Mayor and Board of Commissioners
Sweetwater is a home-rule municipality governed by a Mayor and Board of Commissioners. The Mayor and five Commissioners are elected in Citywide election every two years for four-year staggered terms. Three Commissioners are elected in one election cycle and the Mayor and two Commissioners in the other cycle.

Each Commissioner is designated to be in charge of a City Department during an organizational meeting following each biennial election. The Commissioners also designate one of their number to serve as Vice-Mayor. The Board is presently organized as follows:

Doyle F. Lowe	Bill Stockton	Julian F. Walton	Sam Moser	Ed Lee	Billy G. West

The City Recorder is hired by and responsible to the Mayor and Board of Commissioners. Her office also includes the City Clerk and an Accounting Clerk. Major responsibilities of the Recorder's Office include:

• chief financial officer of the City
• human resources administrator
• collect all City taxes and fees
• clerk of the City
• recorder of Commission meetings and actions
• repository of all official City records
• grant application

For Information on Property Taxes and Tax Relief for the elderly or disabled, please contact City Hall

Sweetwater Fire/Rescue is a combination department with thirteen full-time and fourteen volunteer firefighters. One fire hall is located in the downtown area of Sweetwater and a second is located in the northeastern quadrant of the City. The second fire hall also houses a 24-hour per day EMS ambulance service crew and a permanent on-site crew for UT/Lifestar helicopter transport.

All full-time firefighters are certified as First Responders. Public education programs and service programs for children and the elderly are important work of the firefighters. Their hard work and commitment is evident in the City's Class 5 ISO rating.

Doug Watson Fire Chief	Ed Lee Fire/Rescue Commissioner

This personnel also serves as support staff to the Historic Zoning Commission, Planning Commission, Board of Zoning Appeals, and the Tree Board. Much of the City's grant activity is coordinated through the office. They also administer the safety program of the City. The tourism department, led by Commissioner Sam Moser, has redesigned the city brochures, which are placed at the Welcome Centers throughout the State and at Sweetwater's I-75 Welcome Center. For questions about building permits, Planning and Development, or other planning and development issues, please email the Planning and Development department or call (423) 337-9678.

• New Sign Ordinance
• Sweetwater Zoning Map
• Subdivision Regulations
• See the City's Zoning and Land Use Code
• See the City's Property Maintenance Regulations
• See the City's Building Codes
• See the Animal Control Regulations

Scott Wilson Planning and Development Officer	Sam Moser Planning and Development Commissioner
Kathy Blessing Administrative Assistant	Chuck Whited, Assistant Codes Enforcement Officer

The employees of the Street Department maintain and service all public streets and alleys in the City. They are also involved with the planning and constructing of new streets and paving projects. Brush and demolition collection and disposal, streetscape maintenance and improvement, a household oil reclamation project, and animal control enforcement are other areas where the Streets Department works hard every day to improve our City. For information on brush and demolition materials pick-up, please contact the City Garage at (423) 337-7225.

For problems with animals running at large in the City Limits, or for information on free pet adoptions, please contact City Hall at (423) 337-6979.

Richard Jenkins Street Superintendent	Billy G. West Streets Commissioner

• baseball fields
• football stadiums
• basketball courts
• walking trails
• public stages

• soccer fields
• tennis courts
• swimming pools
• picnic facilities
• meeting rooms

Related Links
Sweetwater Dixie Youth Baseball
American Youth Soccer Association

Sweetwater Police Department placed 19th in the nation for Category 5 cities for their 2011 National Night Out program, led by Officer Daniel Johnson.  Thanks to all of our sponsors.

The Sweetwater Police Department, headed by Police Chief Eddie Byrum is a proactive force in the Sweetwater Community. Assistant Chief Mike Jenkins helps direct the department, which is made up of 16 full-time officers, 11 auxiliary and part-time officers, and 2 TIBRS certified clerks. All full-time officers are post-certified, radar certified, CPR certified, and required to attend 40 hours of in-service training annually, with special instruction in their chosen fields.

Patrol Captain Gary Newman facilitates training programs, is a child seat technician, and along with the 3 patrol sergeants, helps direct the 12-hour patrol shifts. The department includes D.U.I. Instructor, Brandon Cansler, Patrol Sergeant, Detective Kevin Watson; a domestic violence instructor, Sergeant John Brewster; 5 CPR instructors; 2 PR-24 instructors; a 5-man seasonal bike patrol unit; and an ESU team for tactical and high-risk operations. Sergeant Detective John Scruggs and Detective Kevin Watson head investigations; Kris King serves as firearms instructor, and several officers are certified for methamphetamine investigation.  The department is an active participant in the Meth Task Force. The K-9 division hinges on SPD's drug dog, a shepard named Cira, and her handler, Tommy Jones.  Detective Marty Kyle serves as the Narcotics Officer, and is available for educational presentations for civic and school groups.

Numerous educational programs include bike safety, the Eddie Eagle gun safety program, several drug awareness programs, and the Stranger Danger program. The detectives head up the Fingerprint America program, which provides child identification kits for local school children. The department also sponsors the Explorers program, headed by Sergeant Kris King, which trains teens and young adults, ages 14-20, who are interested in police work.

Sweetwater citizens make up several programs supervised by the SPD. There are currently 9 participating Neighborhood Watch programs. SPD has a Citizen's Police Academy, which is a 10-week training program, held in the Spring and Fall annually, to give citizens an inside look at the SPD. Graduates may become members of the Citizen's Police Academy Alumni Association, which is headed by an elected President, and SPD liaison. The Citizen's Police Academy Alumni Association assists the SPD with citywide functions, such as parades, festivals, and car shows. They also assist in the organization of the nationally award-winning "National Night Out" program.

2010 National Night Out

The Sweetwater Police Department is a major force in the effort to make Sweetwater a wonderful place to raise a family.

Related Links
A Child Is Missing Alert
Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
Tennessee Meth Watch
Tennessee Sexual Offender Registry
Family Watchdog
Tennessee Amber Alert

SPD's 2006 Toys for Kids Drive	Det. Scruggs Makes I.D. Kits of Local Children
Eddie at Special Olympics

For anonymous tips Email Detective Kevin Watson

The City Court is established by ordinance to hear and resolve all citations for violations of City ordinances. The Court does not exercise General Sessions or Juvenile jurisdiction. The Judge is elected by the Mayor and Board of Commissioners and serves at their discretion. Regular Court sessions meet on the third Wednesday of each month at noon at the City Hall.