Townsend annexation fight ends; budget passes

By Iva Butler
of The Daily Times Staff

The three-year-old annexation fight in Townsend is over, and the city has a budget for 2008-09.

In 2005 Townsend City Commission voted to annex property fronting East Lamar Alexander Parkway and Tenn. 73 from Dry Branch to, but not including, Sundown Resort.

Property owners sued to fight the annexation. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit met Monday with Townsend city commissioners and city attorney Will Carver and offered a settlement.

Townsend is to pay court costs up to $300, and the plaintiffs will have until Jan. 1, 2009, to complete the deal to make the property part of the city.

Commissioners voted unanimously to accept the offer.

The City Commission approved the budget at its meeting Tuesday.

The budget effective July 1 totals $533,589, up from the current budget of $529,150. The budget includes $40,000 for Townsend Volunteer Fire Department and $24,000 for the Mary E. Tippitt Memorial Library.

The commission agreed to pay $175 for a $1 million insurance policy through Townsend Volunteer Fire Department for a fireworks display on July 4. Townsend Fire Chief Don Stallions said his department will be putting on the display this year. The fireworks will start at nightfall around 9:30 p.m.

Don and Sandy Headrick agreed to let the city do the display on their property, Highland Manor on East Lamar Alexander Parkway in Townsend.

The Headricks had put on the fireworks show for years, with local people and churches providing the music, but did not last year. The season was dry, and liability was an issue.

The free event previously drew a crowd of people, Stallions said. The Townsend business association is attempting to collect the $1,000 needed for the fireworks.

In other matters:

— Townsend Police Chief Ronnie Suttles reported the city has a new police cruiser and the department is waiting on a radar unit and installation of decals, which should be done in a week and a half, before putting it on the road.

— The recent H.O.G. (Harley Owners Group) rally in Townsend "went exceptionally well. That was a bunch of well-mannered people," Suttles said. The department had one noise complaint from a resident who lives near Valley View Lodge where the rally was based.

— The city received five estimates on repair of street potholes ranging from $10,310 to $19,320. The city worked with low bidder Quality Paving of Sevierville and will hold the work down to the budgeted amount of $7,500. The work is expected to start in about a week.

— Townsend Mayor Shannon Skidmore said that after the motorcycle rally he received several requests from people to allow beer sales at special events that draw visitors to Townsend.

Commissioner David Wietlisbach agreed to see how other cities handle the issue.