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Southeast Tennessee Veterans Home could get 2014 start

veterans-facility-could-get-2014-start veterans-facility-could-get-2014-start

By Randall Higgins September 17, 2011 2 min read

Bradley County veterans affairs officer Joe Davis

TENNESSEE VETERANS NURSING HOMES• Murfreesboro — 1991• Humboldt — 1996• Knoxville — 2006• Cleveland — Proposed• Clarksville — Proposed• Memphis — Under discussionSource: Tennessee Veterans Homes

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — In a best-case scenario, construction could begin in 2014 for the Southeast Tennessee Veterans Home, a state official told the council seeking to bring it here.

But Ed Harries, executive director of Tennessee State Veterans Homes, along with Taylor Wyrick, from the Tennessee Veterans Nursing Homes board, also told the council Thursday evening there are plenty of variables that could change that.

Any health and safety issues at U.S. Veterans Affairs’ current facilities across the nation would rise to the top of the priority list immediately, they said. And obtaining the necessary environmental and historical studies might take longer than anticipated.

The VA’s funding priority list could change, too, they said, although that is not as likely this year as last.