KINGSPORT — During a voting meeting Tuesday night, the Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen moved forward with the Fox Den Playground project by accepting a total of $411,090 in donations from the Bays Mountain Park Association and Casey Construction. The board also awarded the project bid to Inland Construction Inc., helping to advance the playground’s development.
The idea to create a recreational and natural playground began in 2021 between the Fox Family and Bays Mountain Park staff. Bids for the project were opened on July 9 with Inland Construction Inc. which offered a bid of $858,000.
The total cost of the Fox Den Playground is projected to be $941,960. According to Kingsport BMA members, the playground is estimated to be completed in 240 days and will open next summer. The board also voted 6-0 to accept donations totaling $411,090.
71 from the Bays Mountain Park Association and Casey Construction for the Fox Den Playground project. Kingsport City Manager, Chris McCartt said the project has been made possible by lots of donors in the community. Alderman Colette George also said she was really excited for the project to progress and come to fruition.
The Brickyard Development project will also be progressing following the BMA’s vote, which authorized the mayor to finalize and sign the necessary paperwork to agree on materials and terms for the project. The development includes 32 new lots. Alderman James Phillips said that the investors for the Brickyard project “plan to build and donate a green space to the city of Kingsport.
” He also acknowledged the investors for recognizing Kingsport as a valuable place to invest and develop. Kingsport residents will be able to utilize a new app in the near future for transportation. The BMA voted 6-0 to purchase the Ecolane Mobility app for Kingsport Area Transit Service.
The app which costs $14,830 will allow residents to book and modify their rides. “This is a very unique opportunity for the city of Kingsport,” McCartt said. “It will be great way to communicate with customers and to improve efficiency.
” The Board of Mayor and Aldermen also approved to partner with the Niswonger Foundation for the Project On-Track High-Dosage/Low-Ratio Tutoring Program for Kingsport City Schools. McCartt said that the agreement will fund tutoring in literacy and math for students in grades 1-8. The total budget of $149,476 will be distributed among Sevier Middle School, Kennedy Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary and Adams Elementary.
The tutoring program is expected to help around 200 students. Unanimously the BMA voted to purchase nine new Blue Bird school buses for the next school year. The total cost is $1,497,672 and the buses are expected to arrive within 8-10 months.
The BMA also voted unanimously to accept a land donation on Cleek Road from Wallace D. Alley Jr., Martin E.
Alley and David G. Alley, for a Greenbelt parking lot which will include 30 parking spaces. The property is roughly 0.
7 acres and will be named the “Wallace & Billie Alley Memorial Parking Lot.” During the voting meeting, Mayor Paul Montgomery nominated Gary Mayes to fill the vacant alderman position. Mayes, who served as an alderman from 2001 to 2005 currently works for the Sullivan County Health Department.
He also served on the county commission. Additionally, Alderman Darrell Duncan was nominated as vice mayor. Montgomery also recognized the Honor Flight of the Appalachian Highlands, which has completed nine trips to Washington, D.
C., and will soon undertake its 10th mission. The board also presented the Keep Kingsport Beautiful Beautification Awards for September and acknowledged the Kingsport Police Department for its third-place finish in the Tennessee Highway Safety Office Awards.
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