CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – After voting down funding for several capital projects last month, the City Council will once again vote on funding for several high-profile capital projects, including Frosty Morn and repairs to the Cumberland Garage. This time, however, no funding is included for a new parking garage downtown.

At their March session, council members voted down on second reading a $27 million budget item that included:

  • Burt Cobb Community Center renovations, $50,000
  • Cumberland Garage repairs, $5 million
  • Frosty Morn building project, $2.3 million
  • Smith-Trahern Mansion restoration, $135,000
  • TDOT Multi-Modal payments, $25,000
  • Vista Lane renovation, $2,500
  • New parking garage, $20 million

The newest version of the ordinance has removed funding for the Burt Cobb Community Center, Vista Lane and the new garage.

The total cost of the new budget item is $7.46 million

‘Kicking the can down the road’

Funding for the projects failed at the previous meeting for lack of a majority, 6-6, with Ward 5 council member Ambar Marquis calling it fiscally irresponsible to give the Downtown Parking Commission such a large sum, asking that the commission first produce a plan to pay the money back.

Marquis said the commission needs to revisit their parking fee structure, which she said is in critical need of revision, and to stop “kicking the can down the road.”

Other council members stressed the need for a new parking garage to be built before the completion of the F&M Bank Arena, which is slated to open on July 1, 2023.

Parking Commission takes action

Since then, the Parking Commission has met three times. In those meetings, they voted to return downtown to analog parking meters, reduced street side parking rates to 25 cents per 10 minutes ($1.50 an hour), and discussed implementing a new parking study.

They also set a planned date of Monday, May 2, to resume enforcement of fees.

At their March 29 meeting, Parking Commission Chairman Ryan Bowie expressed concerns that reducing rates might inspire further objections from City Council members if and when a parking garage comes before them again.

The council will vote on the new budget item at their upcoming meeting on Thursday, March 7, at 6 p.m.