A few weeks ago I reported in this column that our Director of Utilities, Mrs. Cheryl Tidwell, has been working closely with officials representing the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA); the State of Tennessee; the State of Kentucky; and Whitley County, Kentucky as well as Campbell County, Tennessee. Mrs. Tidwell has been preparing a contingency plan for providing utilities to a proposed industrial development site to be located somewhere in southern Whitley County.
Although nothing has been definitely decided, no commitments made and no financing promised to this point, the prospects do look very good for such a development.
Mrs. Tidwell, City Administrator Mike Jones, Planning Commission Chairman Roy Price, Tourism Director Joann Watts and I, attended a meeting to discuss that possibility at the Cumberland Inn, Williamsburg, on Wednesday, April 28th.
Also invited, and in attendance, were representatives from Whitley County, Campbell County (both public and private), Bell County, Cumberland College and the office of Kentucky Congressman Hal Rogers.
The meeting agenda was prepared and presented by a staff of high echelon officials at TVA. To emphasize the level of support for the proposed project, Mr. William Kennoy, one of the two present directors of TVA attended and made the opening remarks. (Three directors are authorized but President Clinton has yet to fill the vacancy).
According to Director Kennoy one of TVA's original goals when created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was to develop the entire Tennessee Valley and its surrounding areas. But the land lying between Jellico Mountain and Williamsburg is a "golden corridor of potential that has somehow fallen between the cracks when development has been occuring. TVA is now going to take a serious look at this 'golden corridor' with an eye toward future development."
The timing is ripe for such a push since both United States Senators from Tennessee and Kentucky are expected to favor the initiative; both State Governors have expressed their strong support; local Congressmen Hal Rogers (KY) and Van Hillary (TN) are strong proponents; and Congressman Rogers and Tennessee Governor Don Sundquist remain very close friends - helping to pull the two states together for a project located near the state line. (Congressman Rogers is to be married in the Tennessee Governor's mansion).
Such an overwhelmingly favorable situation may never occur again. And an even more ideal situation might develop if Rogers assumes the chairmanship of the "Energy and Water Committee" in the House of Representatives.
Another top TVA official pointed out that we have almost everything required for industrial development located well within our immediate area: an interstate highway; a U.S. highway; state routes; two railroads; a river with numerous tributaries; a projected air strip for southern Whitley County; all utilities; sufficient (although limited) level land; available labor force; etc., etc.
TVA Technical Services has surveyed Whitley County and identified four possible sites. At least two are fairly close to Jellico.
The TVA officials pointed out that the best way for the two states to cooperate in the development would be for Tennessee to bear the cost of providing road access to the site, with Kentucky bearing the cost of developing the chosen property.
(I reported in an earlier article that Joe Brown, Director of the Jellico Housing Authority, and I attended the Lincoln Day dinner in Corbin, Kentucky. Tennessee Governor Sundquist gave the address at that annual affair and he appeared pleased that the city of Jellico was represented. He had Congressman Rogers to recognize me during the program).
Note: Although the main access road to the site would be tied to our interstate interchange, many of the potential employees would possibly live in and around Jellico - bringing them through our downtown twice daily and giving us another boost toward revitalizing our downtown. And businesses located downtown would have a potential source of new customers.
Some possible industries mentioned for consideration for future recruitment to the site include miscellaneous plastics; automotive parts; relays and industrial controls; and the manufacture of mobile homes.
When questioned as to the best approach toward attracting industry to an area, the TVA presentor gave the usual suggestions. However he stated that the best attraction for prospective relocations is for a community to "Just get up and do something". We have some catching up to do in that area although we are beginning to make a significant effort.
But Jellico is well ahead of the game in another respect. Several of those in attendance at the meeting seemed genuinely surprised that Jellico has such a very comprehensive site on the internet (thanks to Interstate 2000).
After the meeting concluded, Jellico representatives had ample opportunity to talk with TVA and other officials in attendance.
It was made clear to me that we have several very strong points toward securing this project for our immediate area. Among those are the previously mentioned political situation and the availability of required transportation facilities, adequate level land, etc.; we are located on the Tennessee/Kentucky border which will facilitate a joint effort between the two states; we are presently expanding our water purification plant and our waste water treatment facility; we have a good, reliable source of electric power furnished by TVA; and unquestonably TVA officials were very pleased with the prospects of working in cooperation with the Jellico Electric System.
(Should the industrial site become reality - and the chances seem very good that it will - we will owe Mrs. Tidwell our thanks for all the hard work she has done that created such a favorable impression).
And Mr. David Cooper, President of the Campbell County Chamber of Commerce, told me that the improvements made in Jellico over the past year have become a topic of discussion not only during county-wide meetings, but during regional meetings as well. (In fact, he said later that they were discussed at a state meeting in Nashville). I pass that compliment on to all those who are helping to bring about a change in the appearance of our downtown as an encouragement to stay at the task. Our work is starting to have a very positive effect.
The same group of representatives from Jellico, as well as Councilman Alan McClary, attended a meeting in LaFollette on Thursday, May 6, 1999. That meeting had representatives from communities, organizations, county and city governments, federal and state governments, banks and developers.
Developers Mike Ross, assisted by Darrell Akins, gave an overview of "the reserve on Jellico Mountain". That proposed development will depend upon approval and construction of an interchange somewhere near the 155 mile-marker of Interstate-75. The project cannot continue without the approval and construction of that interchange.
If the project does develop, it is expected to begin within one year to eighteen months and to be completed in the year 2014. The development is projected to have convention style motels; restaurants; two golf courses (public and private); "weekend/seasonal" type homes in phase I and 1,000 single family homes constructed during a second phase; an antique mall; structures for "collectibles", etc. The area would have a national and/or state"parks" theme.
According to Ross and Akins, about 6,200 temporary jobs would be created and 300 permanent jobs. Revenue paid to Campbell County during the first 15 years would total twenty-five million dollars to be followed by two million and one hundred thousand dollars each year thereafter.
This meeting was designed solely as an introduction to the proposed project and more meetings will be scheduled in the near future to inform all concerned parties of current developments/progress.
The painting of the caboose in Veterans Park sure brightnened things up there. (Clyde Whitaker is a member of the "Railroad Preservation Society" and he plans to gather historical data pertaining to the caboose. A plaque might be placed on the structure to indicate its year and place of construction, years of service, etc., etc.)
Mr. Arnold Musick and Mr. Bill Partin have begun preliminary work on the permanent stage donated by Mr. W.H. Bowlin that we hope to have ready by July 4th.
While I was helping to paint the Tschudy building, Mr. Marvin Morgan stopped and asked me what I needed done as part of my downtown renovation project. I told him that I had committed to fill in and level the property that the city had purchased as an annex to Veterans Park.
Marvin and his brother John Paul assured me that "Morgan Brothers Construction" would not only do the filling but would do all the required grading as well - all at no cost to the city of Jellico.
Mrs. Irene Douglas and her son John David donated a large Dogwood for the park and offered to provide more if desired. Mr. and Mrs. Ted Alsip have offered to contribute to our upcoming drive to raise funds for the public rest rooms and/or lettering for the new building.
The paint job on the Tschudy property definitely improved the looks of that corner. And I want to be sure to mention the girl scouts for the work they did on the lawn in front of the Mountain Womens' Exchange Center.
After the work is completed on the First State Bank Building, the Methodist Church, "Used Treasures" building, "Johns New and Used Furniture", possibly the old "Mary's Kitchen" and the awnings, lettering and "Community Bullitin Board: are added to the library/office of tourism/community conference room, we will have achieved our goal of making a significant improvement in that area by Memorial Day Weekend.
(The Methodist Church had a congregational "workday" scheduled for Saturday, May 8th after this column was written.)
Taylor Manufacturing is making progress on the building that they are renenovating for office space. That should greatly improve the appearance of South Main Street.
On North Main Street, Tom Barclay continues to work on the old Family Drug Store building that he is converting into a law office; the post office planted Dogwoods in front of that facility and the old Ford Motor company property was being cleared and leveled when the mid-week rains came and stopped the work.
In spite of the weather, George Hackler, Sr. was hopeful of getting the remaining work and painting done on the old First National Bank building by the end of the week. (Rocky Slover and his wife also did work on their house on Broad Street just behind North Main Street).
Jim Whitaker, Roscoe Hicks and others kept their trucks busy hauling as residents cleaned yards, garages, etc.
At our public meeting on Thursday, April 29th, several ideas were considered including possibly designating one Saturday each month for doing community improvements.
Derrick Brown made another suggestion worth consideration. I earlier announced that we were discussing the possibility of repairing and painting the entire metal awning on North Main Street using one color (probably "sand").
But Derrick mentioned that in some towns, the metal awnings have been veneered with decorative wood that presents the type of effect that we are attempting to create.
We will check out the feasibility of using wood before we definitely decide to paint.
We certainly did not get everything done last week that we had hoped to accomplish. The rainy weather that came in on Tuesdy night and lasted for the better part of three days had a lot to do with that fact.
But the week was scheduled just for special emphasis and was not an end unto itself. It was successful if it did nothing but create interest among our citizens. I hope that the work we started will continue right on through the summer (and throuhgout the year where interior repairs nd renovations are required).
The sad thing concerning last week's effort is the fact that some of the downtown deteriorated buildings - needing attention in the worst way - were not touched. Some ofthe owners say that they plan work on them later this summer and I hope that they follow through. Their participation is a necessity if we are to ever get the town again looking like we think it should look.
In the meantime, I want to thank everyone who did get involved, and are involved, in supporting the community effort in any way. I do appreciate all of their efforts to improve the appearance of our town.
I mentioned that some of those attending the meeting at Williamsburg on April 28th seemed very surprised to learn just how comprehensive our web sites are on the internet.
But Lisa Casey of Interstate 2000 is continuing to update our pages to include color photos of some of the things we have to offer in Jellico to prospective employers looking for possible relocation sites.
When I originally started this column, I had no way of knowing, with certainty, that it would catch on. I surely did not expect it to become anything like as popular as it apparently has become from all the comments I receive.
But Mr. John Mays has told me that I should have expected it because people are hungry for Jellico area news and I am providing them with Jellico area news.
And as long as people continue to enjoy this column, I will try to keep writing it.
A reader in LaFollette who takes it from the internet called me to say that he thinks I should expand my coverage even more. I had to tell him that I am already utilizing as much space as the staff at the Advance-Sentinel can spare. But it's a nice compliment.
Mrs. Casey has informed me that she has created a file on the basic website for readers of this column (and new readers as they learn of its existence and may want to catch up on back columns).
According to Mrs. Casey, copies will go back chronologically for several months and can be accessed by clicking on "archives".
I have also been told by another individual that he has started taping my weekly radio program and has them on file should they ever be needed for reference.
I appreciate his taking the time and trouble to record them. I never know when I or someone else may need to refer to an earlier program.
Some internet users report difficulty in accessing the Jellico High School alumni page from the Jellico High School page. However the alumni page can be accessed directly at: http://www.infophil.com/tennessee/alumni/jhs/
I stated last week that I plan to name and thank the individuals in one city department each week for the jobs they do for us. I had intended to list the members of the sanitation crew this week along with Mr. Randy Douglas. I will have to postpone the sanitation department until next week.
Mr. Randy Douglas is responsible for keeping all city vehicles and machinery operating and sometimes that borders on the near impossible.
I visited the shop recently only to find one garbage collection truck broken down and out of service; a mower that needed work; vehicles ready for servicing, and replacement parts ready for pick-up out-of-town. And Mr. Douglas was responsible for all of that.
I appreciate his efforts to keep everything serviceable and safe for city employees to operate.
We are stil tentatively planning our official open house for the new building for Memorial Day (May 31st). Hours will probably be 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM.
But again I want to emphasize that that date and time are very probable but still tenetative. We will make a definite announcement next week as to finalized plans for that event.
Final Note:
With all the negative publicity concerning acts committed by a miniscule percentage of our young people, I want to be sure to recognize and say "thank you" to members of the Jellico High School Student Council who gave up their Saturday (May 1st) to paint the caboose. (Aaron Lay, Brad Sharp, James Perkins, Ryan Williams, and Josh Sharp (Jellico Elementary School), along with Mr. Alan Miller, JHS teacher/sponsor).
President Aaron Lay is an extremely intelligent and highly motivated young man as are all of those students. Aaron stopped by my office when he first learned of our special "Clean-up, Paint-up, Fix-up Week". He told me that he had always heard people complain that our high school students have to leave Jellico to find employment almost immediately following their graduation from JHS. But he had not seen much being done to reverse that situation.
According to Aaron, if we improve Jellico's appearance enough, we may be able to make it attractive enough to interest prospective employers in locating here. And since I have started a drive to get some things accomplished, he and some other students want to help me.
If I had ever had any intentions of slowing down the pace I have been setting or succumbing to "burnout", Aaron's comments sure took care of that. And I am repeating them here in the hope that those who are actively trying to help me will be affected in the same way.
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