By: Charles Romans
Carter County Times
The Grayson Tourism Commission met in a rescheduled regular meeting on Thursday, August 20. The August meeting was an evening meeting, which the Tourism Commission holds once per quarter, with regularly scheduled meetings typically taking place at 10 a.m. All meetings are open to the public, though executive sessions, held during some meetings, typically involve sensitive information and are reserved for tourism commission members.
Grayson Mayor Troy Combs spoke to the commission concerning the approval of the commission’s budget, and the approval of the funding request for next year’s budget. Combs reiterated to the commission that there were grants totaling approximately $500,000 available to the commission that had been approved. The grants were submitted by the City of Grayson, and in order to access those grants, the commission would be required to either lease or deed over portions or the entirety of the Grayson Sports Park.
“I would really like to urge the council to take action on that as soon as possible,” Combs said. “Because I don’t think we can wait anymore.”
Combs told the commission that the opportunities presented by the available grants were encouraging.
“It’s really exciting,” Combs said. “We could build pickleball courts, we could build basketball courts, and the sensory garden. The ladies involved with the sensory garden are asking me about any updates.”
Combs said he knew the commission’s attorney was looking into it, and that he was looking forward to seeing what decisions had been made.
“It would obviously be a great addition to the community,” Combs said.
Grayson Tourism Commission Attorney Brandon Music told the commission there were basically two options available to the commission if they wished to make use of the grant money secured by the city.
“There are two options,” Music told the commission. “Nothing in the bond obligation, interlocal agreements, or any commitments between the city and the tourism commission would prohibit transferring. Either a lease or a deed would be fine.”
Music explained that each of the two options had its own benefits and drawbacks.
“Any one you do, there has to be a plat recorded with it, so they know where it is located,” he said. “That is already recorded, so the easiest way and most beneficial way would be just a full lease (for at least 25 years) from the tourism commission to the city.”
The other option Music said was to “carve out” a specific portion of the sports park to facilitate the pickleball court and other proposed additions to which the grants in question would apply.
The tourism commission did not make a decision on either option at the meeting, but rather decided to do further research into it and perhaps have a grant workshop to more closely examine their options.
The commission revisited the discussion about the exercise of First Amendment rights to free speech on the sports park grounds.
“Someone can’t just go around with a bullhorn and interfere with sports park activity,” Music said on the subject. “They aren’t allowed to block exits or entrances.”
Music said that after researching other similar resolutions he had adapted them into a policy to suit the sports park.
“The basic idea was reservable facilities like a field or a court itself, you can’t just exercise your first amendment rights because those are not per se public forums,” he explained, “though the general park is.”
The resolution Music provided to the commission covered unaided human speech, in other words an individual speaking without using any sort of speaker system, microphone, or other electronic enhancement. In general areas, such as common walkways, individuals were allowed to exercise their free speech.
“But they cannot go into the stands or onto the fields,” Music said. “They can’t disrupt the little league tournament or interfere with people playing on a pickleball court.”
Music said if individuals were wanting to use electronics and speak on a larger scale, it would require a permit. Individuals doing this would still not be allowed to block exits or entrances or otherwise interfere with the peaceful use of the sports park by other patrons. The commission voted to adopt the ordinance.
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
