News- November 2007
New Carl Perkins Center holds
dedication ceremony
On Thursday, November 1, the Carl
Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse John
Clinton Child Advocacy Building, located at 130 Boyd
Avenue in Brownsville, was the site of a dedication
ceremony culminating several years of a community
effort of planning and fund-raising.
The cost of the center, which is
about 3,400 square feet, came to almost $400,000. The
money has been raised through grant funds, donations
by the city and county, fund-raising efforts by
Brownsville Exchange Club members and through personal
donations ranging from $1 to $100,000. With a donation
of $100,000 giving it naming rights, InSouth Bank
named the center after its late President and CEO John
Clinton.
Gathered at the opening were Carl
Perkins Center board members, Mayors Franklin Smith
and Webb Banks, Chamber Director Joe Ing, John Clinton
family members, Center Director Linda Burns, Dr. Will
Jones, who made the prayer dedication, and a large
crowd of local donors and citizens. The ceremony and
ribbon cutting was a chamber-sponsored event.
The new center provides offices for
Tennessee Department of Human Services personnel, law
enforcement, court officials and Carl Perkins staff
members. It also has a private interview room, a
playroom for children, meeting rooms for individual
and family counseling, a full kitchen and a
well-stocked pantry for families in need.
Governor expresses support of local
Mega Site
Picture courtesy of the Governor's
office
Haywood County Mayor Franklin Smith
joined Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen, Economic and
Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisber and
other local and state officials on a helicopter ride
on November 1 over Haywood County’s megasite located
between I-40 at Exit 42 and Stanton.
The 1,700-acre site, designated by
the Tennessee Valley Authority as a megasite, was
considered for a Toyota assembly plant that eventually
landed in Tupelo, Miss. The location is considered
quite attractive not only because of its interstate
and rail access, but because of its proximity to
Memphis and Jackson and most West Tennessee
communities, it would provide access to an extensive
labor pool.
Mayor Smith reported that the county
and Stanton had received about $260,000 in funds to do
some preliminary planning and infrastructure studies
for Stanton and the site, but that it would take the
state’s financial help to move forward with the
purchase of the land and infrastructure development.
He feels confident that this will be forthcoming,
especially since the governor expressed his commitment
to “trying to find some ways to jump-start the economy
in the rural areas of the state,” according to an
article by Clay Bailey in Friday’s edition of the
Memphis Commercial Appeal. Clay referred to the site
as an opportunity for growth, jobs and an economic
boom to West Tennessee.
House Speaker and Haywood County
State Representative Jimmy Naifeh was also on the trip
and says he sees the development as a “regional”
thing. Mayor Smith said Haywood and Tipton counties
are working together to create a regional economic and
community development office.
City leaders meet to discuss
industrial park funding
The city will finance its half of
the cost of the new industrial park by borrowing from
one of its own funds. The city’s solid waste fund has
a million dollar savings account – or it did – until
October 25 at a called board meeting when aldermen
agreed with a proposal from Mayor Webb Banks to use
the cash for the new park.
City and county governments had
planned, according to Mayor Banks, to borrow the money
from a bank, but they learned there are stringent laws
regulating borrowing for industrial parks. With an
option deadline looming, the leaders had to come up
with creative ways to pay for the just over 500 acres.
According to the mayor the total purchase price is
just over $1.9 million. (We’ve been reporting about
$1.7m)
Banks said he thinks the city might
widen Windrow Road for about a mile south of the
bypass “sometime pretty soon.” He said he “envisions”
the roadwork to “look a lot like the bypass.”
Right now there are no immediate
prospects for the park, though Banks and Chamber
Director Joe Ing say there have been at least eight
prospects since the first of the year that have passed
stopping here because of the lack of available
industrial sites.
No word yet on how county government
plans to finance its half of the purchase, but county
commissioners have given county Mayor Franklin Smith
permission to go ahead with the deal.
Farmers market?
In a mostly casual conversation,
Mayor Webb Banks and others at the October 25 meeting
say there is interest in using the old Sonic Drive In
as a farmer’s market. Apparently there is a private
investor eyeing the property for the purpose. The old
Sonic is located just east of the square.
Leaders and City Planning commission
to address portable sign ordinance
The city’s sign ordinance is a hot
topic these days. Specifically the use of portable
signs, especially those with flashing lights. Most are
in violation of city ordinance. The sign rules limit
the use of portable signs both in the amount of time
they can be used and the way they are lit. Lights are
illegal.
At the October 25 city board meeting
Alderman John Simmons said the signs are unsightly and
a nuisance. There are a number of Brownsville
businesses in violation, and the city has been getting
complaints.
The signs were also a big topic at
the planning board’s regular monthly meeting on the
same day. Mayor Webb Banks said the ordinance is on
the books but it hasn’t been enforced. And right now
it’s still not being enforced awaiting further study
by the planning commission. The commission decided to
appoint a seven-member study group to look into the
issue.
Haywood County’s unemployment rate
drops slightly
The unemployment picture in Haywood
County improved – slightly – in September. The
September unemployment rate is 7.2%, down a tenth of a
percent from last month but 1.6% lower than a year
ago.
Other county rates of interest:
Hardeman 6.3%, Lauderdale at 6.1, Fayette at 6%,
Crockett 5.5%, and Tipton 4.9%.
Fall Fest 2007 a
huge success
Fall Fest 2007 was a huge success
with thousands of people attending the downtown event
on October 20. More than 85 vendors participated, and
the stage was full of entertainment throughout the
day. These pictures are worth a 1,000 words.
Click here for more pictures
County Commission approves new
industrial park land purchase
When the county commission met
Monday, October 15,
Haywood County Commissioners gave
County Mayor Franklin Smith permission to execute
documents necessary to purchase 506 acres of farmland.
The property, purchased from four landowners, will be
converted to an industrial park.
The new park will border Windrow
Road on the east boundary and the CSX Railroad on the
west. The south property line extends about one mile
south of the north property line at the bypass. Owners
of the property include Dewayne Hendrix, Ricky
Hollingshead, William Howse and Tommy Timbes.
The Brownsville Industrial Board
will purchase the property with city and county
governments guaranteeing repayment of loans or other
indebtedness.
Mayor Smith said government would
pay an average price of $3977.23 per acre. The total
is $1,777,824.
At last week’s city board meeting
Mayor Webb Banks said the development of the park
would, eventually, cost an estimated $9 million.
Leaders have been looking for more
industrial property because the industrial park on the
east side of Brownsville is full.
Smith said governments don’t have
“any immediate prospects” but the shortage of
available industrial sites means Haywood County is
being overlooked by prospects.
The 500-acre-plus tract is
attractive because of access to major roads and the
railroad. Exactly how governments will fund the
purchase is unclear but the deals will be closed by
mid-November, likely with short-term bank financing.
Justice complex location
Could the criminal justice complex
be located in the old Wal-Mart building on East Main
Street? Some county commissioners, including budget
chairman Allen King expressed support for the idea.
County officials and project
managers plan to begin an immediate search for land
suitable for the jail and associated offices expected
to include the sheriff’s office and the courts.
At Tuesday night’s county commission
meeting King and others suggested the Wal-Mart
location might be a good one.
Jail Committee Chairman Brad Bishop
said, “It’s all going to hinge on fair market value of
the building and the cost of conversion.”
A consultant hired by the county has
estimated the cost of the complex at $12 million.
Bishop told county commissioners the
schedule for the project anticipates site selection by
the end of November, bid completion by the end of
April 2008 and conclusion of construction “22 to 24”
months later.
Mayor Smith spent time describing
and commenting on an anonymous letter most county
commissioners received. The letter is critical of
government’s work so far on the justice center
project, and especially about the selection of the
Southfield group of architects and construction
managers. Smith called the letter writer a “coward”
and, point-by-point called the writer’s assertions
inaccurate.
In other business
- Commissioners confirmed the
appointment of Dr. Clarice White and Ashley Dancy to
the county planning commission.
- Received information about
proposed changes to the Flood Hazard Districts.
Commissioners will be asked to act on the changes in
November.
- Heard a presentation from Hayden
Hooper on a proposed $250,000 handicapped accessible
park. The park is proposed to be located in
Volunteer Park.
Parades are on
City board members approved a plan
suggested by Mayor Webb Banks at its October 9 meeting
requiring parade permits be issued only after parade
sponsors obtain insurance.
The rule is simple. If the
organization already has insurance that covers the
parade, they must name the city as an additional
insured. If they don’t have insurance they must buy a
policy.
Banks says estimates he’s obtained
suggest the parade policy will cost a little over
$300. The city bought insurance for the upcoming fall
fest and it cost $307.
As for the roadblock fundraisers,
Banks says there is a state law protecting
municipalities from liability in those cases.
We have two upcoming parades. The
homecoming parade will require the schools to buy the
policy, and City Clerk Jerry Taylor said the rescue
squad, organizers of the Christmas Parade, plan on
buying insurance.
New site will welcome industrial
prospects
A new industrial park seems pretty
close to a done-deal. Mayor Webb Banks told aldermen
Tuesday he and county officials are trying to figure
out how to finance the near $1.9 million purchase of
nearly 500 acres located south of the bypass. Windrow
Road borders the east boundary – the railroad the
west. The city and county have options on the property
that expire in mid-November.
Banks said Tuesday planners say the
park may ultimately cost $9 million to develop, but
the mayor says it will be developed as industry
locates here. The purchase will likely be financed
with bank debt or bonds.
The mayor says access to the park
will be from Windrow Road. He expects Windrow to be
widened from the bypass to the south property line,
which is about 9-tenths of a mile from the bypass.
Traffic would then be routed back to the bypass.
Group dreaming of new park
A local group of citizens led by
Hayden Hooper wants to develop a $250,000 handicapped
accessible park to be located in Volunteer Park.
The new facility will be “all
inclusive” meaning it’s ideal as a play-place for all
kids but will be handicapped accessible.
Socially, Hooper told the city
board, it means kids with varying degrees of
disability and kids without disability get to play
together.
The design also includes Haywood
County historical tidbits including a color-coded map
of the county with relevant landmarks.
How to pay? Hooper hopes to raise a
lot of the money privately.
For more information or to make a donation, contact
Hayden Hooper at 772-3031 or Goldie Harwell at
772-9340, or mail a donation to P. O. Box 1091,
Brownsville, TN 38012.
Grant request in to expand sewer
service
The city has applied for a $750,000
infrastructure grant to expand sewer services to
Haywood Company. City Board members approved the
application Tuesday night.
Mayor Webb Banks says the project
will provide the necessary sewer services for an
expansion Haywood Company plans that will add about 50
new jobs.
Brownsville Utility will provide
matching cash needed to obtain the grant.
Board discusses horses and property
zone
Equestrian events will likely be
approved for any property zoned General Commercial in
Brownsville.
The city board approved first
reading of a recommendation sent to them by the
planning board allowing equestrian events in the
zones.
The change comes as the result of a
proposal by developers who want to put a horse track
on property located on the bypass near Jefferson
Street.
The measure must pass second reading
and a public hearing next month.
City to expand Delta Heritage Center
The city of Brownsville recently
received a TDOT Enhancement grant for $470,000 with a
$99,000 match from local government. The grant will be
used to construct a 5,200 square foot addition to be
used as a West Tennessee Conference Center. Pictured
during the presentation in Nashville are: State
Senator John Wilder, Governor Phil Bredesen,
Brownsville Mayor Webb Banks, Department of
Transportation Commissioner Gerald Nicely, and Chamber
of Commerce Director Joe Ing.
City Mayor Webb Banks and Chamber of
Commerce Director Joe Ing traveled to Nashville
recently for the presentation of a $470,000 Tennessee
Department of Transportation Enhancement grant. Local
government will supply a match of $99,000. The grant
will be used to build a 5200 square foot addition on
the south side of the West Tennessee Delta Heritage
Center at I-40 and Highway 76.
Currently the center offers video
presentations for visitors to watch during their
visit. However, because of the popularity of the
Center in showcasing many towns and industries in West
Tennessee, there is no auditorium-type room for the
visitors to sit and enjoy the video. The addition will
include an auditorium/conference room to seat
approximately 100-150 people. The Center will also be
able to accommodate conference sessions or lectures
related to certain tours in the area. The facilities
may be used by organizations in the public, private,
and government sector thus becoming a West Tennessee
Convention Center.
The addition will not only help to
better accommodate visitors, but also make the Welcome
Center more visible to the Interstate traveler.
Currently the Welcome Center is located at the end of
a cove. A Welcome Center sign, located on Highway 76
at the exit ramp, captures the traveler’s attention
but visibility of the center is unclear. This
extension of the building, complete with “old
Southern” columns at the rear exterior facing Sunny
Hill Drive, will make it more visible from the Welcome
Center sign that is located on Sunny Hill Drive just
off Highway 76.
General Manager of Brownsville
Utilities to retire
John Sharpe, Sr., General
Manager of the Brownsville Utilities Department,
announced his retirement plans at a utilities board
meeting Tuesday, October 2. Sharpe is retiring on
January 1after more than 40 years of service with the
department. The board immediately voted to fill the
position that will be vacated by Sharpe’s retirement,
selecting Regie Castellaw, who has been employed with
Brownsville Utilities since 1981.