By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director
Paris, Tenn.—The West Alley improvements continue right on schedule with the completion by Paris Artist Dan Knowles of the newest mural to be placed there. The new mural spotlights entertainment in Paris throughout its history, from performances at the former Crete Opera House to local entertainers including Tony and Emmy-winning Actress Cherry Jones and Gospel Performer Bobby Jones.
City Manager Kim Foster said an official ribbon-cutting for the mural will be held at 4 p.m. Friday, April 5.
The mural is one part of the ongoing Back Alley Paris project, which also includes new dumpsters and a fourth mural.
Paris Painter Millard Nichols has almost finished work on the first dumpster, which will be located on Market Street and Foster said it is hoped the dumpster will be placed by mid-March.
Foster said The Tennessee Valley Authority has approved the concept for the four new mural panels which will be placed in the alley next to the Paris Board of Public Utilities office on Washington St. BPU has already paid their portion of that grant, Foster said. Knowles is the artist commissioned for that project and he already has been creating prototypes for the murals.
As another Preserve Paris event, Foster said the city and BPU will be co-hosting a tree giveaway which will be called “Rooted In Paris”, to be held Friday, March 22. BPU will host theirs in their alley and the city will hold theirs in Eiffel Tower Park. The BPU giveaway will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the one at Eiffel Tower Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
300 trees will be given away—Northern red oak, Eastern redbud, pine or wild plum trees will be included.
Foster said, “I think this is a great project and it’s great when we can have a cooperative project with BPU.”
Foster updated the city commission on the HOME grant and said at this point, 15 top applicants have been designated in the home improvement program. Repairs on four homes already have been completed and eight applications were disqualified for various reasons, Foster said. Two more homes are being evaluated and if issues with lead-based paint are resolved, there will be a total of seven homes repaired with the HOME grant.
In other business:
–Foster received permission to proceed with a project to correct continuing roof leakage problems at the Paris Civic Center/Paris Elementary Building. Paris Special Schools District Maintenance Supervisor Jason Coffield has been working on the issue for years and would be in charge of bidding the project.
Foster said, “It’s technically not a roof leak, but there is an exposed wall where the gym, KPAC and pool come together and when rain hits it out of west, it soaks onto the brick and seeps down the walls and leaks into building.” Foster said if the project commences now, it would be easier to hire roofers and may mean a savings since it’s the off-season for roof projects. She said estimated cost would be around $20,000-$25,000 from the city, with the same amount from PSSD.
Commissioner Sam Tharpe said he would like a guarantee by the contractors for the work done and a promise that if the solution doesn’t work that any further attempts to repair it would be free of charge.
–The commission made two reappointments: Sabra Fuller to the County Board of Equlization and Diane McCord to the Parks and Recreation Commission.
–The commission approved a request to write-off delinquent property tax in the amount of $2,169 which was received by order of Chancery Court to dismiss; and the second totaling $1,829 in which the statute of limitations has expired for collection.
Photo: Artist Dan Knowles poses with the new mural. (Shannon McFarlin photo).
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