Kingsport board awards $6.845 million library contract, approves transportation funding and a slate of measures

Kingsport’s Board of Mayor and Aldermen on Aug. 5 approved a series of budget and project measures, including a $6.845 million contract for renovations at the Kingsport Public Library and a transportation agreement that will move Meadowview Parkway toward resurfacing work.

The board awarded the library construction contract to Burwell Construction Inc., which submitted the low bid at $6,845,000. City officials said the project has been discussed and revised for more than two decades and reflects community input emphasizing youth spaces. "We will definitely have one of the more modern, if not the most modern, library within the region," the City Manager said during the meeting. Aldermen noted the low bid was below budgeted expectations and characterized the procurement as competitive.

On transportation, the board approved entering an agreement with the Tennessee Department of Transportation for resurfacing Meadowview Parkway. Staff described the project cost as about $1,500,000 and said roughly 80% of the funding will come through federal pass-through dollars administered by TDOT, with a 15% local match and a smaller state share. The City Manager warned the board that multi-year federal projects can stretch timelines — he estimated about two years before work would begin — and that costs may rise during that period.

Council members also approved a range of other measures: a second- and-final-reading budget ordinance to adjust fiscal 2025 funds (including insurance settlements and project closeouts); a first-reading fiscal 2026 budget ordinance that includes a donation from Debbie Wagner and $23,000 allotted for an Emergency Solutions Grant position to support homeless outreach; and a zoning map amendment to rezone parcels along Tyson Lane from R1B (residential) to P1 (professional offices). One alderman raised neighborhood traffic concerns about the rezoning; staff said driveway design and traffic impacts will be evaluated as part of future site-specific reviews.

Other approved items included an amendment to a professional services agreement with CDM Smith to perform a force‑main surge analysis at the Cooks Valley Sewer Lift Station (funded with American Rescue Plan funds), a cooperative purchase for an AutoCar sanitation vehicle to replace an older truck, a three-year renewal for the Urban SDK traffic-analytics license (local share ~ $8,000), separation of Meadowview Parkway from an Ore Bank Road project via a TDOT amendment, and a one-year lease with Kingsport Theater Guild Inc. The board also authorized applying for a $100,000 Tennessee Tourism Enhancement Grant (30% local match) to repair a floating bridge at Bays Mountain Park.

Public comment included a five-minute statement by Tim Sanders, a Kingsport resident, who urged attention to utility rate impacts and criticized national utility practices and executive pay while advocating for local solar support. "This guy's making over $13,000,000, and we have citizens here in Kingsport that's deciding or making the choice to pay their electric or buy whatever they need to do," Sanders said. The mayor ended his allotted time at five minutes.

All formal votes taken during the meeting were unanimous, recorded as 7–0 in favor. The board also appointed Bryant Rutledge to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee and approved routine procurement items including concrete replacement contracts and rock-salt purchases.

The board adjourned after routine communications, in which officials highlighted a Tennessee Municipal League award for the Main Street project and upcoming downtown events and the Aug. 20 groundbreaking for the IMAX theater. The meeting included several expressions of thanks to public-works, police and fire personnel for recent storm response, and to volunteers who supported Funfest.