JOHN COFFELTEditor

A mostly symbolic resolution that would have voiced support for grassroots efforts to preserve the historic bridge at Old Stone Fort State Park failed to pass at the Manchester Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting Sept. 5.

Introduced by Alderman Julie Anderson, The Duck River Bridge Resolution would have been forwarded to the state for consideration, with language saying the board felt the 1906 Pratt Truss bridge spanning the Duck River at Old Stone Fort State Archeological Park should not be removed due to its historic properties as well as its purposes of utility for its citizens and tourism.

Anderson said that she had been unaware of the state’s plan to dismantle and replace the bridge and replace it until she saw the Save our Stone Fort Bridge group on social media.

She called the group and an amazing grassroots effort.

“I don’t think we should necessarily vote the wishes of the people every time the (board) room fills up, but this is an extraordinary group of people who have done an amazing amount of research and an amazing amount of work,” Anderson said, calling the bridge a tourism asset for the city.

During the discussion, she challenged her fellow aldermen who opposed the resolution to voice their reasoning.

“I continue to be frustrated by hearing from members of this board that say that they may or may not vote for something because of something another member told them outside of a public meeting, which is incredibly disrespectful to me as a member of this board, and to the public,” Anderson said.

The motion to approve the resolution failed to garner the four votes needed to pass. Anderson, Bob Bellamy and Donny Parsley voted yes. Vice Mayor Mark Mesick and Alderman Joey Hobbs voted no. Alderman Ryan French was absent.

Hobbs voiced concerns of the cost to the city if the bridge is not replaced, seeking conformation that the city would not be on the hook for repairs to the bridge that was condemned years back by TDOT for vehicular traffic.

“I think that this (resolution) is telling them that we don’t want to repair the bridge or replace it,” he said.

Vice Mayor Messick said if the bridge is not replaced, the temporary access along Country Club Drive to the OSF Campground would be made permanent. Then approximately half a mile of Country Club Drive would need to be widened. A section of road that is located within city limits.

“If we don’t replace the bridge, we would have to widen (that portion) of Country Club Drive at the cost of a little over $100,000 to the city,” Messick said.

(He incorrectly estimated the distance needed widening by about half.)

Mayor Marilyn Howard said she has been told that the approximately $5 million project is funded through a federal grant to improve state parks.

“I’m told that if that bridge stays in place, all federal money on this project will be pulled out,” Howard said. “That bridge will be in place and it will belong to the state parks for upkeep.”

Howard said funds are not guaranteed for the upkeep of an object just because it is a historic landmark

“At this point, I don’t have enough information that there will be enough money to keep it up,” Howard said.

The mayor only has a vote in the event of a tie.

Howard said the project is one year from groundbreaking.

Local businessman Jimmy Jernigan, speaking during the meeting said a nonbinding resolution like the one proposed does carry weight. He said the city’s resolution urging the now-defunct Arrowhead Museum to sell a portion of county property paved the way for O’Charley’s Restaurant to locate in Manchester.

Specifically concerning the bridge, Jernigan called it an asset to the town, Coffee County and the region.

“These memories will be gone, and once they’re gone there (is no way) to bring this bridge back,” Jernigan said.

Members of the group called the bridge a piece of living history and cited door-to-door polls saying that a majority of the residents that live on the street do not want the bridge replaced.

Local resident Christy Hite-chilton said the plans to remove the bridge is a “fiscally, morally and historically irresponsible” project.

She brought 28 signatures from the residents of Country Club Lane opposing the project. The Facebook group also has 2,437 members and an online petition at Change.org with 2,030 signatures.

A similar resolution will be presented to the County Commission Tuesday, Sept. 12 by Commissioner Dennis Hunt.

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.