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TOP STORIES FOR
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2003
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Cliff Sturdivant Accepts Position, to Leave Central |
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By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com |
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Cliff Sturdivant, director of schools for Hollow
Rock-Bruceton Central Special School District, has
accepted a position as the director of Northwest Tennessee
Educational Field Service Office. Sturdivant will assume
the position in January, 2004.
Sturdivant has served as director of schools since 1992,
when he stepped in for the ailing Buddy McMackin. He
previously served as the high school principal at CHS for
1.5 years. His educational career dates back to 1971 when
he worked at Lake County High School. During his 13-year
tenure, he was coach, teacher, and principal at the Lake
County School. In 1984, he relocated to Huntingdon High
School where he served for six years as teacher, coach,
and assistant principal.
Central has approximately 800 students in K-12. During
Sturdivant's tenure, the school buildings have undergone
extensive renovation, a building wing has been added,
curriculum has been broadened at the high school, and the
technology program is as good or better than most schools.
Additionally, good extra-curricular activities such as
band and sports have continued, said the director.
"This was an opportunity to pursue my interest in
education in a different capacity," said Sturdivant.
The Sturdivants do not plan to relocate from the area. He
will report to his office in Martin and travel throughout
northwest Tennessee.
Sturdivant and wife, Brenda have three daughters and two
grandchildren.
Central's Board of Education will meet on December 8 to
determine the course they will pursue in replacing
Sturdivant. |
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Rebel Field Experiences Face Lift |
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By Jim Steele
steele@mckenziebanner.com |
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Rebel Field, the complex where McKenzie High School and
McKenzie Middle School plays its football games, is
undergoing a bit of a facelift.New restrooms are
being built next to the concession stand, which will
include a storage area for the MHS Touchdown Club. In
addition, Rebel Field will have a new lighting system
that will produce twice as much illumination.
"This is a McKenzie Board of Education project," said
James Ward, McKenzie Special School District Director.
"This is going to cost about $100,000."
Jones Electric of McKenzie was awarded the lighting
contract (between $45,000 and $50,000) while Barger
Construction Company earned the restroom construction
bid ($46,463).
Ward said that a renovation of the current facility
would be much more cost efficient than building a new
facility at the high school.
"We have a great playing surface and decent parking
here," Ward said. "Our goal is to redo the facilities on
the visiting side, upgrading the dressing rooms and
bring that up to date."
Ward said that the present restroom facilities,
located on either side of the concession stand, were
cramped and outdated. But the new facilties will be a
24-foot-by-34-foot structure, housing four water closets
for the ladies room and three urinals and two water
closets for the men.
In addition, the lights will feature a ground-up
lighting system that will eliminate the need for wires
and transformers. Also the lights are expected to be
state-of-the-art 50-foot-candle bulbs. Seventy-five
lights will be installed and will be more economical to
run than the current lighting system.
There was an attempt to try to upgrade the restroom
facilities last summer, but with the impending jamboree
and early start to the middle school season, the project
was postponed.
"Now we can get everything in and give it a while to
settle before next season," Ward said.
The concession area will be expanded, making use of
the space taken up by the old restrooms. Right now, the
drainage plumbing and foundation is finished with the
restrooms and some surveying work by the Carroll County
Electrical Department has been done. |
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Farmers & Merchants Bank Plans $2 M Building Project |
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Officials at the Farmers and Merchants Bank in Trezevant
announced last week plans to demolish their current
facility in order to construct a new, $2 million
building in its place. While plans are incomplete,
Senior Vice President Jennifer Marcus stated the new,
10-12,000 sq. ft., two-story building will have the
appearance of a train depot or storefront look in
keeping with the appearance of old downtown. Officials
hope to be able to provide an artist's rendition of the
project by the end of the year.
Inside, amenities will be thoroughly modern to
accommodate growth which led bank fathers to expand from
their original corner location to take in every
storefront up to Valu-Plus Grocery. The new bank will
include drive-through capabilities and ATM services.
"We're excited," said Ms. Marcus. "We've been in this
building since my great grandfather started this bank in
1916."
When her father, Chairman of the Board and CEO George
Atwood, began his banking career 32 years ago, the bank
claimed assets of less than $4 million. Now, the bank is
worth $80 million and growing.
"We can't keep working in the same building with that
kind of growth," Ms. Marcus declared."
While officials could have opted for the cheaper
alternative of building from scratch at a different site
rather than foot the bill of demolition, she said.
"We're dedicated to the town, our customers and our
community."
During the construction process, the bank will serve
customers from a modular building to be located on West
Carroll School property at the site of the old Trezevant
High School (see related story: West Carroll Board
Applauds Bank Owner, Agrees to Lease Land for Temporary
Structure). The modular unit was formerly used to
service customers in the Rutherford branch during
construction of a permanent structure in that city.
President Barry Cary stated the project is expected to
continue throughout 2004 with a projected opening date
for the new facility early in 2005. "Folks here are very
excited about it," he said.
"This will be a very positive thing," said Mr. Atwood,
who said the new facility is just part of the bank's
vision up to 2050. |
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McKenzie Industries Plan Expansions |
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Three McKenzie industries plan to expand their
workforces in early 2004 and a Mississippi industry is
considering relocating to McKenzie, according to
information coming from the McKenzie Industrial
Development Corporation (IDC).
The IDC is in the final stage of purchasing the former
River Oaks Furniture (old Gaines) building on Highland
Avenue, said Billy Barksdale, executive director. Once
the purchase is complete, the main building will be
leased by New Generations Furniture Company of McKenzie
for future expansion. New Generations already has two
manufacturing facilities in McKenzie. Another smaller
building on the former Gaines campus is being considered
by a Mississippi company, which expects to hire 18 to 20
persons if they expand to McKenzie, said Barksdale.
The former Gaines building on Highland has sat vacate
for years - its future uncertain as River Oaks'
bankruptcy placed the transfer of the property in
jeopardy. Just when the IDC had untangled the financial
mess and made an offer to purchase the building, a
$109,000 lien against the property was added by the
Tennessee Department of Conservation and Environment for
an environmental assessment. The assessment led to the
removal of a dozen barrels, buried by previous tenants.
Barksdale said the IDC has negotiated the lien down to
$25,000, which will be paid by the IDC and the
bankruptcy court in order to move forward with the
property transfer.
Local governmental entities will reap a windfall in
delinquent taxes once the transfer is complete. The City
of McKenzie, County of Carroll, and McKenzie Special
School District will share more than $240,000 in
delinquent taxes. Barksdale said the delinquent taxes
will be repaid over a five-year period.
Two other existing industries expect to expand early in
2004, said Barksdale. The IDC approved funding to build
an access road for one of the industries to "double its
size", while the other industry will add equipment to
accommodate up to 50 additional employees. While the
names of the industries were released during the
Tuesday, November 18 meeting, the companies wish to
withhold their names until final contracts are signed.
"Retire to McKenzie" may be the theme of a new program
being developed by the McKenzie IDC. Board members have
embarked on a program to actively recruit retirees to
McKenzie by touting the virtues of a cheaper cost of
living as compared to some other areas of the country,
and such amenities as the hospital, college, and nearby
arts, hunting and fishing. |
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These
stories and more exclusively in the
print edition: |
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- McKenzie's First Female Mayor Dies
- Truck-Trailer Overturns on Newly Paved Road
- Hwy 79 Annexation Passes Second and Final Reading
- Habitat for Humanity Dedicates 11th Carroll County
Home
- Cajun Restaurant Opens in Leach Community
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Phone (731) 352-3323 or Fax (731)
352-3322
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
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