Mayor Don L. Weiss Jr. recently provided updates on several ongoing Dickson city projects.
• Downtown Revitalization Project Phase V
Funded with a Transportation Alternative Program grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation, the project consists of pedestrian and drainage improvements on North Mulberry Street from Main Street to College Street. Mayor Weiss reported the contractor is waiting on AT&T and Comcast to move their utility lines from the existing poles to new poles that have been set by Dickson Electric System. Once the lines are moved, the old poles will be removed and the new sidewalks can be poured.
• Sylvis Street Storm Drain Replacement
The council approved a change order for $103,634.20 for cost overruns due to the relocation of utility lines and additional cost for stone. Mayor Weiss reported that a drain and catch basin is being added to the east side of the alley between Sylvis Street and Poplar Street. Curbs and gutters have been poured and sidewalk construction is pending. The contractor will then mill Sylvis Street and repave. The engineer for the project is awaiting documentation from the contractor on another $104,000 in requested additional funds for the project originally contracted at just under $1,000,000.
• Dickson Fire Department Station #3
Construction continues on the new station at the corner of Highway 70 East and Ridgecrest Drive. Mayor Weiss reported that the interior framing is about 98 percent complete with work continuing on electrical, plumbing and mechanical elements. The spray insulation has been completed. Drywall installation should begin in 2-3 weeks. The exterior stone is not expected to arrive until November. While the exterior brick is on site, it has to wait on the stone and the roof has to wait on completion of the exterior. Work on a retention pond is under way. Earlier in the meeting, the council approved a purchase order for $33,049.25 for furniture for the station. The city already has received one of the trucks that will be placed at the new station and has ordered two others.
• Extension of Alexander Drive
The city is preparing to extend Alexander Drive to connect with Gum Branch Road to try to relieve congestion from Highway 46 near Interstate 40. Mayor Weiss reported the advertisement for bids was published Sept. 9 and a pre-bid conference was held Sept. 16. Bids are to be opened Sept. 30.
• Dickson Senior Center
Remodeling of the former Dickson Athletic Club at 100 Payne Springs Road continues with plans to begin moving the senior center next month. “Phase I is basically 100 percent complete. Phase II is in progress,” Mayor Weiss reported. Planning and Zoning Director Jason Pilkinton reported an electrical panel arrived Monday and “power has been switched over to a new pole and all the underground utilities are in the building.” Mayor Weiss said Senior Center Director Joan Rial and city staff have discussed the move into the new building and have tentatively scheduled that to start Oct. 14. The center will have to be closed for a couple of weeks during the move. “We’re hoping right now that Mrs. Rial can open the 31st on Halloween,” Weiss said. “We’re hoping Phase II will be complete at that time. We may have to open with limited meals or no meals for a few days, but we’re going to at least be in the Phase I part of that hopefully by the 31st of October.”
• Henslee Park
The assembly of splash pad and playground features is under way. Mayor Weiss said the contractor is waiting on a water line to be installed and paving work on the parking lot is pending. The city’s advertisement seeking Requests for Qualifications for design work of an aquatic/recreational center was published Sept. 14 with a deadline for submission of Sept. 30. A committee will review the RFQs and select companies for interviews and proposals. Weiss said the committee’s selection will not be ready by the council’s next meeting on Oct. 3 but a special session of the council can be scheduled if needed.
• Buckner Park Phase I
The city is completing final design work for the renovations to the area of J. Dan Buckner Park along Weaver Drive and hopes to advertise for bids in October. Earlier in the meeting, the council unanimously approved allocating an additional $125,000 in matching funds for a grant for the park project. The City has been awarded a $1,000,000 grant for Phase I from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation’s Local Parks and Recreation Fund, which requires a 50 percent local match. The city included $500,000 for the match in its 2022-2023 budget. Mayor Weiss said TDEC offered to increase the grant 25 percent due to the increased costs of materials, which will require an additional 50 percent match from the city.
“That’s the update on all the projects we have going on right now,” Weiss said. “It’s just a lot going on – the most projects we’ve had going at one time, I think, ever here inside the city. Everybody’s doing a good job. It’s just like everything else, supply chain holds a lot of stuff up right now.”
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