Bledsoe Telephone Cooperative

Bledsoe Telephone Cooperative was formed in 1953 to provide dial telephone service. It now provides service to over 10,000 access lines in Bledsoe, Sequatchie and Van Buren Counties.

 In early 1980 the cooperative began providing cable television service and now serves over 4000 customers within its telephone service area. In 1994 the small 18" Direct Broadcast Satellite service was introduced by BTC in its area.

 As a full service telecommunication provider the cooperative also provides cellular, Internet, paging and data services with its Northern Telecom switches and fiber and copper cable network.

Bledsoe Telephone Cooperative
338 Cumberland Ave.
P.O. Box 609
Pikeville, TN 37367
(423) 447-2121
Repair Service: (423) 447-6815
Internet Dial-up support: (423) 447-4638

Sequatchee Valley Electric Cooperative

Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative was incorporated on July 31, 1939, by a group of community leaders who could foresee the benefits of an electric utility owned by and responsive to the people who were to receive electricity from it. The incorporators took the Indian name for the river running through the area as the unique identification of their new utility, and for 65 years the Cooperative has been the only business in the area to use this spelling.

The primary purpose for founding the Cooperative was to enable the rural people in the Valley to secure electricity to improve their way of life and standard of living. Local townspeople who already enjoyed the benefits of electricity knew that the economic future for everyone would be improved with electricity available to all.

The cooperative organization enabled the new business to borrow money from the Rural Electrification Administration, one of the special federal agencies created during the 1930’s to improve the national economy and particularly the rural economy.

In 1940, after one year of operation, Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative served 2,142 members. Now sixty-five years later, the cooperative is providing electrical service to nearly 32,000 different homes and businesses.

Telephone: (423) 447-2131

Pikeville Waterworks & Natural Gas

47 City Hall Street
Pikeville, Tennessee 37367
423-447-2919

Pikeville Waterworks and Natural Gas provides water, sewer and natural gas services to Pikeville residents and many areas of Bledsoe County, Tennessee

Bledsoe Telephone Cooperative

Bledsoe Telephone Cooperative was formed in 1953 to provide dial telephone service. It now provides service to over 10,000 access lines in Bledsoe, Sequatchie and Van Buren Counties.

 In early 1980 the cooperative began providing cable television service and now serves over 4000 customers within its telephone service area. In 1994 the small 18" Direct Broadcast Satellite service was introduced by BTC in its area.

 As a full service telecommunication provider the cooperative also provides cellular, Internet, paging and data services with its Northern Telecom switches and fiber and copper cable network.

Bledsoe Telephone Cooperative
338 Cumberland Ave.
P.O. Box 609
Pikeville, TN 37367
(423) 447-2121
Repair Service: (423) 447-6815
Internet Dial-up support: (423) 447-4638

Pikeville Waterworks & Natural Gas

47 City Hall Street
Pikeville, Tennessee 37367
423-447-2919

Pikeville Waterworks and Natural Gas provides water, sewer and natural gas services to Pikeville residents and many areas of Bledsoe County, Tennessee

Climate

Population

Year	City	County
1960	951	7,811
1970	1,454	7,643
1980	2,085	9,478
1990	1,824	9,669
1997	1,866	10,386
2000		12,367
2001 (estimate)	2,000	17,000

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,785 people, 748 households, and 479 families residing in the city. The population density was 284.2/km² (734.5/mi²). There were 859 housing units at an average density of 137.1/km² (354.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.95% White, 3.09% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.28% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.

There were 747 households out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 34.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $23,438, and the median income for a family was $30,365. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $19,097 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,754. About 19.5% of families and 25.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.3% of those under age 18 and 22.3% of those age 65 or over.

Finance

Citizens Tri-County Bank 423-447-2107 or www.citizenstricounty.com
First National Bank 423-447-2931 or www.fnbpikevilletn.com
Mountain Valley Bank 423-949-2146 or www.mtnvalleybank.com

Taxes

Local

Property Tax Rate per $100 value:	$0.64	$2.55
Ratio of Assessment:
Residential:	25%	25%
Industrial:	40%	40%
Personal (Equipment):	30%	30%
Inventory Tax (Raw Materials Only):
Bonded Debt:	$1,297,000	$2,237,000
Assessed Valuation::	$13,439,836	$57,502,498
School Tax:	none	none
Sales Tax:	0.50%	1.75%
Hotel-Motel Tax:	0	0

State

Education

State Industrial Training Service:		Yes
Type of Public School system:		County
	Schools	Enrollment	Student:Teacher
Elementary:	3	1200	22:1
Middle/Junior High:	1
Senior High:	1	420	23:1
Private &/or Parochial:	1
Technology Centers:	1	320	18:1
Colleges:
Graduate Schools:	0
Library:	1	8500 Volumes

Bledsoe is served by three elementary schools, one middle school, one high school, one vocational center, and one adult education. To obtain more information please visit www.bledsoe.k12.tn.us or call: 
 
Cecil B. Rigsby Elementary School - 423-447-2891
Mary V. Wheeler Elementary School - 423-881-3394
Pikeville Elementary School - 423-447-2457
Bledsoe County Middle School - 423-447-3212
Bledsoe County High School - 423-447-6851
Bledsoe County Board of Education 423-447-2914

Healthcare

Hospital
The Bledsoe - Pikeville area is provided health care by Erlanger - Bledsoe. Their main campus is located at 975 East Third Street, Chattanooga, TN 37403. To reach the hospital call 423-447-2112. You can learn more about the hospital and what they offer at www.erlanger.org.

Recreation

A park of more than 20,000 acres sprawled across the eastern top of the rugged Cumberland Plateau, Fall Creek Falls State Park is one of the most scenic and spectacular outdoor recreation areas in America. Laced with cascades, gorges, waterfalls, streams, and lush stands of virgin hardwood timber, the park beckons those who enjoy nature at her finest. While Fall Creek Falls, at 256 feet, is the highest waterfall in the eastern United States, other waterfalls in the park are Piney and Cane Creek Falls and Cane Creek Cascades.

Local Government

Bledsoe County Offices
Assessor Of Property: Philip (Winky) Cagle - 423-447-6548
Circuit Court Clerk:   Jamie Roberson - 423-447-6488
County Clerk:   Carloyn Terry - 423-447-2137
County Mayor:   Greg Ridley - 423-447-6855
Register Of Deeds:   Emma Boynton - 423-447-2020
Trustee's Office:   Deanna Rains - 423-447-2369
County Road Supervisor:  Tom Frazier - 423-447-2939
Clerk & Master:   Greg Forgey - 423-447-2848
Election Office:   Sue Colvard - 423-447-2776
Sheriff: Jimmy Morris - 423-447-2197
 
Bledsoe County Commissioners
Tom Boynton 423-881-3494
Tim Campbell 423-447-6304
Martin Deweese 423-447-7121
Junior L. Hankins 423-881-3425
Greg Johnson 423-447-6440
Craig Mercer 423 -533-2405
Charles R. Rains 423-554-3596
Henry C. Sapp 423-881-4081
Ronald Sapp 423-881-3413
Roger Simmons 423-881-3865
Carlos H. Smith 423-554-3906
Gordon Smith 423-447-6706
Perry Swafford 423-554-3171

Chamber of Commerce

The Bledsoe County Chamber of Commerce is comprised of many hardworking small business folks and industrial leaders that believe in well-managed growth and development of our community. The Chamber supports our members because our members support our community. We are dedicated to the promotion of Bledsoe County and the city of Pikeville.

Strategically located to major metropolitan areas, Bledsoe can still offer the relaxed country atmosphere.

With an economically efficient work force, Bledsoe is poised for industry desiring to join in the new southern industrial expansion. http://pikeville-bledsoe.com/

Police and Fire Departments

Police
Bledsoe County is serviced by the Bledsoe County Sheriff's Department. The city of Pikeville is serviced by Pikeville City Police and 3 police officers. You can reach either of them through the 911 office at 423-447-5555 or by dialing 911 in emergency situations.
 
Fire Departments
Brayton Volunteer Fire Dept. - 423-554-3473
Fall Creek Falls Volunteer Fire Dept. - 423-881-5070
Nine Mile Volunteer Fire Dept. - 423-533-2659
Rigsby Volunteer Fire Dept. - 423-447-6561
Brockdell Volunteer Fire Dept.
Lusk Volunteer Fire Dept.
Pikeville Volunteer Fire Dept. - 423-447-6220 or email them at pikevillefd@bledsoe.net
Mount Crest Volunteer Fire Dept. - 423-881-3500
Bellview Volunteer Fire Dept.
Luminary Volunteer Fire Dept. - 423-533-4215
Griffith Volunteer Fire Dept.