Rutherford County Mayor Ernest Burgess told NewsRadio WGNS that 2014 was a great year.

He said that the county's sales tax collections were up 10 per cent when compared to 2013. "That's almost unheard of, especially when you compare it to some of the other counties in Tennessee."

One of the major projects for Rutherford County in the New Year will be getting the plans complete for the new judicial building that will be between North Church and Maple Streets, just two blocks off the town square. Mayor Burgess estimated that construction would probably not begin until the first quarter of 2016.

He did not have a timetable for the parking garage that will be constructed where the Daily News Journal is presently located. Burgess noted, "It may get started before the Judicial Building, but the main thing is that both will be completed at the same time."

As far as businesses that lease from the county along North Maple Street, the county mayor indicated they would not be notified of a need to move until sometime in 2015. He stressed they would be given ample notice.

Below is a podcast of the entire broadcast (50-minutes). Click to hear County Mayor Burgess: