Some Blackman residents in favor of the proposed Bible Park USA gathered Thursday to talk about the positive aspects of the park.
Blackman residents in favor of the proposed Bible Park USA gathered Thursday to talk about the positive aspects of the park.
About 40 people met at the Blackman Community Club to discuss the good things the park could bring to Rutherford County.
"There has been so much negative information and inaccurate information about the park," said Donald McDonald, one of the organizers of the event.
He said that in the year or so developers have been talking to the public about the project, many changes and improvements have been made to the plan, including buffering for the park, a dedicated entrance to keep traffic off local roads and lighting that won't light up the sky.
McDonald, a co-owner of some of the land where an access road to the park would be built, said the tax benefit to the county would help cope with the cost of schools and infrastructure. The park could also keep the property taxes low, he said.
The county would see $125 million in sales and property tax revenue from the project over the course of the next 30 years, according to SafeHarbor Holding LLC, the park's developers.
John Brockwell said he attended Thursday's meeting to show his support for the park.
"I think it's a good move for the county," he said.
Brockwell said he thought the park would be a good neighbor, and he'd rather see it on the 282 acres where it is planned than a residential development.
"Change is going to happen," he said. "This is a good change."
Resident Dick Meadow said claims that the park wouldn't attract the 1.5 million visitors annually that developers have projected don't hold water. He said the developers were professionals and could make it happen.
"This would be a world-class operation, and it will be operated as such," he said.
The $175 million to $200 million park, which developers want to open by 2010, has drawn some heated opposition from Blackman residents and others in the county, while many in the business community have spoken out in favor of the park, citing its potential economic impact to the county.
Under the terms of a possible plan which would have to be approved by the Rutherford County Commission, property taxes generated by the park and a 5 percent privilege tax on sales made inside the park would go to pay down bonds taken out to pay for the park's construction.
No date has been set for the commission to vote on that issue.
According to developers' estimates, the privilege tax would generate an estimated $4.5 million annually and the property tax would generate an estimated $1.5 million annually. The bonds would be "no recourse" bonds, which means the county would not be liable for payment, even if the project failed.
The county's Regional Planning Commission rejected a rezoning request for the development last month. The County Commission will consider the rezoning at its meeting Thursday.
David Graves, who lives next to the new Beesley Road/state Route 840 interchange, said most of his neighbors were against the park, but he's definitely for it.
"I see nothing but good things coming from it - jobs, tax money," he said.
From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 10, Boro Book Warehouse will accept monetary donations and Wish List items for Rutherford County's Pet and Animal Welfare Services, P.A.W.S
Every person who makes a donation will receive a free book ($25 value). Bring the whole family and meet Sunny, the P.A.W.S. dog, enjoy live music, and support the furry friends that need a home.
From noon to 5 p.m., Rutherford County P.A.W.S. representatives will be on hand to distribute information about spay/neutering pets, micro-chipping, and general information about pets available for adoption.
From 2 to 3 p.m., live music will be presented by local band Flight of the Might.
This event is free and open to the public. All donations are very much appreciated.
Wish List items include: food/water dishes, food (dry and canned), cat litter, litter pans, large manila envelopes, towels, bankets and sheets, plastic dog/cat toys, cleaning supplies (bleach, detergent, and soap), laundry detergent/bleach, dog houses, copy paper/notepads, pet care products (shampoo, brushes, combs), pens, paper shredder, digital camera, AA batteries, 35 gallon plastic trash cans, and 55 gallon storage containers with lids (for food).
For more information, call 615-225-8924 or email raemona.bookwhse@gmail.com.
Main Street's JazzFest is more than just a concert, it's an event! It's a place to people-watch, eat, drink, shop, mingle, relax, soak in the rays, and of course, hear some of the best contemporary live jazz. Admission to JazzFest is Free, and all are welcome.
The Main Stage
Saturday, May 3rd From 11 AM - 7:30 PM
The Kroger Stage
Saturday, May 3rd From 11 AM - 5 PM
The Smyrna A.M. reported this morning that StoneCrest Medical Center announced last week a $150,000 grant to the Primary Care & Hope Clinic in Murfreesboro - $50,000 of which will be utilized to provide direct patient care to the uninsured, with the remaining $100,000 to be used for sponsorship of the new facility's waiting room and other medical equipment and furnishings within the clinic, according to a press release.
Primary Care & Hope Clinic is a community-supported health care organization that provides primary care to the working uninsured and medically underserved adults and children of Rutherford County. It has been in existence since 1992 with the mission of providing accessible medical care for at-risk populations within the local community and provided over 20,000 primary care visits in 2007.
These populations have included the homeless, domestic violence victims, immigrants, uninsured adults, children, and families who live and work in Rutherford County. The clinic uses a combination of paid professional staff, community medical volunteers and lay volunteers to provide services to the uninsured.
The clinic is now under construction at the corner of Hope Way and West College Street off Medical Center Parkway. When the 27,000-square-foot building opens this summer, it will contain 24 patient examination rooms and three treatment rooms and house Dispensary of Hope and Community Helpers in addition to the clinic. The facility was funded by a $3.9 million grant from the Christy-Houston Foundation.
StoneCrest CEO Neil Heatherly said that as a health care provider, StoneCrest considers funding uninsured patient care to be a part of its mission.
"Our job is to provide quality, compassionate, and accessible patient care to all members of this community," he said Heatherly. "It is our honor to partner with the Primary Care & Hope Clinic to fulfill that community responsibility."
Currently in its final stages, construction of the new facility began in May of 2007 and is slated for completion by July. With this construction, the clinic is expanding from nine to twenty-four patient rooms, as well as from one to three treatment rooms.
"We are excited about the upcoming unveiling of our new building. Through the hard work of our employees and volunteers, as well as generous sponsorships by community members such as StoneCrest, we are able to expand to accommodate additional patients who truly require our primary care services," said Lisa Terry, clinic CEO.
The clinic is currently located at 745 South Church St., Suite 601, in Murfreesboro. For more information about the clinic and its services, call (615) 893-9390.
The local Habitat chapter dedicated its 76th home in the county Thursday afternoon, with the sponsorship of the home being funded by Atmos Energy.
Not only did Atmos Energy sponsor the home at 614 Reid Ave. in Murfreesboro, but the company also provided the majority of the volunteers who built the home.
Hammond also put in a number of sweat equity hours on her home and has said many times: "It is very important to me that I am at the site when volunteers are there. I want to make sure that the volunteers know how much receiving a home means to me."
Atmos Energy serves approximately 128,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Tennessee, and approximately 28,000 customers in Murfreesboro.
The company has a Tennessee-based workforce of approximately 210 employees including 24 employees in the Murfreesboro office.
According to a news release, the company prides itself on community involvement and enjoyed joining forces with the local Habitat chapter in providing a home to a deserving family.
For more information on the Habitat program, call 615-890-5877 or visit http://www.rutherfordhabitat.org/."
 |
|
|
Ensure the process of buying or selling a home goes smoothly from beginning to end with the help of The Daniel Hayes Team at RELIANT REALTY !!! Visit us at today at www.danielhayesteam.com
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
Powered by the ActiveRain Real Estate Network
© 2009 ActiveRain Corp. All Rights Reserved
