A decision could be on the way this month on the location of a new veterans clinic in Cookeville.
The county extended an option agreement in May with potential developers for a proposed VA facility to be located at the old fairgrounds. Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said some developers were notified that the VA was looking to award the property at the end of September.
“We had not got a official message from the VA like we got this time, where they were talking about awarding it by the end of September, which is the end of the federal government fiscal year,” Porter said. “So we are still waiting. Hopefully, we will know something in the next few days.”
Porter said the county has been waiting over a year and a half to get the old fairgrounds sold. Porter said ultimately the decision is in the VA’s hands.
Porter said the county could use funds from the old fairgrounds to finish up the remaining projects at the new fairgrounds and future county development along Tennessee Avenue.
“If we sell the fairgrounds, that would give us some funds to be able to pay for the new school bus garage, county road department, and everything else we are building on Tennessee Avenue, and fund some of those projects and some future projects at the fairgrounds or whatever might be needed in years to come in the county.”
Porter said the county has been able to make excellent progress on the fairgrounds despite having the old fairgrounds on the county’s plate. The old fairgrounds is an estimated 41.4 acres off of Jefferson Avenue.
