Senator Mike Bell Receives Legislator of the Year Award

TDDA Honors Area Legislator

NASHVILLE, Tenn., April 5, 2016 – Senator Mike Bell has received the “Legislator of the Year” Award from the Tennessee Development District Association (TDDA). The awards were made on March 24, 2016 at the TDDA Legislative Awards Breakfast in Nashville.

The TDDA is an association of Tennessee’s nine development districts, which are regional planning and economic development organizations. These policy boards within each District are made up of the state’s 95 Counties and 340 municipalities.  Development districts assist with regional issues including planning and economic development coordination, transportation, solid waste, loans and grants for critical infrastructure such as water and sewer systems, housing, tourism, economic development loans, environmental quality and natural resources planning, work force development and services to the elderly.

“The awards are given on the basis of nominations from each of the nine development districts to those legislators who have shown leadership and put forth considerable effort on behalf of their cities and counties,” said Beth Jones, Executive Director of the Southeast Tennessee Development District.  “Senator Bell continues to lead on the education and workforce development front and has been a champion for regional economic development projects such as the McMinn Regional Center for Advanced Manufacturing & Business Innovation.  His continuing support of the LEAP grants have provided innovative ways in which technical education can be reinvigorated at the high school level resulting in an emerging talent pool that better meets the needs of business and industry.”

“We appreciate the support Senator Bell has given our local governments by  supporting the efforts of development districts and local governments in the legislature,” said Richard Driver, TDDA President and Lafayette City Mayor.”