City Terminates Easement Agreement At Willow & I-40

Cookeville City Council Thursday terminated an easement for a water tank and access road at the site of a proposed retail development. Director Barry Turner showed a photo with the water tank off Willow Avenue and Interstate 40. He said the city took the tank located on the old Norwalk Property out of service in […]
Food Forest Group Inviting Interested Residents

A Cookeville non-profit organization attempting to fight hunger through a new partnership, will host its first meeting this upcoming Sunday. The Cookeville Food Forest and Foraging Path is an organization that has partnered with the city to plant trees and bushes in West End Park and Cane Creek Park. Founder Sid Bundy said the food […]
Tech Trustees Increase Tuition Just Over 5%

Tennessee Tech Trustees raised student tuition and mandatory fees Thursday roughly five percent for the 24-25 academic year. President Phil Oldham told the board University leadership does not take the increase lightly. The increase takes into account inflationary pressures, progress on the campus pay study, increased utility costs and state and federal mandates. “Nobody wants […]
Short Term Rental Workshop Set For Next Week

UCDD will host a Short-Term Rental Workshop next week for rental property owners. The workshop will give guidance to owners on how to manage and operate a rental property. Northeast Tennessee Tourism Executive Director Alicia Phelps said the workshop important because more and more people are going into the tourism rental business. “Tourism is among […]
Council Approves New Fiscal Budget On First Reading

Revenues up some four percent, expenditures up 7.6 percent in Cookeville’s new fiscal year budget, approved on first reading Thursday. Finance Director Brenda Imel said revenues total some $38.8 million, while expenditures tally $37.7 million. The budget also includes capital expenditures of some $5.1 million. “This budget actually actually has a deficit of planned use […]
Medical Zoning Revised, Amid Methadone Clinic Concerns

Cookeville City Council voted unanimously Thursday to amend the zoning code, clarifying the rules for where certain medical facilities, including methadone clinics, could locate. But after the vote, multiple council members made it clear that they do not want a methadone facility in Cookeville. Mayor Laurin Wheaton said the city’s current zoning rules were too […]
Cookeville Approves Five-Year Parking Lot Lease

Cookeville City Council approved a new five-year lease Thursday night for a parking lot on Church Avenue. The city will pay Tennessee Tech $1 annually for the use of the land, which includes a 15-year option. Finance Director Brenda Imel said it is located between Spring Street and Broad Street, and would be part of […]
New Pickleball Courts Coming To Cane Creek Park

Construction on eight new outdoor pickleball courts at Cane Creek Park is expected to begin this summer. Leisure Services Director Rick Woods said pickleball has become one of the most popular activities in the park’s gymnasium, but there are no dedicated pickleball courts. He said a first draft of the design is being tweaked and […]
Cookeville Extends Dirt-Moving Agreement

Cookeville City Council approved an amendment to an indemnity agreement Thursday night to allow for dirt to be moved in the Highlands Business Park. Council approved the agreement with the Hollingsworth Group last fall to transport dirt from the Ficosa site to the lot owned by Hollingsworth. Community Development Director Jon Ward said the desire […]
State Reimburses Cookeville, Putnam For Sales Tax Revenue

A sales tax reporting issue has been corrected and some $636,000 in revenue on the way to Putnam County from last year’s summer’s sales tax holiday. Cookeville City Manager James Mills said the Tennessee Department of Revenue reimbursed the lost money. The issue began with August tax receipts, the first month of the sales tax […]