John Coffelt, Editor

Manchester Finance Committee approved a one-year lease of a building located at 107 Hillsboro Boulevard during a special call meeting on Feb. 25 to house the Manchester Codes Department.

The building on the corner of N. Woodland Street and Hillsboro Boulevard, owned by Ken and Helen DeBellis, would be leased by the city for $24,000. The building has seven offices and a conference room.

Mayor Joey Hobbs said during the meeting that City Hall is full and that moving the Codes Department would be the most logical step forward. By moving Codes, the Finance Department would move into that vacant space, freeing space on the first floor for Police Department offices.  

“It’s cheaper than building,” Hobbs said. “It’s cheaper than remodeling and even if we remodel, we still won’t have the space (needed).”

Hobbs said revenues from leasing 200 acres at the Manchester Industrial Park to Community Sod for $316 per acre could be used for the Debellis lease.  

Vice Mayor Mark Messick said that most other lease property in Manchester would cost twice as much.         

Alderman Donny Parsley opposed the lease, saying that city business should be done at City Hall.

The motion was approved 2-1 with Messick and Finance Committee Chairman Thomas voting yes, and Parsley voting no.

Long-term, the city hopes to build a new police department on recently purchased property near Batesville Casket Company that the city and Manchester City Schools funded with the additional goal of building a new school. 

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.