Vice Mayor McCarter and Commissioner Delius present three Seymour parcels for potential recreation park; mayor's office authorized to explore purchase

Vice Mayor Bryan McCarter and Commissioner Bryan Delius presented three parcels in the Seymour community as potential sites for a future county-managed outdoor recreation park at the Sevier County Intergovernmental Committee meeting on May 8, 2026. They said the parcels merit consideration because "Bower Field, in South Knoxville, is the only outdoor recreation park in the Seymour Community and will be closing soon."

Commissioner Jack Parton moved to authorize the Mayor’s Office to explore cost estimates and recreation programming, to discuss purchase terms with parcel owners, and to enter agreements as needed to enable County purchase contingent on later approval by the full Board of Commissioners; Commissioner Rick Valentine seconded the motion and it "passed unanimously." The motion gives the Mayor’s Office authority to begin cost and feasibility work but does not itself transfer funds or finalize a purchase.

The presentation did not include specific purchase prices, funding sources, or a timeline for a final Board vote. The Committee did not record staff assignments or deadlines in the transcript; any budgetary commitments or ordinance approvals would be subject to subsequent Board action. The next procedural step noted in the transcript is administrative: staff in the Mayor’s Office were authorized to gather cost estimates and negotiate terms for potential acquisition, pending formal Board approval.