Signal Mountain officials will need to make some decisions about the Mountain Arts Community Center with the current leaders retiring and the issue of continued funding.
An old elementary school on Signal Mountain became a fine arts center when the building was given to the town. It had fallen into disrepair and in around 2017, a decision needed to be made whether to renovate the building, tear it down or sell it. That is when the Signal Mountain Education Preservation Fund was formed with volunteers. They leased the building and took on the responsibility of making renovations. The group headed by Cheryl and Dick Graham also has been organizing programming and classes.
Regarding renovations, Ms. Graham told the council on Monday night that “the big-ticket items pretty much have been done now” and the building is in good shape. It is thriving as a fine arts center that offers classes and holds community events. And the council members acknowledged that it is an asset to the community. Most of the residents in Signal Mountain believe the MACC is being funded with tax dollars from the town and that has become a problem in getting donations, said Mr. Graham, but in reality, it depends on donations and what the operations bring in. That leaves only about $1,800 to $2,000 at the end of each month which does not come close to being enough to run it and continue renovations as needed, officials said.
The town’s lease with the SMEPF ends in July 2026 and, when it does, the volunteer co-directors, Cheryl and Dick Graham, will not continue in that capacity. If the MACC is going to continue providing the amenities for residents, the council will have to make a decision about how that will happen. The Grahams have laid out a proposal that would have the town pay all expenses and give the Preservation Fund control over all the programs. Essentially, “the town would be taking direction from the Preservation Fund board,” said Council Member Charles Poss. The proposal is all negotiable, said Ms. Graham.
It was suggested that a member of the council along with Town Manager Matt Justice and the current co-directors work together to figure out how it would all work. But, the most important thing, said Mr. Graham, will be for the town to hire a full-time director. And that will need to be decided before the 2025-2026 budget is finalized. The proposal from the Grahams specifies that the new director should have both marketing and operational experience.
The Signal Mountain Library is running successfully with a combination of a full-time director who is an employee of the town and Friends of the Library, which are volunteers who raise money and pay for library expenses. The two are separate entities. Mayor Elizabeth Baker and Vice Mayor Clay Crumbliss both expressed interest in using the library’s model for running the MACC.
The issue that was on the meeting’s agenda brought residents to the meeting to weigh in on the relationship of the MACC and the town. Several community members told the board that if the MACC is town property and the city runs it and hires a director, that there should be revenue sharing in order to get some of the money back. They also mentioned having council representation on the MACC board and that there should be regular reports from that board, so the town would have oversight. Another commented that the town should have control over the MACC leadership regarding their policies.
In gratitude to the Grahams and their extensive work with the Preservation Fund, the council will be passing a resolution to name the theater at the MACC after the couple. The exact name will be decided with their input.
In other business, a resolution passed expressing the town’s intent to support building an inclusive playground in partnership with community organizations and a local nonprofit organization. It will be built on town-owned property and Signal Mountain will provide ongoing maintenance. The proposal does not obligate the town to provide any support financial or otherwise The playground will be named after Daliah Harmon, a resident of Signal Mountain.
Police Chief Mike Williams was given authorization to apply for a grant from the Tennessee Highway Safety Office for $25,000 that, if received, will pay for equipment and overtime as a highway traffic safety grant to reduce speeding and aggressive driving.
Hamilton County is offering “lean into communities” grants to municipalities to support small towns revitalizing parks, green spaces and community gathering places. Signal Mountain has the opportunity of applying for a one-time matching grant of up to $250,000. The council members agreed that the projects being applied for should be approved by the council that they agree to the amount of the grant that has to be matched.
The next regular council meeting that will fall on Memorial Day, May 26, has been cancelled.