By Michelle Price
Special to the UCBJ
COOKEVILLE – The 2022-2023 Cookeville budget will include $200,000 to create additional parking on North Cedar, several road projects, sidewalks and an option for bonds to cover the land acquisition and planning for an outdoor water park. It will also include a 12% pay raise for employees, the largest pay raise in city history, all without raising city property taxes.
Cookeville City Council members will take up the 2022-2023 budget on second reading Thursday, June 16. A few minor changes have been made since the first reading passed on June 2, including budgeting for up to a $10 million bond issue to pay for many of the transportation projects and potentially to fund land acquisition and planning for an outdoor water park.
The road projects include the widening of 12th Street around the railroad crossing from Mississippi to North Washington, reconnecting Salem Church Road with England Drive, extending Henley Drive to Bunker Hill Road to allow better flow of traffic in the area around Sam’s Club and Phase 2 of the 10th Street widening project.
Recreation projects include a $100,000 donation to Tennessee Tech for stadium upgrades, six new pickleball courts at Cane Creek Park, city gateway signs, downtown beautification, and park improvements to Cinderella, West End and Franklin Avenue parks.
