I have mentioned several times the contributions that several have made to our downtown renovation and revitalization project. Every single contribution is greatly appreciated and I want to be sure to take the time and space to again thank all of those who are helping and making offers of help. There is no way that the project can succeed without such assistance from our citizens, businesses and organizations.
W.H. Bowliin, John Paul and Marvin Morgan, Danny Blankenship, John Mays, Charles Bruce, Jr. and Wanda Bruce, Russell Edwards and numerous others have made major donations of time, labor and money that have greatly increased the value of our city owned property (including the Veterans' Park Annex and the new Library/Office of Tourism) that has been cost free to the city of Jellico.
And they have created an area where we hope to eventually sponsor entertainment and events that will help attract our citizens back to the downtown area.
I hope that everyone will take the time to express their appreciation to those individuals as well as to all the others that I have been listing each week in this column who have contributed time, money and labor.
We had hoped to have all Fourth of July activities downtown this year to include the featured entertainment. However we were prevented from doing so by contractual agreement that the entertainment already scheduled for the new stage. And traffic control was also a major concern.
However we hope to develp some solutions to those problems before next year. We want to have as many attractions in the downtown as possible - to include regular weekends as well as the Fourth of July.
Ronnie Dabney has offered to obtain and organize voluntary entertainment acts to perform on our new stage on Friday and Saturday evenings as long as weather permits. And Mrs. Bessie Steely wants to organize an "Old Jellico Night" sometime this summer and ask our business places to stay open until 10:00 PM or so on that night.
I like both ideas and we will begin to develop them as soon as the Fourth of July activities are completed.
Joann Watts and the Tourism Commission have prepared an outstanding lineup of activities for the Fourth of July weekend (Friday, July 2nd and Saturday, July 3rd). The theme this year is "Catch the spirit - celebrate two anniversaries". Not only is it our country's birthdate but it is also the Jellico Community Hospital's twenty-fifth year of serving our community.
And the hospital will be providing several activities including some designed to entertain our youngest citizens. We certainly appreciate the hospital staff's contribution toward making this a very memorable Fourth of July celebration.
My comments advising everyone that we will not have cover from the sun led hospital personnel to offer to issue complimentary sun screen that day as another contribution from JCH.
But other kinds of protection may be desired and as I have stated several times previously, some type of seating will be advisable, E.G., folding lawnchairs, etc.
AgainI want to remind everyone that the Tourism Commission would like to have an "Antique and/or Old Cars and Trucks Show" this year. If you have such a vehicle that you are willing to display, please contact Mrs. Watts at 784-3275. We may not have many this year but the presence of some vehicles may attract more owners in future years.
We have several projects underway downtown that we hope to have completed by July 2nd although that may not be possible with all of them, E.G., filling Veterans' Park Annex; construction of the stage, placement of the community bulletin board; placement of the historical plaque on the new building; placement of the Tennessee Historical Commission marker, "Kirby Smith Invade Kentucky", etc. (We have already completed the lowering of the gas lamps in front of the new building and the fill area and stage are completed or nearing completion).
We will be working toward raising the money for the metal lettering for the new building and also for the construction of the public rest rooms near the new stage. Dr. M.L. Angel has committed a $300.00 donation to one of those projects and Campbell County Commissioner Foster Baird has indicated that he hopes to obtain $1,000.00 in Campbell County funds that will be designated specifically for the "Jellico Downtown Renovation Project". (The funds were offered to help pay for the new awnings but I told Commissioner Baird that we would place the money on some other beneficial project).
Mrs. Lyn Creekmore Cox has ordered two Dogwoods on behalf of the Creekmore family. The trees will be placed in front of Bill's Dollar Store (old Creekmore Grocery Store) in memory of parents Dick and Lib Creekmore and Grandparents Ves and Jessie Creekmore.
The Jellico City Council three years ago granted permission to local veterans to utilize the caboose in the park. But that has nevr taken place and a number of veterans that are active in patriotic activities do not feel that we have the resources or the number of required people to assume another project. As pointed out by one veteran, local veterans already maintain the memorial in the park, place flags on the graves of deceased veterans in local cemeteries, participate in funerals for deceased veterans, provide color guards for various activities, etc.
We have had discussions with another community organization - our Jellico Rescue Squad - about the possibility of utilizing the caboose as a permanent concession stand. Should that possibility work out, it would enable the squad to serve thepeople that we hope to attract downtown every weekend and also to raise money to be used by the squad in serving our community.
And if the Rescue Squad requests, and is granted, permission to use the caboose for that purpose, we have asked members to add a deck on to the front and to place tables there with awnings as an added attraction. It could possibly be an advantageous situation for both the squad and the downtown area.
I have had several merchants and businesses to mention how much they appreciate the notes left by police officers during the evenings and nights as they make their rounds. Two have even come to City Hall to express their thanks.
Nothing done by the officers can prevent every crime from occurring but it is good to know that they are checking as they make their rounds and leaving evidence of those checks.
Elizabeth had numerous Jellico sponsors and she made our entire community very proud.
Elizabeth is the daughter of Bruce and Romona Marples Perkins and the granddaughter of Ed and Betty Perkins and Charles and Nina Marples.
I reported last week that we are receiving contacts from out of town and out of state from people expressing an interest in the possibility of moving to Jellico. And this past week we were contacted by a lady from Goshen, Indiana inquiring about a possible residence.
Hopefully our Fourth of July activities will bring in many visitors and have the same afffect in that respect as the Memorial Day Weekend had upon several who have called within the past few days to request information about Jellico.
I have talked to Mr.Charley Taylor, Supervisor at Taylor Manufacturing, and he says that he will again begin working two days a week on the building on South Main Street that Taylor plans to utilize as an office/conference room.
Tom Barclay is making very visible progress on the old Family Drug Store building and we are looking forward to the time when it is completely renovated into his law office.
Mr. Russell Edwards says that he is working on several other projects at the present time but plans to soon begin work to renovate the old "Mary's Kitchen". He also plans to begin work on the "Used Treasures Building" as soon as he can have a sale and clear all items from that structure.
We have had people from out of town to periodically inquire about the availability of buildings in the downtown area as possible sites for the placement of new businesses.
And hopefully what we are doing in the downtown will help in attracting those businesses.
Tourism Director Joann Watts is getting inquiries from people expressing an interest in using our new building conference room for meetings, workshops, reunions, etc.
At the time of writing of this article, we did not yet have tables, chairs, etc. for the conference room but we are in the process of acquiring them.
We will need to establish policies for use of the building to include fees, care, cleaning up, etc. Other similiar buildings around the area charge $ 20.00 per hour to cover expenses.
The Church of God of the Mountain Assembly has scheduled its annual assembly for August 9-14, 1999. That event brings visitors to our town each year from several states and foreign countries.
I addressed the opening session last year and emphasized that the history of that church runs virtually parallel to the history of our town. After its founding on Ryans Creek, Kentucky in 1906, it was soon moved to Jellico where it has remained for all these years. And it has grown from a single congregation to an organizaiton with churches located in a good part of this country and with missions located in numerous foreign countries.
The Church of God of the Mountain Assembly is an important part of our town's heritage and we are glad that church officials have made a long term committment to keeping its headquarters in Jellico. Many much larger towns and cities would gladly welcome that organization should it ever decide to relocate.
This column was written prior to Thursday night's regular monthly meeting of the City Council so no report is included. Most items on the agenda were of a fairly routine nature other than the problems we are experiencing with the final draft of the waste water treatment facility and approving grants and/or grant proposals that require matching funds.
I continuously mention people who take the time to express their appreciation for what is presently taking place in our downtown and also for my reporting events in this column.
I try to remember them all but sometimes I simply fail to do so and I sure don't want to leave anyone out. However I do very sincerely appreciate every single one.
I recently attended a meeting dealing with an entirely different subject but all those in attendance seemed very interested in discussing what has already taken place in the downtown and what additional plans we have for develpments in the future.
The number of people who have commented favorably on the new building has really been surprising. I almost never hear a negative comment concerning that facility. I also remind everyone that the new building would not be possible without the help of the former Mayor and some members of that Council, the Jellico Hospital and some members of the present Council.
But it has been even more surprising to talk to everyone about the Veterans Park Annex and the new stage that is being constructed. It is really a topic of interest and conversation.
It is a great feeling to know that so many people are becoming interested in what we are doing toward renovating and revitalizing our downtown and I hope that the number will continue to grow.
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