Elizabethton City Council to discuss renovations to Downtown War Memorial, upcoming events on Thursday

Published 4:14 pm Tuesday, March 8, 2022

BY NIC MILLER

STAR STAFF

On Thursday, members of the Elizabethton City Council will consider passing an amendment to allow $35,000 worth of renovations to the War Memorial located in Downtown Elizabethton, something that has been talked about over the past several months.

During last month’s meeting, the board approved the amendment to allocate funds from the general fund balance to the War Memorial Fund on its first reading, which had been set up for maintenance and improvements to Downtown Elizabethton’s Walk of Honor and War Memorial.

The work that has been planned includes five background mosaics at the Walk of Honor, as well as engraving for bricks located inside the memorial and sandblasting to clean up the memorial.

Quotes have been obtained for this work, but since the amendment was first brought up in February, City Finance Director Preston Cobb said that additional work has been performed and year end estimates for future work has been updated. This work has brought the total amount to be allocated up by $5,100.

The total cost of the project now sits at $35,400, an amount that could be allocated from the city’s fund balance.

On Thursday, the city will also bring up future community events taking place in Elizabethton later in the year, including multiple sporting events and a potential concert inside Citizens Bank Stadium.

The council will consider approving funds for a community concert inside the Elizabethton High School football stadium, a project that began in 2021 when the city was introduced to Clyde Masters Productions, LLC.

“The production company had an interest in bringing musical talent to perform in the City of Elizabethton, and over the past two months Clyde Masters Productions, LLC have been negotiating and evaluating offers that have been received to perform at Citizens Bank Stadium on Sept. 21 and Sept. 22, 2022,” Cobb stated.

Also in the works are several sporting events such as the Assistance and Resource Ministries’ Double DQ Quest, Music and Miles Half Marathon, and Main Street Elizabethton’s Second Annual Firefly 5K Run/Walk.

The Double DQ Quest, hosted by A.R.M., is a fundraiser in which participants walk, run or bike from the Tweetsie Trail located across the street from Johnson City Dairy Queen to the Dairy Queen in Elizabethton. If approved, the event will take place from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., and funds will be raised by a $25 entry fee, with participants receiving a T-shirt and ice cream cone from Dairy Queen upon completing their quest.

The Music and Miles Half Marathon is an event that, if approved, will be hosted by Goose Chase, a company that hosts several marathons throughout the Tri-Cities each year, including the Glow Run, the Haunted Half Marathon, and the Turkey Trot.

The company introduced the Music and Miles Half Marathon in Elizabethton last year, and Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Programming and Special Events Coordinator Kelly Kitchens said the event was hosted with much success, prompting the return in 2022.

“These races promote healthy, safe, and fun ways to get the community involved in an outdoor event to promote wellness and exercise,” Kitchens said.

If approved, the event will take place on Saturday, May 7, beginning at 8:30 a.m. with the course spanning through the downtown area.

Main Street Elizabethton is also hoping to join in on the fun with the Second Annual Firefly 5K Run/Walk. The organization hosted their first Firefly 5K Run/Walk in July of 2021 during their monthly First Friday series, which served as a fundraiser.

If approved, the event will take place on Friday, July 1, from 8 to 9:30 p.m., will start and end at Covered Bridge Park, and will once again be used as a fundraiser for Main Street Elizabethton.

The city council meeting is at 6 p.m. Thursday at City Hall.