MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – The Montgomery County Commission voted to ratify the appointment of Michael Rios to the position of Fire Chief at the September 9 formal county commission meeting.

With this new position and department, no new funding is required for the Fire Chief position. The money is being reallocated from the former Director of Emergency Services position that was held by Jimmie Edwards. This means the position does not create the need for new money and it separates The Director of EMA and the County Fire Chief positions which are both full-time jobs. 

Rios is a fire professional with over 22 years of experience. He has extensive knowledge in fire administration, public relations, budget management, policy and procedures, and enforcement of regulations. Rios was the Assistant Chief of Administration for Clarksville Fire Rescue from 2021 to 2024. In this role, he supervised administrative personnel, coordinated all community activities, and assisted in policy review. Prior to that, he held various roles including Fire Prevention Lieutenant/Captain, Engineer, Emergency Medical Responder, and Firefighter.

He earned a Bachelor of Science with a concentration in Fire Administration from Columbia Southern University in 2022 and holds several awards, accolades, certificates, and training in his field.

“Having this dedicated position helps our community progress to the next level. We highly value our volunteers and look forward to getting them additional support. We know Chief Rios has a servant’s heart and will always put the safety of Montgomery County first,” said Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden.

The Montgomery County Fire Chief will oversee and direct the internal operations of the fire department. This includes planning, coordinating, administering, and evaluating programs, projects, processes, procedures, systems, standards, and service offerings. The Fire Chief will also allocate resources, ensure compliance with Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, codes, and standards, and coordinate activities between multiple service areas. Additionally, the Fire Chief will supervise the training program for auxiliary brigades, volunteers, pre-fire planning surveys, and company fire prevention inspections, as well as direct and oversee the enforcement of applicable local and State fire codes.

“I’m honored to be appointed the Fire Chief for Montgomery County Fire Service,” said Fire Chief Michael Rios. “I’m ready to get started. I look forward to working with the firefighters, County Commission, and Mayor Golden to improve services to Montgomery County,” said Rios.

Chief Rios begins his service with Montgomery County on Tuesday, September 10.

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Government is seeking adult and youth nominations for the Governor’s Volunteer Stars Awards (GVSA). Nominations are due by November 1, 2024, and are located at https://mcgtn.org/comm.

As part of its effort to promote a culture of volunteering, GVSA recognizes people who contribute to the community on a local level. The GVSA promotes statewide volunteerism and strengthens community service participation throughout Tennessee every year. GVSA seeks to recognize one youth and one adult in each Tennessee county for exemplary volunteer work.

“Volunteerism is something close to my heart. There are a ton of unsung heroes who make a difference every day without seeking reward. Recognizing them is one way to show appreciation and encourage others to get involved,” stated Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden.

All nominations will be judged by a local committee. Final selections are due by November 1, 2024, to the GVSA Tennessee staff in Nashville. As well as nominees from other counties across Tennessee, Montgomery County's adult and youth nominees will be honored at the annual GVSA Ceremony on February 16, 2025.

Please send your nomination form or questions to Montgomery County Social Media and Marketing Specialist Valerie Linares at [email protected] or call 931-648-8482 ext. 2.

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Government welcomes the 2024-2025 Mayor’s Emerging Leaders, a group of 26 high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors serving as unofficial county committee members.Students participating in this year’s Mayor's Emerging Leaders Program, which began in late August, can attend committee meetings, and gain an inside look at how their local government operates. During the sessions, students are recognized and encouraged to ask questions.

"I am grateful to see students interested in learning about local government. The future belongs to our youth, so it is important for them to understand how their community works.," said Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden.

County committees include the Airport Authority, Animal Control, Audit, Budget, E-911, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Protection, Jail and Juvenile, Parks, and School Liaison. The program is open to high school students in 10th through 12th grade. Announcements for the program are made through local media and social media and sent to school guidance counselors in the spring. Students start the program in late August and finish in May each year to coincide with their school schedules. The kick-off meeting for this year’s program was on August 21. This year activities have been implemented to give students an opportunity to get hands-on experience on what County Government offers. Some of the events include a leadership class with Director of Continuous Improvement Dr. Andrew Kester, volunteer activities at Rotary Park, meet and greet with our department heads and elected officials, and more.

This year’s participants are Abby Scoville (Clarksville Academy); Abigail Chambers (Montgomery Central); Abigail Fleming (Clarksville High); Abigail McKenna (APSU Middle College); Anna Hellums (Clarksville Academy); Braiden Jackson (West Creek High); Ella Roberts (Clarksville High); Ethan Caselli (Montgomery Central); Jerhen Jamison (Clarksville Academy); Katie French (Montgomery Central); Kenneth Reece (Montgomery Central); Kimora A. Rainey-Williams (Northeast High); Lindsay Lee (Rossview High); Mackenzie Prather (Rossview High); Madison Schwartz (Rossview High); Molly Scoville (Clarksville Academy); Nicholas Wojack (Kenwood High); Pheonix Brenner (Clarksville Christian); Sally Johnson (Northwest High); Sam Daughtery (Clarksville Christian); Trinity Smith (Clarksville High); Dillon Rich (Clarksville High); Nolan Woollen (ETC TCAT); and Wyatt Carobene (Clarksville Academy).

Not pictured: Alexis Perras (APSU Middle College) and Madison Schwartz (Rossview High).

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – The Montgomery County Health Council (MCHC) recently completed a comprehensive update to its Mental Health Directory. In August 2019, the Montgomery County Health Council published its first Mental Health Directory, created by a team of council members and Austin Peay State University interns. The directory listed mental health resources in the community, including information on hours, provided services, and accepted insurance plans. Since then, the Health Council has recognized that the biggest problem with having a directory is that the information often changes by the time it’s published. So, this past year, they’ve worked to create a directory that can be updated and corrected more timely. 

The Health Council found that FindHelp.Org was the best online site to meet this need. To access the site, type in your zip code and click the search button. The toolbar has a menu of categories, and Mental Health is under the Health category. 

If your clinic or organization is not listed or you wish to update your services, you can add your organization and edit your services by clicking “Claim Programs’ at the bottom of the screen on the website. Here’s the link to Claim Programs.

Find Help.Org Can Also Connect You to Other Community Resources

Along with helping people find mental health providers and services, Find Help can also help connect people to organizations that help with housing, finding a dentist, marriage counseling, childcare, food pantries, specialty health care, etc. Council members have worked to raise awareness of how the everyday stressors of being disconnected from community resources threaten our physical and emotional security. 

“Think of water dripping from a downspout onto a concrete block. Over time, we start to see a weathering effect. Human beings are very similar,” said Joey Smith, Public Health Director of Montgomery County. “Most days, we are well-adjusted and demonstrate resiliency to the stress from our needs not being met. But over time, like water dripping onto a concrete surface, these stressors also have a weathering effect on our health,” said Smith.    

The MCHC intends to have hard copies of the directory at the library and with other partners.  

The MCHC is a volunteer organization that promotes health and wellness in the community. Members meet at noon on the third Tuesday of each month on the second floor of the Montgomery County Health Department. 

If you or anyone else is in a mental health crisis, call or text 988.

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Government Offices will be closed Monday, September 2 in observance of the Labor Day federal holiday. All County offices will reopen on Tuesday, September 3 during normal operating hours. 

Although County offices are closed on Labor Day, some online services are available through the Montgomery County, Tennessee website. Click the Gov tab for a list of departments.

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