LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – On Monday afternoon at the City of LaFollette workshop, Mayor Cliff Jennings “let the cat out of the bag.” A question from the audience promoted his sharing of information. A citizen in the audience asked why the city does not have a nice chain restaurant. Jennings responded by saying “I’m going to let the cat of the bag,” he then announced the city is currently talking with a developer about a motel and Texas Roadhouse being built on the 18.5 acres on Jacksboro Pike. That’s between Bojangles and the University Medical Plaza. 

The Campbell County Lions Club carnival is requesting permission to use the parking lot behind city hall, May 9-15. City Administrator Stan Foust began by stating how the council wants to support the Lions Club and what they do. However, there are concerns about having the carnival on the newly paved parking behind city hall. The city spent $300,000 to pave the parking lot and has concerns about damaging the pavement. After a brief discussion, the council decided to help the Lions Club look for an alternate location for the carnival. Next was opening a new bank account at Peoples Bank of the South for tourism. It appears that the council is taking first steps with removing Fifth Street/Depot Street, council discussed hiring MacIndoe and Associates for design and core drilling. The core drilling will cost about $10,000.

The public works department has three items for next week’s monthly meeting of promoting Clifford Gerrish to a full-time sanitation worker at a salary of $28,601.04 effective Feb. 11, approval to submit bids for paving of landscaping boxes on Central Avenue and stripe removal along with a guardrail at Rose Hill/South Thirteenth Street and Cherry Street behind Calvary Baptist Church.

There will be two ordinances and two resolutions to be voted on at the monthly meeting. Ordinance 2023-01 abandoning a portion of an unopened street located within West Elm Street will have a final reading. Ordinance 2023-02 amending section 11 of the zoning ordinance for the City of LaFollette to address storage buildings in Zone C-1 and C-2. The ordinance clarifies that storage buildings and individual rental units are not permitted structures within the zones. The ordinance also outlines there are specific regulations contained in the City of LaFollette Zoning Regulations; and prohibiting such construction.  Resolution 2023-03 and 2023-04 amending the budget will be on the agenda.

The police department is requesting permission to apply for the Violent Crimes Grant in the amount of $93,000. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 01/31/2023-6AM)

5 Replies to “Mayor lets “cat out of the bag””

  1. Me too! We really need nice chain restaurants here! God bless everyone and everything!

  2. Really hope we get a Texas Roadhouse or any actual sit-down chain restaurant. But I will believe it when I’m sitting in it getting to place an order……
    Such a shame to see that the council has apparently decided to remove Depot Street. We had the big flower bed waste of money, so now the new administration is going to take out a perfectly good (and used daily) road for a reason no one but the council can fathom. This city can find more things to waste money on than anywhere I have ever seen. You want to beautify downtown? Clean up the empty buildings, pave the roads, get some businesses in those empty buildings….

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