Coffee County approves $36,000 for Old Stone Fort Bridge preservation, awards $10,000 to courthouse museum; South Central grant tabled

Coffee County Budget and Finance Committee approved a $36,000 allocation from hotel/motel (occupancy) tax revenues to the Old Stone Fort Bridge Preservation Group and a separate $10,000 tourism grant to the Coffee County Historical Society on Sept. 25, 2025; a requested $3,500 donation to South Central Tennessee tourism was tabled until the October meeting for missing paperwork.

The $36,000 award, moved and seconded during the committee meeting, was presented as a one‑time tourism allocation to help cover legal and technical costs the preservation group is incurring while contesting state permitting and pursuing court review. Matthew Wise, of the Old Stone Fort Preservation Group, and Gary Kevin Nemey, the group's former president, told commissioners the group has raised private funds and incurred about $16,000 in legal and expert fees to date, with an additional $12,000–$20,000 expected.

The historical society request was made by Sandra Bennett, a volunteer at the courthouse museum, who described visitor programming and a need for a lit, lockable display case and modest marketing materials. The committee voted to grant $10,000 from the tourism fund to the Historical Society. The committee chair noted both the bridge request and the museum award fall under the county resolution that restricts hotel/motel tax proceeds to tourism and economic development.

South Central Tennessee tourism requested a $3,500 county match for a regional nonprofit's operating dues. Amanda McGowan, director of operations at South Central, explained the regional organization provides marketing and support services for local DMOs and asked the county to cover a $3,500 match. County staff and members raised several questions about the occupancy tax figures in the packet; Mary Ann (county finance) said last year's hotel/motel tax receipts were cited at $575,000 but not yet fully designated. Because required documentation (a W‑9 and other paperwork) had not been delivered, the committee moved to table the $3,500 donation to the October meeting and asked staff to confirm paperwork beforehand.

Committee members discussed the county's hotel/motel tax history and restrictions. A county staff member read Resolution 2019‑10 into the record, noting section 3 states occupancy tax proceeds “shall be utilized to support local tourism and economic development.” Staff also said they had consulted CTAS (County Technical Assistance Service) and were comfortable the bridge and museum awards fit permitted uses.

The committee directed that the bridge group submit an itemized spreadsheet showing how the $36,000 would be spent; the $36,000 disbursement will be processed through the county tourism account. The South Central request will return to the agenda after the applicant supplies the missing paperwork.

Votes at a glance

- $36,000 to Old Stone Fort Bridge Preservation Group (tourism funds): motion carried (mover: Tim Brown; second: not specified). Vote: approved. - $10,000 to Coffee County Historical Society (tourism funds): motion carried (mover: Tim Brown; second: Tim Stubblefield). Vote: approved. - $3,500 to South Central Tennessee tourism (match/donation): motion to approve was moved; committee tabled the item to the October meeting pending paperwork. Vote: tabled.

Why it matters: The committee used restricted hotel/motel tax revenues to support local tourism assets — a historic bridge and the county courthouse museum — while delaying a regional donation until required nonprofit paperwork is provided. The decisions commit short‑term county tourism funds and require follow‑up reporting and documentation from recipients.