John Coffelt, Editor

The Coffee County Industrial Board has set in motion the use of about $1.2 million in special industrial taxes for much-needed repairs at the Coffee County Interstate Park. 

The 120 account is a special tax that is paid by the occupants of the Interstate Park.  The occupants agreed to this arrangement when it was put in place.  The funds go into the 120 account, and can only be used for projects in the park that will benefit the businesses located there. Ultimately the commission approves or denies all funds spent from the 120 account.

Industrial Board Executive Director Stephen Crook told Coffee County Budget and Finance Committee that some of the streets in the park are at the point of critical failure.

The wide-ranging plan consists of three phases, with the initial three-year long phase being the largest coming in at an estimated $1,205,000. It will include a $1.1 million Volunteer Parkway paving project, $40,000 in shoulder stone and culvert repairs, $15,000 in street lighting up grades and $50,000 in signage.

A $512,700 Phase Two will follow in the years to come that includes Park Tower Drive paving and improvements and ditch regrading. Phase III will look at Deer Park Court East and West paving and improvements, as well as Volunteer Court paving. Phase Three will be a two-year project and cost and estimated $243,500.    

Crook said that assessing the needs of the park was a key objective of the staff.

“About a year ago we started meeting with our employers in the park, asking them for some of their priorities and assessments of the infrastructure,” Crook said.

“We identified a few really critical areas from both aesthetic and infrastructure needs. And from those ideas, our Park Development Committee within the Industrial Board got with St. John’s Engineering and put together a list of cost estimates for what it would take to attack it,” he said.

Crook said that the list of expenses exceeded the current funds, so a phased plan was introduced to allow the funds to grow based on review projections.

The road projects are anticipated to improve drainage in the park. Crook said that Phase One will include work on drainage easement that have become overgrown. Phase Two could include the purchase of wetland credit to mitigate wetland spots to further improve flow.   

The signage improvements will help industry customers, corporate leadership and employees will better find their places of business.  

Crook said that the Industrial Board will seek grants that could help expedite the project. If the county receives any such grants, those will not substitute the amount that monies that the Industrial Board intends to spend on repairs.        

Budget and Finance Member Joey Hobbs said that he sees “a lot of out of town folks in the park … this will help the appearance of Coffee County and the industrial parks.”

A recommended amendment will be brought to the committee for approval at subsequent meetings.

Crook called the project a “living” plan that could change as the latter phase become active.  

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.