By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times
Grayson city council kicked off their first meeting of the new year with an agenda focused on the development and growth of the city; beginning with amending the minutes of the last meeting to reflect annexation discussions.
Mayor Troy Combs noted at the outset of the meeting that the minutes, as presented in the agenda, didn’t properly reflect one aspect of their last regular meeting. Specifically, Combs noted, while the minutes included discussion of annexation, they only listed one subdivision by name. While the Rolling Hills subdivision was noted in the minutes, Combs said, the discussion about annexing Cherry Grove was not included in the minutes. Combs entertained a motion, and council voted, to amend the minutes to reflect the discussion of annexing Cherry Grove as well.
During board reports, Tourism commission chair Mindy Woods-Click gave an update of the Main Street assessments that Tourism and Grayson Main Street had received. Woods-Click discussed holiday participation in the Peppermint Trail, a statewide program, and the ability for those who shopped locally during the holidays to be entered into drawings for gifts from local and statewide businesses and retailers. The opportunity to win these awards was offered to local shoppers who registered in a local business.
Woods-Click also discussed grant opportunities available through the Main Street program, and for downtown business district development, and recommendations about landscaping along the highway and Main Street to help draw and direct visitors to the downtown area.
The pair of assessments they received, she said, “were different in scope,” but offered similar recommendations. This included plans that encouraged keeping and renovating buildings, rather than demolishing them and leaving empty holes in the store fronts. They also recommended projects that could fill the empty windows in vacant buildings – such as bringing in “experience businesses” that might draw people to the community. Woods-Click said these could include things like escape rooms, or axe throwing and other recreational experiences.
The reports also noted gaps in local retail offerings, including pet supplies, cosmetics, hobby shops, and other local retail options.
Council also heard from sports park manager Grant Harper on efforts to winterize the park and prepare for the upcoming season.
In planning and zoning related news, council voted to re-appoint Kevin Bretz, Mindy Woods-Click, and Larry Doucet to the planning and zoning board.
In department reports, council accepted reports from the fire, police, street, emergency management, and code enforcement departments.
Chief Greg Felty noted in his fire department report that their department responded to more than 700 calls in the previous year, which included emergency medical responses as well as fires.
The street department noted that they lost another part-timer, not because of a lack of available hours, but because the person found another job closer to their significant other. They said they are currently looking for someone to fill the seasonal roll. The department also noted that they had laid two new culverts, and cleaned out a number of ditches, just in time before last week’s heavy rains.
During his emergency management report, EM director Roger Dunfee noted that after years of planning and discussion, “things are moving on the sidewalk project,” which would extend the sidewalk along the east end of Main Street towards the walking track. Dunfee noted that he had also spoken with FIVO representatives about the needs along Rupert Lane and the potential of obtaining grant funding for a drainage project there.
In code enforcement news, code enforcement officer Joe Hammer noted that his department had collected on several liens, bringing in around $1,300 in revenue.
Council also discussed plans to print the names of those with delinquent taxes in the newspaper, as they had previously voted to do.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
