June 30, 2006
JELLICO NEWS / MAYOR'S COLUMN
I visited the Rarity Mountain site again last week, talked with Rarity Consultant Ryan Spurgeon and was given a briefing on current developments in that area. Following that meeting I attended the meeting of the Campbell County Joint Economic and Community Development Board (JECDB) Executive Committee consisting of all mayors in Campbell County. That meeting in turn was followed by a meeting of the entire JECD Board that includes business and other community leaders.
I questioned progress on our Jellico City Council's request for a reconvening of the Campbell County Public Law 1101 Committee leading to the inclusion of all Rarity Mountain within our Urban Growth Plan approved several months ago. I pointed out that our approved Jellico plan had always included all of the development but that a good portion had been left out of the final state approved plan. However Colonel Tom Stiner, former Campbell County Chief Executive who served as the Chairman of the Tennessee Public Law 1101 Committee, agreed with me that it was the intention of everyone on all levels to include all of Rarity Mountain within the original Jellico Urban Growth Plan and he promised to check out the situation. In the meantime, the Campbell County Mayor's office researched the issue. They were informed that we must go back through the process to add on the additional land - and that office has already begun the required procedure. (Any sales taxes from businesses existing in a newly annexed area - must by law - for fifteen years, go the county in which the annexed area is located. But as I understand the law, such revenues form businesses that start up following annexation go to the annexing municipality - which could possibly enable us to provide the required services to Rarity Mountain since no businesses presently exist there.)
It was also announced that a firm in Michigan is looking for a particular sized industrial building in which to locate. And it appears that our former Taylor Manufacturing Building is (pardon the pun), "Taylor made" to meet those specifications. Representatives of that firm hopefully will visit our Jellico Industrial Park sometime in mid to late July to check out that building.
And we again discussed the dangerous situation existing with our Jellico Interstate-75 Interchange as well as similar problems in other county towns. Attempts will again be made by the Board to obtain lighting from the Tennessee Highway Department for the Jellico, Caryville and Lake City Interchanges as well as getting some vegetative growth removed based upon the safety factor. (Although the JECDB is not actively involved in the drive to get something done concerning our Interchange situation, we also need to keep collecting signatures on the petition calling for state action in the matter. It is essential that we receive state assistance to ever correct the problem.)
The favorable comments continue to come in concerning our recent Classic Car Show. One fellow in Williamsburg who did not display his vehicle this year said that he greatly regretted being unable to participate due to a conflict with his work schedule. But he said that all of the accounts that he had received concerning the event were extremely complimentary.
The show improves with each passing year and has the potential to grow into something of even greater interest all over our region. And Tourism Director Jake Bennett and the Tourism Commission are working hard to make it such an outstanding activity that it will draw more and more folks to Jellico - both to display and to view the wide variety of vehicles.
Master of Ceremonies for the show, Charlie "Rooster" Napier, who travels all over an extremely wide area in Kentucky, Tennessee and other states, calls our show one of the best organized and conducted such shows anywhere. And he says that he now has other towns using Jake's slogan for tourism, "Putting heads in (local motels) beds!" That is a pretty catchy phrase!
Albert "Porky" Buck has shown me a sketch of the fronts planned for the remaining two buildings at the corner of North Main and Fourth Street to be performed once the renovations to the interior of those two structures is completed. When completed they are going to add greatly to the appearance of our downtown. And as I told Porky, the work that they have done in that area has sure been a most welcome addition to our downtown renovation and revitalization project. And I (as one of many in our town) are looking forward to seeing the finished product.
In that same light, I have previously mentioned that several deteriorating area properties are being cleared and improved and that is good news. We appreciate all property owners joining in our drive to improve the appearance of our entire town including those responsible for the improvements being made at the corner of South Main and North Myrtle Street. And others are joining in as well!
The singing this Friday night, June 30th in Veterans Park starting at 6:00 PM and sponsored by WJJT Radio as a benefit for the station, will have some outstanding groups that record for the "Sims Label" - including Steve Warren who presently has the Number 21 recording on the list of top 40 gospel hits. A Master of Ceremonies will come from Nashville for this very special program.
There will be no admission charge! Concessions will be available! A raffle may be conducted!
IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE OUR FREEDOM - AND REMEMBER OUR VETERANS AND OUR ACTIVE AND RESERVE MILITARY FORCES THAT HAVE PURCHASED OUR LIBERTY AT SUCH A TREMENDOUS COST. SO LET'S ALL GET OUT THOSE AMERICAN FLAGS AND GET THEM FLYING! AND HERE'S HOPING THAT OUR RESIDENCES AND BUSINESSES WILL SUPPORT OUR TROOPS AS THEY HAVE DONE IN THE PAST BY CREATING BEAUTIFUL AND MEANINGFUL PATRIOTIC WINDOW DECORATIONS, ETC.
Everyone is reminded that sites for booths, exhibits, concessions, etc. for our Independence Day Celebration can be claimed in the Park starting at 6:00 PM this Sunday, July 2nd. For any who may not have seen my notes last week I am repeating the schedule for the activities for both Monday, July 3rd and Tuesday, July 4th
The fireworks as always will start at 10:00 PM. Our city employees who do such a great job with the firing have undergone the proper training, received the required firing permits and have everything in place for the expanded grand finale. Now let's all pray for good weather!
As mentioned last week, Derrick Brown has apparently worked out arrangements to have the especially equipped emergency vehicle here for the Fourth that is stationed in Louisville, Kentucky. It should be an item of great interest.
The "Bearz and Friends Workshop" will be held both Monday and Tuesday between the hours of 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM. It's a lot of fun and all proceeds that are raised from the activity will go for a good purpose. (Contact person for information is Deana Barton at 784-1289 or 1265.)
And a reminder that the Jellico Ministerial Association will have a booth this year.
Although all the emphasis right now is - and should be - upon the Fourth of July, Jake Bennett's first Jellico Tractor & Engine Show scheduled for Saturday, August 26th as part of our "Downtown Day" is drawing surprising interest. I have already had three individuals to mention it to me. As the publicity flyer states, there will be no contest involved and of course no winners or losers - hopefully just interesting displays and a lot of lookers.
The activities that special day will celebrate the progress we are making in our town and we will also have music, concessions, etc. that will run until 10:00 PM that evening.
I recently had an interesting conversation with Jellico Community Hospital Administrator Mr. David Butler. Mr. Butler says the hospital intends to become much more visible and involved in Jellico in the future and that's great news.
The Jellico Community Hospital is an extremely important part of our town and our area and we need to be working in close cooperation with each other for the betterment of both.
My recent mention in these notes of Lawrence "Big Doug" Douglas led Raymond "Pete" Petrey to recall that his father had gone on to play professional baseball with Douglas. As I have often written, the amateur baseball played in this area was once so good that teams traveled from as far away as Cincinnati just so they could say that they had played Jellico.
Things have just never been the same since the demise of that great baseball and all that we have left is our high school team and the Old Timer participants to help keep the memory alive.
Want to see a very interesting photo from Jellico's past? Then stop in First Volunteer Bank and look at a photo made on North Main Street sometime probably around 1948 or so. Newberry's Five and Dime Store, one of the most popular businesses ever in Jellico, is pictured as well as the Union Café that later moved to the site of the present day Rite Aid Pharmacy.
Several individuals are standing in front of both business places. And like all old photos that we see, it drives us crazy trying to identify the individuals that we well recall having seen in our younger days but due to the ravages of Father Time upon our memory banks - cannot think of their names to save us. But you might want to test your own memory! Good luck if you do!
E-mail me at: mayor@jellico.tn.us
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