We are attempting to do several things during our four years in office and certainly one of our major objectives is to renovate and revitalize the downtown area. And we receive more favorable comment on what has been done in that area than on any other single thing that we are trying to accomplish. Several have told me that the town now looks the best that they can ever recall. But much more can be done!!
We must have the help and cooperation of property owners/business operators to complete the project and we have had the participation of a large majority. And work is currently going on that may not always be visible to passersby.
Tom Barclay continues to make progress on the interior of the Old Family Drug Store building on North Main Street; Taylor Manufacturing has just completed the construction of a deck on the rear of the building on South Main Street that is to be used as an office building after it is completely renovated; plans are apparently still proceeding for occupancy and utilization of the old Union Bank building; at least two small bussinesses have expressed an interest in renting or leasing the old "Used Treasures Building" and the old "Mary's Kitchen/Pool Room" after renovations; Jamie's Curtains will soon begin work on the city owned building on South Main Street; the Methodist Church is obtaining cost estimates toward possibly painting the exterior of the church; the Jellico Housing Authority has been clearing a lot on Fifth Street; donations have been committed to the Rescue Squad for work to be done on the caboose in Veterans Park; the Community Health and Development Team is considering purchasing seasonal banners for the downtown utility poles; and there are rumors of other possible developments that have not been confirmed.
But probably the best news concerning the downtown renovation project occured two weeks ago when the old "Firestone/Begliutti Building" was purchased by Wayne and Deana Barton. That structure certainly needs renovation but it also has great potential. And the Bartons are already in the process of cleaning up the area and developing ideas for its future restoration and utilization.
We are now down to only five or six buildings in the downtown that badly need exterior renovations although there are several that could use improvements. And many others probably need work on the interior. But we are making progress and we are going to keep working with cooperative property owners until the project is completed or our terms of office expire.
After measuring the streets that our Street Department identified as priorities for blacktopping, we found that the available money for contracting will probably run out long before the projected footage. In short, there simply may not be enough money to blacktop all the streets that we had initially hoped to do.
If that is indeed the situation, we will need to go back and eliminate some from the priorities list.
A popular movie of a few years ago, "Field of Dreams" had a much quoted line - "Build it and they will come". Of course that movie dealt with the Chicago Black Sox scandal of 1919 and the legendary Shoeless Joe Jackson.
But that is basically the line that I used when I asked W.H. Bowlin to pay the construction of a stage in Veterans Park Annex. I told him that I thought it would be an added attraction to draw people back to the downtown. He agreed!!
And so far we have both been right. The Fourth of July celebration and the "Saturday Nights in the Park" have drawn good crowds and we have other plans for utilizing the stage in the future.
A group that has previously performed in the park (Wagon Wheel Entertainment) has asked for tentative permission to utilize the stage on Tuesday, August 24th (7:00 PM - 11:00 PM).
Again I want to welcome everyone attending the 93rd annual convention/assembly of The Church of God, Mountain Assembly to Jellico.
And I want to remind everyone that the church will have a short parade at 1:30 PM on Wednesday, August 11th (McCombs Supply Co. on North Main Street to the Tabernacle on Florence Avenue).
The ceremonial "Driving of the First Nail" for a Habitat for Humanity home in Jellico was held at 9:00 AM on Monday, August 2nd. The house will be constructed within two weeks and the dedication is scheduled for 3:00 PM, Sunday, August 15th.
The City Council recently voted to donate a city owned lot to that organization for construction of a second Jellico home sometime in the future.
I want to thank Councilman Bill Barton for his work with Habitat for Humanity on behalf of the city of Jellico and as a citizen volunteer helping with the construction.
We have always heard our mothers and wives say that the house always needs to be presentable because you never know when company will drop in. And that was sure true two weeks ago at the home of my neighbors on Adams Lane.
Joe Overton and his family got more than a surprise when they looked out a rear window of their house and saw a black bear come out of the woods and enter their back yard. And he apparently was in no big hurry to leave - staying around long enough to satisfy his curiosity.
Apparently the bear eventually reentered the woods safely after inspecting much of the surrounding area. But that was not true of a much smaller bear that came to the same area two years ago. That bear became frightened and attempted to cross the interstate and was struck and killed by a moving vehicle.
(I have been using the male gender to describe the bear but we later heard that a large black bear was spotted in the Fairview Community with two cubs that may have been the same animal).
The bear population in this area seems to be increasing rapidly since their reintroduction to the Big South Fork Recreation Area only a few years ago. In addition to the two or three mentioned above, there have also been confirmed sightings in Kensee Hollow, Whistle Creek, Duff, Pioneer, LaFollette and several other locations.
Melvin Weaver recently expressed my own feelings about the postion of City Administrator.
According to Melvin, I have been both right and wrong!! He said that I was right before the election to insist upon hiring a full-time person since we did not have one at that time and badly need someone. But he said that I was wrong to continue to advocate creation of that position after the election because I began working many more hours in the Mayor's office than required of a full-time person -- and doing so for virtually no pay although obvious progress is being made.
I couldn't have said it better myself!!
I sincerely appreciate Melvin's compliment and I deeply appreciate a comment made recently by Mr. Jerry Kidd, an employee at the Tennessee Welcome Station, that was passed on to me by Mrs. Lisa Casey at Interstate 2000 (computer internet outlet).
Mr. Kidd is blind and has purchased an expensive voice synthesizer for his computer that allows him to perform his necessary paper work at the Welcome Station much more easily and in far less time.
But there is an added advantage to the voices synthesizer. Jerry also enjoys this column on the internet and remarked that he "Can now read the Mayor's column anytime he chooses and without having to wait for assistance". I am honored to know that Jerry and many others enjoy my comments enough to look for them each week.
As I have said many times in the past, it is still hard for me to believe how many people now read this article, both in newsprint and from the internet. That makes the time and effort that I put into it well worthwhile.
I want to invite all internet readers to be sure and stop by the Office of Tourism and Library when they are in Jellico. We are proud of our new building and would like for everyone to visit the facility.
Final Note: I lost a very good friend and our community lost a fine man with the passing of James "Jim" Tidwell,Jr.
Jim was one of the most patriotic individuals that I have ever known and after hearing the tribute/eulogy read at his funeral it was easy to understand why. His service both in and out of the U.S. Navy encompassed far more than most people ever experience in their lifetimes.
Jim was one of the first to arrive on the scene after the great troop train wreck at Highcliff and in all probability was responsible for saving lives. Following that event, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy although so young that his parents had to sign his enlistment papers. He faced the dangers of the South Sea Theatre of Operations during World War II and performed hazardous occupation duty off the coast of Korea following the Japanese surrender.
And if that wasn't enough, he then volunteered to be present and very close to our country's first two nuclear bomb tests in the Pacific after two had already been detonated over Japan.
Herman Heath originally initiated the move to construct a Veterans Memorial for Jellico and quickly named Jim as the Chairman of that committee. And he certainly picked the right individual for the job. The total committee consisted of myself, Joann Watts and Eva Dolcini in addition to Heath and Tidwell. But it was clearly Jim Tidwell who kept us on task until the job was completed. And it was a labor of love for Jim since he was recognizing and remembering many who had not been fortunate enough to survive some of the same dangers that he had faced.
The Campbell County Honor Guard and our local veterans gave Jim one of the most impressive military funerals that I can recall. And it was richly deserved. No one ever loved this country and its flag more than Jim and I cannot imagine what would have happened if he had ever personally witnessed a flag burning. There probably would have been serious trouble.
But many have told me that it was Jim's willingness to help during times of trouble that they will remember most. And he never sought any recognition for that help.
I will miss Jim. And an awful lot of folks will miss him too as was evidenced by the number who came to the Methodist Church to say goodbye to an old friend!!
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