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Bledsoe County Demographics

County Structure: Traditional

The most basic and widely used form of county government in Tennessee is one with a popularly elected county executive, entitled county mayor (T.C.A. § 5-6-101), who is the administrative head of the county, and a popularly elected county legislative body, which the General Assembly has formally entitled board of county commissioners and which is commonly referred to as the county commission. Members are generally referred to as county commissioners. T.C.A. § 5-5-102(f). This is the constitutionally required form of county government unless a county has followed the provisions provided by the Tennessee Constitution and implemented by statute a consolidated form of government with one or more of the county’s municipalities, or an alternate form of government. Of course a consolidated government will have a legislative body of some type, but the size limitation of 25 does not apply. Tenn. Const., art. VII, § 1.

Development District: Southeast Tennessee Development District
Judicial District: 12
2020 Population: 14,913
2020 Population per Square Mile: 36.23
2010 Population: 12,876
County Road Miles: 495.00
Number of Parcels: 11,651
Incorporated Cities or Towns: Pikeville (pop. 1608)

Source: http://www.ctas.tennessee.edu/county/bledsoe

Bledsoe County Elected Officials

Bledsoe County is administered under the framework of a publicly elected County Legislative Body and publicly elected officials.

The Tennessee Constitution expressly provides for certain county offices, while others are created by the state legislature. In addition to the office of county mayor/executive and the county legislative body, Article VII, Section 1, of the Tennessee Constitution provides that each county have a sheriff, trustee, register, county clerk, and assessor of property elected by the voters of the county for terms of four years.

The Judicial Article of the Tennessee Constitution, Article VI, also provides in Section 13 that any inferior court clerk shall be elected by the people on a district or county basis to a four-year term, and that the chancellors shall appoint a clerk and master for each district or county for a term of six years.

Both the circuit court clerk and the clerk and master are currently elected or appointed one per county, but some counties have private acts or charters that establish other inferior court clerks such as general sessions court clerk and juvenile court clerk. All of these constitutional or quasi- constitutional offices except the assessor of property collect fees and are commonly referred to as “fee” offices.

The legislature determines the qualifications and duties of each office. Tenn. Const., art. VII, § 1. The duties of these officers in a county with a consolidated city-county government are specified in the charter.

Mailing address for all county offices:

P.O. Box 149
Pikeville, TN 37367

Web Site: 

http://www.pikeville-bledsoe.com

Office Office Holder Phone E-mail
County Mayor Mr. Greggory J Ridley (423) 447-6855 bledsoemayor@bledsoe.net
Administrator of Elections Lisa Wheeler (423)  447-2776  
Assessor of Property Zachary Olendorf (423)  653-2901 zach.olendorf@cot.tn.gov
Circuit Court Clerk Michael L Walker (423)  447-6488 michael.walker@tncourts.gov
Clerk & Master Debbie Debord (423)  447-2484 debbie.debord@tncourts.gov
County Clerk Genese A Sapp (423)  447-2137 genese.sapp@tn.gov
Director of Schools Jennifer Terry (423)  447-2914  
Hwy Chief Admin Off Robby B Roberson (423) 447-6216 bledsoehwy@bledsoe.net
Register of Deeds Emma A Boynton (423)  447-2020 eboynton@titlesearcher.com
Sheriff James L Morris (423)  447-2197 bcsd1201@bledsoe.net
Trustee Tracey Cagle (423)  447-2369 trustee@bledsoe.net

Bledsoe County Courthouse Fire, December 9, 1909

The Bledsoe County Courthouse, recently constructed, suffered a fire on December 9, 1909.  Regional newspapers reported all records were salvaged.  However, marriage records and probate records (wills, estates, guardianships) were lost.

Land records (deeds), tax records, and records of the courts were not lost.

Chattanooga News ~ 10 December 1909 ~ page 11

Knoxville Sentinel ~ 10 December 1909 ~ page 3

Nashville Banner ~ 10 December 1909 ~ page 5

 

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