The council room at the Signal Mountain town hall was filled to capacity Monday night with people encouraging the commissioners to vote in favor of preserving the Mountain Arts Community Center (MACC). Built in 1926 as a school, the building has suffered structural decline and damage due to water and mold. Bringing it up to code has been studied and debated for a couple of years by both the last and the current town councils. The discussions ended Monday night with a unanimous vote in favor of spending up to $300,000 to begin the repairs.
About a dozen residents of Signal Mountain spoke of the benefits for keeping the structure. It is viewed as a piece of history on the mountain, and several people spoke in defense of old buildings and the worth of restoring and keeping them. It provides important community space, said one speaker, where the arts are fostered, which is important, said several others, because it is taking up the slack since schools are backing off of art programs. Arts provide an alternative learning experience for some people that do not excel in traditional school training, said another. If money is spent to preserve the building, the cost can be reduced by the amount it would take to demolish it said one man. And if the building is abandoned, it might lead to “broken window syndrome,” lowering property values, said another resident.
These speakers also came with suggestions to help pay for the project, suggesting a “go fund me page.”Other ideas are recruiting volunteers to help with the work and to have those interested, to organize fund raisers or auctions to benefit the MACC.
A single speaker spoke out against spending the large amount of money to fix the building. He said it is not used by the entire community and that the majority of residents should not have to pay for it. Mayor Chris Howley, who at past meetings has spoken against spending the money because it would be un-ending, told the crowd that he is not against the arts, but he said he is very attuned to the budget. Money from the Hall State tax is going away, and Signal Mountain will have a new obligation when it has to staff the new fire hall that is being built. He said that he wants to make sure that the town can take care of itself.
Mayor Howley also said in the future he would like to see a restructuring of the MACC by putting it in the hands of people interested in the programs that take place there. He suggested having it managed by a non-profit organization rather than a department of the town.
The resolution that passed pertains only to the original building, Room #5 and any hallway and space located on that same level. Town Manager Boyd Veal is authorized to proceed with repairs that will not exceed $300,000. This is just the beginning of the process, said Vice Mayor Dick Gee, the town will need to invest in more work in the future, he said.
So that people will know what to expect, Mr. Gee told the audience that the scope of the work will include repairs for structural/water issues in Building A, such as restructuring floors and some walls, replacing X-bracing and the sump pump system. Site drainage issues on the north side will be fixed including in-ground gutters and patching and waterproofing below grade walls and sidewalks. Storm water issues will be taken care of in the courtyard. The estimate for repairs also includes a sprinkler and alarm system and mold remediation in the auditorium. It does not include a HVAC system.
The council also amended the town’s personnel policy. In the past, any unused vacation time was rolled into sick leave and then into retirement benefits. The revision will allow an employee the ability to tap into the accrued money so it can be used for emergency situations. City Manager Veal said that wages continue to rise so the unused hours continue to get more expensive for the town. This move is seen as a way to benefit employees while at the same time taking the unbudgeted liability off of the books.
Authorization was also given to apply for two grants from the Tennessee Highway Safety Office, each for $15,000 with no match required. One, a traffic enforcement grant, if received, would pay for equipment and overtime law enforcement activities relating to traffic control. The second grant, if received, would allow for better, electronic records management for the police department.
In 2007, when property on Bollinger Road in the St. Ives subdivision was annexed into Signal Mountain, new zoning was not assigned. On Monday night the council voted to change the zoning to Low Density Residential to match the surrounding lots.