CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – A project to build a North Clarksville Regional Community Center has received an additional $1 million in funding following a City Council vote Thursday in a meeting that lasted four hours.

The funding passed its second reading 8-2. Yes votes included Richard Garrett, Vondell Richmond, DaJuan Little, Jason Knight, Wanda Smith, Travis Holleman, Wanda Allen and Ashlee Evans. No votes came from Wallace Redd, Karen Reynolds, Stacey Streetman, Trisha Butler and Mayor Joe Pitts.

The resolution, sponsored by Ward 1’s Garrett, increases funding for the purchase of an additional 10 acres, totaling 20, of land at Needmore Road and Hazelwood Road, as well as the development of site plans and field renderings.

Plans to build the center have proven popular with residents. An online petition started by Garrett collected over 3,800 signatures in support.

Motion to defer

At Thursday’s meeting, Ward 9’s Reynolds, who called the funding “fiscally irresponsible,” moved to defer the resolution to the Parks and Recreation Committee for study, with plans for Director Jennifer Letourneau to present findings before the council votes on the 2022 budget.

The same motion was made at last month’s meeting and was voted down; this motion to defer was voted down as well.

Ward 2’s Richmond called on his peers to stop “playing politics” and support a project for an area that some consider underserved.

“It feels like we’re just playing tug-of-war here,” said Richmond. “You got $10 million on one project, and you got all of these acres, and North Clarksville just asked for $1 million of it. … I’m tired of seeing Clarksville go back and forth on the haves and the have-nots.

“Those kids, seeing them play in dangerous streets, they just want a rec center. We can’t invest $1 million in the kids? Come on, what are we doing?” Richmond continued.

Garrett expressed frustration with the slow movement on the North Clarksville Rec Center Project, which he said has been discussed for several years. He also criticized council members’ use of committees as a means to “squelch” certain legislation.

“I think, as a council, we have to get over using deferring things to a committee as a weapon,” said Garrett. “Deferring things to a committee has become almost like a weapon to either kill something or postpone it into irrelevance. … I think it’s time for us to just chill out with that.”