member of Christ United Methodist Church.
While in office, Hamblen has represented Warren County across the state. She is presently serving as treasurer of the Upper Cumberland Development District and the Upper Cumberland Human Resource Agency, and was recently selected as president of the Tennessee Developmental District Association.
She also participates in the Tennessee Association of County Executives and presently serves as vice-chairman of the TACE’s Middle Tennessee region. She has been actively associated with the University of Tennessee’s Center for Government Training, both as a participant and a member of the center’s advisory council.