City Council Members Ask For Answers On Jail Expansion
Two Cookeville City Council members spoke against the expansion of the Putnam County Jail Monday night. Council members Mark Miller and Laurin Wheaton said the decision could cause irreversible effects on the downtown. The comments came some six months after commissioners first voted on moving forward with expansion. “We’re not going to get high-end development […]
Residential Parking Districts To Be Considered Thursday
Cookeville City Council will consider the proposed residential parking districts Thursday night. But the catalyst for the creation of the districts might not now qualify. The ordinance would given citizens the opportunity to petition the planning commission and the council to create a special parking district. The 8th Street corridor has seen issues with Tennessee […]
Public Hearing Set On Commerce/Panhandling Ordinance
Cookeville residents will get the chance to sound off on a proposed panhandling ordinance as Cookeville City Council approved a revised measure Thursday night. The ordinance passed 3-2 with council members Mark Miller and Charles Womack voting against the ordinance. Council will host a public hearing at the next meeting September 17 as the ordinance […]
Cookeville Council To Consider Panhandling Ordinance
Cookeville City Council will vote Thursday on a new ordinance to better control panhandling in the community. The ordinance would prohibit business and individuals conducting commerce on sidewalks. That includes panhandling and selling. The ordinance focuses on the obstruction or blocking of sidewalks and right-of-ways. Police could cite an individual but could not arrest anyone. […]
39 Speakers Sound Off On Memorial, Race Relations
A monument that several speakers admitted they never knew existed until this week brought impassioned pleas from local residents Thursday night. The Cookeville City Council heard from some 39 residents during more than 90 minutes of public comment. The council decided during a Monday night work session to place signage at the City Cemetery noting […]
Miller Does Not Ask For Resolution On Cemetery
Council Member Mark Miller did not ask the Cookeville City Council to add a resolution concerning the Cookeville City Cemetery to the Thursday night agenda. Miller said Wednesday he would ask the council to address the agreement violation that Miller said exists with the Sons of the Confederate Veterans memorial. Miller said the monument should […]
Miller: No Body Negates City Contract
Although Cookeville City Council members thought they put the issue of a Confederate monument behind them, it appears Councilman Mark Miller will raise the issue again. Miller said the Sons of Confederate Veterans are in violation of a section of its 2000 contract with the Cookeville City Cemetery. He said he plans to raise the […]
Race Issues Need Dialogue
Cookeville Vice-Mayor Laurin Wheaton said she feels more community dialogue needs to take place on the topic of race. Wheaton said that although she is sympathetic to Councilman Mark Miller’s concerns over Confederate symbols on city property, she feels like more discussion is needed to help keep the community united. “The way I want to […]
Miller Said New Info Led To His Wanting Monument Removed
Just hours after telling a Cookeville City Council Work Session that he was not “for the removal of monuments at all,” Council Member Mark Miller posted to social media Monday questioning whether the confederate monument at Cookeville City Cemetery should be removed. Miller removed the post several hours later. “There is an apparent violation with […]
Cookeville Goes Administrative On Symbols, Signage
The Cookeville City Council will not consider resolutions about confederate symbols on city property or monuments at the city cemetery. Both issues will likely be pursued through administrative means based on council directives to the City Manager. At Monday’s council work session, City Manager James Mills said he could enforce a policy that only a […]
