Last Edited: May 05, 2025 @ 9:50 pm

Montgomery County, TN — Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett has appointed Lee Harrell for the position of Montgomery County Government Chief of Staff. He will begin serving in the chief of staff position on June 22.

Harrell most recently served as Vice President of Advocacy for Tennesseans for Quality Early Education leading lobbying efforts, providing oversight and direction of contract lobbyists, and building coalitions.

Prior to his work with Tennesseans for Quality Early Education, Harrell worked as Vice President of State Policy for the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce from Jan. 2016 through Dec. 2020. Before that, he served from Nov. 2009 through Nov. 2015 as the Director of Government Relations and Staff Attorney for the Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA).

Harrell holds a JD from Nashville School of Law and became a licensed attorney in 2007. He also earned his Bachelors of Arts in History from Tennessee Technological University in 2002.

"I look forward to serving as Chief of Staff for Montgomery County Government. I appreciate the opportunity to work with Mayor Durrett and the exceptional team of County employees. Montgomery County is home for me and my family. I have spent many years working in Nashville and I’m eager about not only living in my community but now working here as well,” said Harrell.

“Lee is bringing a wealth of unique and important experiences and perspectives to the Chief’s

position,” said Mayor Durrett. “I believe his background will prove to be a great benefit to our staff and the community as we continue to grow and work to meet the challenges ahead,” he added.

The County chief of staff is under the supervision and authority of the Mayor and is the executive assistant and liaison officer for the County. This position is responsible for spearheading key planning, administrative, and organizational development efforts and typically makes recommendations to the Mayor and Commission for action and represents the County’s interests with other levels and agency governments.

#   #   #

Last Edited: June 29, 2022 @ 2:35 pm

Montgomery County, TN — Montgomery County Government offices will be closed Monday, June 20 in observance of Juneteenth. All County offices will reopen on Tuesday, June 21 during normal operating hours. 

Montgomery County Title VI Committee members will be volunteering at the Clarksville Juneteenth Block Party taking place on June 18 from noon to 5 p.m. at Montgomery County Downtown Commons. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, go to https://bit.ly/3ziTdJY. 

Last Edited: December 29, 2022 @ 2:49 pm

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn​. – This Friday, June 17 Downtown @ Sundown will feature America’s Heart Tribute Band, Barracuda! Beginning at 7 p.m. Nashville acoustic artist, Kelsey Nord will open the concert offering the crowd a mix of music through the years. Following Kelsey, Barracuda will take the stage! Barracuda is known for their monster vocals and unceasing stellar performances which has created a solid foundation for this fabulous tribute to Heart. No fan will be left disappointed as Barracuda recreates their top songs from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s!

Local food trucks will also be set up before and during the shows. Burgasm, Firelime Offshore Grill, Heather’s Homemade Icecream, Johnny & June’s Italian Ice and TN Kettle Corn are all expected to be on site. Tater Headz will also be open at the walk-up eatery on the corner of Legion Street and Third Street. Beer and other beverages will be for sale, with all proceeds benefiting our featured non-profit, United Way of the Greater Clarksville Region.

Main Street will be blocked off between Second Street and Third Street beginning at 4:30 p.m. to make room for the food trucks. Downtown @ Sundown Concerts are free and open to the public and take place the first and third Fridays of each month through October. Chairs and blankets are welcome; however, pets, coolers, smoking/vaping or outside alcohol will not be allowed on site.

Downtown @ Sundown is title sponsored by TriStar Beverage and Shelby’s Trio and sponsored in part by Waste Connections of Clarksville. 

To stay up to date with events happening at the Downtown Commons, visit our Facebook page at Downtown Commons and our Instagram page @downtowncommonstn.

Last Edited: July 19, 2022 @ 2:41 pm

The Montgomery County Legislative Liaison Committee has begun developing the 2023 Legislative Agenda for lawmakers in Nashville. This agenda includes suggestions specific to issues in Montgomery County, and the state that citizens would like to have addressed. 

Montgomery County is asking employees, community organizations, and county residents to submit legislative items for consideration to gather as much input as possible. 

Please submit items to Michelle Newell via email at manewell@mcgtn.net or by mail to 1 Millennium Plaza, Clarksville, TN 37040, by Friday, July 8. The Committee will review the suggested topics and formulate the agenda that will presented to our local state delegation in September 2022.

To see the 2022 Legislative Agenda visit https://bit.ly/3H8DG1c.

Last Edited: December 29, 2022 @ 2:48 pm

Montgomery County, Tenn. — Montgomery County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) conducted weight, strength and resiliency tests on approximately 50 ladders for their annual ladder safety testing at the Montgomery County Rescue Squad Station on June 8. Every ladder associated with County Volunteer Fire Services was tested during a six-hour timeframe.

“This is the first time we have tested all ladders for our fire trucks on the same day,” said Director of EMA Ed Baggett. “It used to take us weeks to do the testing by manually using sandbags and a pulley system. This year we opted to use a company that specialized in ladder testing, the same company used by our friends with the Clarksville Fire Department.”

Three types of ladders were tested, attic ladders, the smallest type, roof ladders average 14 feet and firetruck ladders averaging 24 feet. Attic ladders are tested with 275 pounds of resistance in the center, while the roof and firetruck ladders are tested with 500 pounds of resistance for consecutive five minutes. The rungs are also tested with 1,000 pounds of resistance. Each ladder is measured from the floor to the top before and after testing. If the ladder comes back to the original measurement after the test, that ladder is marked safe and acceptable for use.

“It is critical to test the strength of the ladders for the safety of the firefighters and the people they assist. Yesterday’s exercise resulted in taking two ladders out of commission,” added Baggett.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), ladders are involved in 20% of fall injuries among workers. Whether at home or in the workplace, ladder inspections, should be conducted regularly.