By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support local journalism.
Boyd gets new contract, no raise
Placeholder Image
Lisa Hobbs
Updated: Sep 29, 2012, 6:12 PM
Published: Sep 29, 2012, 6:14 PM

McMinnville Electric System general manager and CEO Rodney Boyd was not given a raise Thursday night when board members met to review his contract.
But praise was abundant.
“I have worked with three general managers over the years and Rodney is right at the top,” said MES board vice president Sam Martin.
“He is at the top in my book,” said board chairman Jeff Golden. “That’s why we have to hog-tie him with this contract in order to make sure he sticks around.”
Boyd’s contract is for five years, up from his prior four-year contract. Also changed is the amount of time needed for separation from 90 days to 180 days. Boyd must provide a written 180-day notice if he wants to leave, and the board must do the same if it wants to terminate him.
Boyd’s salary remains unchanged. According to MES board member Sally Brock, his salary is $121,000. At that annual pay rate, Boyd’s contract is worth $605,000 over the five-year period.
Also changed in the contract is Boyd’s severance package. If Boyd is terminated without cause by the board during the contract period, MES must continue to pay Boyd his salary under the agreement and all employee benefits for the duration of the contract. If employee benefits cannot be maintained, he will be paid a sum of money which shall fairly compensate him for the loss.
Also not changed in the contract was the requirement of Boyd to make “diligent efforts to secure comparable employment” if he is terminated.
“When the general manager secures new employment, if the salary of his new employment is equal to or greater than his salary at McMinnville Electric System at the time of his termination, McMinnville Electric System’s obligation to the general manager shall cease at that time.”
If the salary is less that what he was making at MES, the contract requires MES to pay the difference for the remainder of the contract.
When Martin questioned if searching for new employment is standard procedure in employment contracts, MES legal counsel attorney Robert Newman said, “No, but it should be. All general managers should be obligated to search for employment and not ride out the remainder of their contract.”
Boyd’s contract will be up for re-negotiation in five years. However, adjustments can be made to the agreement with approval from the board.
Local farm partnership brings fresh beef to Warren County Schools
local news.png
Published: Apr 2, 2025, 11:31 PM

Warren County Schools has beefed up lunch menus this school year through a new community partnership. Thanks to a collaboration between the district’s School Nutrition Department and Barton Creek Farms, students at Warren County High School, Warren County Middle School, West Elementary, Eastside Elementary, and Dibrell Elementary are enjoying locally sourced, farm-fresh beef in their lunches as part of a pilot program.

The initiative, spearheaded by Terri Mullican, Director of School Nutrition, has already shown great promise in its first few months. The partnership with Barton Creek Farms, located in Rock Island, Tennessee, ensures that the beef served is not only local to Warren County but of the highest quality. Barton Creek Farms specializes in farm-to-fork beef, with grass-fed and grain-finished cattle. Each calf is born and raised in Rock Island and goes through USDA-inspected processing, ensuring it meets the strictest safety and quality standards.

“When the opportunity arose to provide fresh, local beef, we knew it was a no-brainer,” Mullican said. “The fact that it’s a product from right here in our community makes it even more special. We can’t wait to implement it district-wide.”

Barton Creek Farms delivers fresh ground beef to the district monthly, and the nutrition

department incorporates it into homemade recipes such as lasagna, meatloaf, chili, and tacos.

As of now, the beef is being served at five schools, but the ultimate goal is to expand the program to all ten lunch-serving schools in the district.

The pilot program originated from a conversation between Mary Roller of Barton Creek Farms and Mullican. Roller, recognizing the farm’s potential to support local schools, reached out to gauge the district’s interest in serving local beef to students. Around the same time, a Warren County school board member contacted Mullican to share information about a similar partnership in neighboring Dekalb County, which helped push the initiative forward.

The timing worked in the district’s favor, as the nutrition department was able to fund the purchase of the beef using existing resources, eliminating the need for additional funding. Now that the pilot program is enjoying a successful run, the department has budgeted to extend the partnership district-wide for the 2025-26 school year.

Dr. Grant Swallows, Director of Schools, praised the program’s economic approach to student nutrition.

“This pilot is a perfect example of how we can use local resources to continue providing nutritious, healthy meals for our students,” he said. “We are grateful for partnerships like this one that benefit both our students and our local community. We always strive to support our local businesses when we can because our community is so good to us.”

In addition to working with Warren County Schools, Barton Creek Farms also partners with local restaurants to offer farm-fresh beef on their menus. The farm’s offerings include ground beef, steaks, roasts, and custom cuts by the quarter, half, or whole cow, meeting diverse consumer needs.

As the program continues to grow, the district hopes to expand its focus on farm-to-school meals, benefiting students’ health and connecting them to the agricultural roots of the community