The Elizabethton City Council met in regular session Thursday night to issue recognition to several residents and groups as well as decide on a lengthy agenda.

Police administrative assistant, Teresa Treadway, was one of the first to be recognized. Treadway, who will be retiring after a long career in public service, first began working part-time in the building and tax office in 1979 before moving to the police department in 1994 as the records and municipal court clerk. In 2004, she moved on to become an administrative assistant for the criminal investigation division. Police Chief Jason Shaw presented the recognition for Treadway.

Mayor Curt Alexander also issued proclamations establishing April 14-20 as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week and April 24 as Drug Endangered Children Awareness Day.

The council during public comments heard from Richard Dugger, a local veteran, and a spokesman for the Carter County Honor Guard. Dugger asked the council for assistance for honoring fallen veterans. “We sometimes have done as many as four funerals in one day. In 2018, we did 177,” said Dugger. “We need funding and fellow veterans to help; we are worn out.”

The Downtown Elizabethton Farmers Market, which has a stated mission to connect local farms and their produce to the region, sought a road closure each Tuesday from 3 to 8 PM, from June 4 to September for the micro-block of East Elk Avenue between Post Office street and the intersection of North and South Riverside so that local vendors could sell produce and other goods.

The proposal was a point of contention because as one council member, Richard Barker, put it, it would close down Elk street for several hours causing traffic issues and affecting existing downtown businesses.

The council called upon Chief Shaw who said he could support the outdoor market if passed. Mayor Alexander said he would like to try it for a month. The subsequent motion carried with only one no vote from Barker.

The council also discussed and passed the following resolutions: a law enforcement agreement between the police department and Lexis Nexis-Coplogic Solutions unanimously; to approve contracts with Seelbach for electric tree trimming; a contract with Dwight Treadway Construction to renovate a portion of the Elizabethton municipal golf course clubhouse; and authorized employees designated by the City Manager Daniel Estes to carry city credit cards in their possession at all times for emergency use.