Burns commission approves resolution seeking state OK to borrow money for park project

The Burns Board of Commissioners voted to seek state permission to borrow up to $300,000 to finish the first phase of its new park on Highway 96. The board passed a resolution 3-2 Monday night to ask for the Division of State and Local Finance’s approval of a three-year capital outlay note, which will then enable the town to negotiate directly with local banks. The original resolution presented by attorney Tim Potter sought to borrow up to $500,000, but Mayor Landon Mathis said he believes $300,000 will be more than enough to finish and light four ballfields, build a concession stand, a dog park and handicapped-accessible sidewalks. Once the first phase is completed, the town hopes to receive the last $63,000 of a state reimbursement grant that is being withheld after Burns missed a deadline to complete the project. In response to commissioners who asked what would happen if the town abandoned the park project, Potter said there is language in the grant contract that would allow the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to seek the return of more than $350,000 in grant funds already spent. Mathis said TriStar Bank has already offered to loan the town the money and donate the interest, with no payment due for five years. “If we can all pull together here and get the town out of this situation it would be great,” Mathis said. But Commissioners Shot Grove and Chris Holland opposed committing taxpayers’ money to the project. Holland said the town should try to raise the money through donations and fund-raisers, saying it took White Bluff 15 years to fund and build its Field of Dreams playground. “I don’t want to put the taxpayers of Burns in that situation where they’re having to make a payment,” Holland said. Grove and Holland voted against the resolution. Commissioner Bill Allen said prior to being elected, he thought the town’s leaders “made a deal with the devil” to get the grant for the park, but now the town has “got to get it done.” Mathis said under the proposed financing plan from TriStar, the town still has plenty of time to raise funds to pay for the project. Once it gets state approval for the capital outlay note, Burns will begin arranging financing to finish the first phase of the project. Mathis said he still wants to meet with the Dickson County School Board to discuss more assistance with a turning lane on Highway 96 at the park site.