Congratulations to our Jellico High School football team for again reaching the state playoffs. In spite of the fact that the Blue Devils lost a close game to Oneida, reaching the playoffs for two years in a row is in itself an accomplishment of which the coaches and players can take pride.

Although the weather sure made a tremendous and deadly change Sunday evening, we had a great afternoon for our Veterans Parade and short ceremony at the Veterans Memorial. We didn't have many spectators along the route but the ceremony was well attended. Our column was longer than last year and we had veterans from Lafollette, Williamsburg, Corbin, Barbourville, and of course Jellico. The column included units from the U.S. Army Reserve, U.S. Army National Guard, JROTC from Whitley County High, Campbell County High and Jellico High; scouts and emergency vehicles. Bringing the entire column into Veterans Park gave everyone a chance to be present for the ceremony and the reception in the Community Conference Room. (Only a few units continued in the parade route to the baseball park as originally scheduled.)

We were glad to have Lawrence Hall in this year's parade and he certainly is deserving of all honor that we can pay him. Another decorated veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, former superintendent of schools Arlis Chapman who was with General Douglas McArthur's forces that made the never to be forgotten amphibious landing at Inchon, Korea, was amongh those in the column. He remarked several times that he is amazed at all of the activity that is now taking place in Jellico and he commended everyone for that fact.

My sincere thanks to all participants, Tourism Director Jake Bennett, the Tourism Commission, our city crews, Charles Leach and everyone who did the actual work - and I sure do not want to forget to thank Charles Allen who again somehow managed to get everyone into line (although he probably lost more hairs!)

It's now time to concentrate on our Christmas Parade (although everyone is reminded of the lighting of our city's Christmas tree and lights on Wednesday, November 27th at 5:30 PM).

Jake says that he wants the greatest participation ever in this year's parade and he is working with that goal in mind. And it is a worthy goal! What better time than Christmas for our entire town and area to participate together in an event that has such great appeal and meaning to everyone? And for all those who have never gotten involved before, this would be a good year to do so!

Jake urges all individuals, churches, schools, emergency services, military units, elected officials, agencies, clubs, groups, organizations, etc. to participate and to get completed entry blanks to him at the earliest possible time so that he can begin working on the line of march. (But if there are last minute entries, they will be placed somewhere within the line.)

Call Jake at the tourism Office for information and entry blank forms. 784-3275.

I have recently been involved in one meeting pertaining to real economic development for our town and our area. And a second meeting is scheduled. Both meetings - have or will - either directly or indirectly involve the issue of downtown renovation and revitalization. The first meeting was with an individual looking at the entire area to determine our potential for the future and our needs in realizing that potential. And one of the clearly identified needs is the fact that something must be done to improve the looks of our downtown. It is a detriment to everything that we are trying to accomplish!

The second meeting will be for the purpose of approving "Request for Proposal Revitalizing Downtown Jellico, Tennessee". The grant obtained by the city of Jellico and the Jellico Downtown Revitalization Task Force in the amount of $35,000.00 plus matching funds of $15,000.00, is to now be utilized for development of a "master plan" for restoring and revitalizing our downtown. A firm both knowledgeable and experienced in that type of work will be hired to conduct a study and make recommendations as to how best to accomplish that objective. Firms that make proposals must have been in business for at least five (5) years and have verification of the ability to thoroughly analyze our situation as well as evidence of past "master planning" experience.

That is all well and good and I am certainly glad that so much attention is now being paid to the fact that our town does so badly need a facelift. But I have already been working hard toward that objective for the past four and one-half years with mixed results - as is somewhat pointed out in the above request for proposal. We have had some successes and we certainly appreciate everyone who has pitched in to help. But a few property owners have steadfastly refused over that four and one half years to join with us in those efforts and I am now wondering if they will continue to refuse. We may be able to get ninety percent of our town looking good, but the present appearance of five or six buildings if they aren't renovated, will totally kill the effects of everything else that is done and all the money to be spent.

There is no doubt in my mind that the City Council will take legal steps next spring to force those property owners to do something if nothing has been done by that time. But why are they so strongly opposed to getting the downtown looking better and making it an area of which we can all be proud and an area where people will once more want to be? Why should they have to be forced to do something that would be so beneficial to the town in which they live? If anyone has the answer to those questions, I wish that they would pass it on to me, to members of the council and to our citizens. I am sure that we would all like to know! Whatever it is - it has not just happened in the last few years because some of those building have not even been touched in many, many years.

And on the subject of the looks of our downtown - some folks are placing large amounts of garbage out on South Main Street over weekends when our city crews are not making collections. It is unsightly enough as it is, but dogs, wind, etc. often scatter it all over the sidewalk making the situation worse. And the worst messes have occurred when we have had activities that brought visitors into our town. There have been numerous complaints from citizens.

Something must be done and the City Council is determined to stop the practice. Letters will be sent out under the provisions of the applicable ordinance informing everyone of what is happening and ask for their cooperation by placing their garbage out during the week when regular collection runs are made. If that fails, any identified offending individuals will then be cited to court.

The Tennessee State Planning Office (TSPO) representative that works with our Jellico Planning Commission (JPC), presented some preliminary results to the JPC at its last meeting of that state agency's study of areas eligible for annexation by the city of Jellico. Much more in depth study is still underway and the representative indicated that the TSPO will continue to supply data to us for quite some time.

The rough preliminary figures indicate that all areas eligible for annexation cover just under seven (7) square miles (4500 acres); include a total population of 1700 plus residents ; and should produce annual revenue of somewhere between two hundred and fifteen thousand dollars ($215,000.00) and two hundred and thirty thousand dollars ($230,000.00). (The proposed "Rarity Mountain" is not included in the above projected figures should it be considered for annexation sometime in the future.)

Once all final projection data is made available by TSPO, it will be the task of the Jellico City Council and the Jellico Utilities Department to determine the cost of services to the areas eligible for annexation. And the cost of services will have to be determined for separate sections to be annexed if the council decides to expand the city limits in a progression of annexations of sections over the authorized twenty years period.

The services that must be provided to any annexed areas within ten years include police, fire, water, sewer, street lights, fire hydrants, etc., etc. Utilities Director John Leach has indicated that he does not forsee any problem in obtaining grants for the required water and sewer expansions. (Water like electric power is already available in most of the potential annexation areas). The most requested services that I have heard from residents in those areas are police and fire fighting coverage. The cost of additional policemen and firemen - along with any required stations - still needs to be determined. But as has been reported in the past, we do have one new fire engine and two older but serviceable models. And several new police cars just now coming on line which is a big plus in that respect.

But as I have written several times, we do not intend to rush into any annexation although the majority of citizens living in one or two eligible areas would clearly welcome annexation at the earliest possible time. The public hearing of property owners will be scheduled and announced as soon as the council has the necessary facts and figures together. (The general public will be welcome to attend the meeting but only property owners listed on tax rolls will be permitted to participate in the discussions.)

Murpy's Law holds that, "anything that can go wrong will go wrong". (And I always add, "and at the worst time".) And that was certainly true last fall/winter when the first snowfall came while our equipment was down for repairs.

Street Commissioner Clarence Gene Beck informed the city council during our October meeting that the snow removal and salt spreading equipment is currently being repaired and updated in preparation for "old man winter" when he arrives. And he also stated that he has salt on hand although storage time has made it lumpy and difficult to spread. But more salt is on order. If everything goes according to plan and we are not hit with an early snowfall within the next few days, we should be prepared when the white stuff does begin falling.

I simply cannot look at the community bulletin board on the Library/Office of Tourism/Community Conference Room and not remember the fact that the former city council refused me the relatively small amount of money to erect that board on the exterior of the building. (I say relatively small amount in terms of the great service that the bulletin board has provided for our citizens.) I am sure that everyone knows that after the city council rejected my request, John Mays, CEO of Barton-Carey, learned of that refusal and voluntarily paid for the bulletin board.

Jake keeps the board current and it carries announcements of countless activities including childrens' reading programs, city activities, civic activities, church activities, school activities, family and organizational reunions and gatherings and a list far too long to cite here. And Jake reports constant requests to post announcements. In fact he was already preparing to change the board to announce an activity at the Jellico Community Hospital the very minute our Veterans Parade ended. That is good and people do read it religiously to see what is scheduled! In fact one lady recently informed me that she regularly drives through town in the mornings just to see what is taking place and when.

The refusal of the council to provide funding for that board was in a sense, a very small thing. And the action of Mays kept us from being deprived of such a beneficial addition to our town. But it is a representation of all of the things that have held Jellico back for so long! If we don't all work together, we are going to accomplish little - now or in the future!