CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – County commissioners met this week to discuss the proposed budget for fiscal year 2023, which includes $43 million in capital projects.
This includes several long-awaited projects such as the North Clarksville Library Branch, a new Animal Control facility, a county courts annex and improvements to Stokes Field.
While these items are currently included in the budget, it still requires approval by County Commission. Commissioners are expected to vote at the next regular session on June 13, with discussion on June 6.
North Clarksville Library Branch
The North Clarksville Library Branch has been in the works for several years. The county approved the purchase of property at 435 Jordan Road in 2018 for its construction, and designs are more or less complete.
Since then, the progress has been slow. Funding for the library branch was put on hold in 2020 due to the county’s economic concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. It was considered for re-inclusion in the 2021-22 budget, but was again put on pause.
The library branch is again being considered for the FY23 budget, but its proposed funding has been reduced from the original $16.5 million to $10 million. How this reduction in funding will affect the end result is not known at this time.
New animal shelter
As with the library, a new Animal Control facility has been in the works for quite some time. A new facility that was to be built on Needmore Road was halted in 2020 due to issues with the property.
Mayor Jim Durrett has since said the county wishes to be selective in choosing a new home for Animal Control, waiting for property in an area that would help the agency better serve residents.
The FY23 budget proposal includes $750,000 to purchase land for a new facility.
Courts annex
In November last year, the County Commission approved the purchase of property at 121 Third St., the current home of Batson Nolan law offices, to expand the downtown Courts Center. The price tag for that purchase was $6.8 million.
An additional $30,000 is included in the FY23 budget for that project, as well as $60,000 for renovation of the existing Doug Weiland Courts Center.
The new annex is expected to open up room for two new court spaces by moving supporting departments across the street.
Stokes Field back off the bench
Stokes Field has been re-included in this year’s budget after previously being left out, with $8 million proposed to renovate the facility.
Another previously canceled project, Stokes Field was included in previous budgets, but was delayed due to COVID-19 financial concerns.
The baseball field has been a point of concern for some time. In a previously reported Budget Committee meeting, commissioner James Lewis stressed the importance of Stokes Field for north Clarksville residents, saying he has heard from kids walking to Kenwood’s ballfields from as far as Evans Road.
Other major projects
The FY23 proposed budget contains dozens of other capital projects, including several road projects, IT upgrades and county property improvements.
Among them are $1 million toward the Tennessee Wings of Liberty Museum, $3.5 million for school construction, and $7 million toward widening Rossview Road.
