Tourism gets boost with Civil War grant
The Sumner County Commission voted 22-1 Monday on second and final reading of Resolution 1112-01 to abolish the position of constable. Commissioner Moe Taylor of Westmoreland was the lone no vote. Taylor had stood with the constables throughout the months-long debate as being a valuable resource to the more rural communities in north Sumner County. The meeting was quiet in comparison to recent meetings. No constable, police chief, or district attorney was observed, much less rose to speak on the topic. No one from the public spoke for or against the measure.
Those who are currently serving as constables will continue to serve until the expiration of their duly elected terms in August 2012. They retain their current law enforcement powers until then as well. The Commission stripped any constables elected in the future of law enforcement powers at the December meeting on second and final reading before moving to abolish the positions on first reading.
The names of those who filed petitions to run for constable positions in the March 6, 2012, County Primary will now have their names removed from the ballot, according to Administrator of Elections Lori Atchley, because the positions will no longer exist. To comply with federal law, Atchley had been advised by the State Election Commission to send the absentee military ballots by the Jan. 21 deadline with the constable positions listed. A letter explained that, if the positions were abolished, a vote for constable would not be counted. Twenty-two requests for absentee military ballots came in: 14 by mail and eight by email.
Tourism boost from Civil War Sesquicentennial
Grant money keeps rolling in to help Sumner County exploit the potential for a historic draw at the Douglas-Clark House complex and five nearby counties. An 80-20 federal-local matching Civil War Preservation Grant appropriation of $121,485 for an Interpretive Center received approval in a 20-3 vote on Resolution 1201-10. Commissioners Paul Goode, David Kimbrough, and David Satterfield cast no votes. The matter had been pulled off of the Consent Agenda at the request of doubtful members over the “up to $21,497 for matching funds” wording.
County Executive Anthony Holt explained that Sumner County had that as the maximum matching amount exposure based on what other counties did. Robertson County has already approved funding. Participating counties will have a smaller interpretive exhibit located in their counties and the main transportation exhibit will be at the Douglass-Clark House. The exhibit will give particular focus on how troops were moved during the War.
“For every county that participates, our match will be less,” stated Holt. The six counties involved in the Cumberland Valley Civil War Heritage Area Transportation Enhancement Grant are Sumner, Robertson, Macon, Smith, Trousdale, and Wilson. The other five counties are each being asked to pony up $2,800. If the other four join Robertson by approving it this month, Sumner County’s match would be $10,297. Each county would contribute three to five artifacts. The hub at the main exhibit at Douglass-Clark House would direct visitors to the other five counties and relevant sites.
The measure had been recommended out of Budget Committee two weeks earlier despite some members stating their belief it should more properly be called a War of Northern Aggression Grant. Southern pride, however, did not keep commissioners from accepting $97,188 in grant money from the federal government.
With Commissioner Chris Hughes voting no, the commission also approved in a 22-1 vote Resolution 1201-03 to accept the low bid for a tree planting grant at the historic Douglass-Clark House. County Grant Administrator Kim DeRenard has been working on getting just the right trees in the area. Before the commission meeting, the Financial Management Committee had recommended acceptance of the low bid of $7,300 from Scapes, LLC. The 53 trees include eight yellow wood, nine Yoshino cherry, 12 Eastern red cedar, eight October glory red maple, four ‘Legacy’ sugar maple, and 12 white oak trees.
In other matters
The commission approved 21-1, with Commissioner Trisha LeMarbre voting no and Paul Freels abstaining, Resolution 1201-14 that contains a new four-year contract between the county and Finance Director David Lawing beginning March 1. The employment agreement is for $102,700 annually with the same benefit package as county employees. County employee raises shall increase his pay accordingly.
The commission held a public hearing on a zoning change for Wayne Bandy regarding rezoning 5.06 acres from Agriculture to Commercial C-3 PUD at 101 Sunshine Lane in Portland. No one spoke. The commission then unanimously approved Resolution 1201-01 to rezone the property. It also held a public hearing to amend the 2035 Comprehensive Plan. No one spoke. The commission then approved Resolution 1201-02 in a 22-0 vote with Comm. Jerry Stone abstaining.
The commission approved on Consent Agenda Resolution 1201-08 to appropriate $133,499 in pass-through funds for the Station Camp Greenway. The Consent Agenda passed 22-0 with Comm. Jo Skidmore not pushing a button.
Comm. Bob Pospisil was absent from the meeting.
by Jesse Hughes |
