Outcomes

A month ends today........tomorrow another starts.  Only one day - really no different than the one before or before that, or the day next or next or next.

Yet it is recognized as meaningful - August becomes September, the 8th month becomes the 9th.  We report activities for each month with clockwork precision following the Gregorian Calendar adopted over 400 years ago.  Financial, operational, everything - segmented into a discrete period of time.  We compare this months activities to the previous month and to the same month one year ago; we aggregate months and compare them to the past.

Yet to the folks doing the work - this day is no different that the one before or the one to come next.  They just get the work done - the outcome is what is important.  Pick up the trash, put out the fire, fix the leak, serve a customer.  They know what is really important - and leave the reporting to us.

Peel Back the Onion

Joseph Pulitzer of Pulitzer Prize fame is known for scribbling "accuracy, accuracy, accuracy" on the newsroom wall to underscore his expectation for reporters to get the story right.

I try to get the story right too - but failed recently when I posted that a popular donut shop would be opening up soon on the parkway.

I held up on sharing information on the project until a building permit was issued which took place a week ago or so.  Heck - I thought the deal was done.  But what I failed to verify was that that tenant was committed to leasing space in the building being built.  An assumption gone wrong.

The moral of this story - peel back the onion - look deeper at an issue and get to the root.  I'll do better myself for what I ask of my staff.  peace.

Great

Another great race week in the books.  Great crowds on both Friday and Saturday nights.  The number 18 car won on Friday followed by the number 2 car on Saturday.  Both Kyle and Brad spoke about the significance of winning in Bristol - thanks guys.

I am continually amazed about how well the community comes together to host the event and how well the city staff handles it all - all while seamlessly providing daily services to our 27,000 citizens.

Come Monday, the staff will return (for the most part) to a normal mode of operation until the next major event - the Rhythm and Roots Reunion festival on September 16 -18.  Mark your calendars everyone - it's just a mere three weeks away.

Don't Forget to Play

The Parks and Recreation Department fall program of events is out that outlines numerous youth and adult classes, special events, and seniors in action craft classes and weekly events that are scheduled this fall.

Have you ever wanted to fly fish but didn't know how?  How about learning to fiddle or ballroom dance?  Yep, we have classes for each starting in September.

Seniors - do you cheer for the orange and white?  Five trips are scheduled to Knoxville during the 2011 football season.  How about bridge, or knitting, or line dancing or pickle ball?  You guessed it - classes for each of these and more will be held at the Slater Community Center.

And don't forget numerous special events including Pumpkin Palooza at the Downtown Center and the 14th Annual Wildlife Weekend at the Nature Center in Steele Creek Park.

Program guides can be found at the Slater Community Center, Bristol Public Library, and numerous other locations in the city and online at www.bristoltn.org.

Don't forget to play!

BTN-TV16

The next time that you're channel surfing stop on channel 16 and take a look.  I think you'll be surprised at what you'll see.

BTN-TV16 is the governmental channel operated by the City of Bristol.  Our Community Relations Department, under the direction of Terrie Talbert, is responsible for its programming.

I've seen a lot of governmental channels over the years but without doubt ours is the best - and getting better.

I watched about 45 minutes the other day and saw a great segment on the 50th Anniversary of Bristol Motor Speedway, a mini-concert by Lighting Charlie, and an interesting segment by our local historian, Bud Phillips.

I fully expect that the city's efforts will be recognized this year by the 3CMA (City-County Communications and Marketing Association) through its 2011 Savvy Award program.  Be watching for the results of that - we'll highlight it on Channel 16 when we win.   peace

Grass

I mowed my lawn today - did you?

We've had a lot or rain this year - according to the Bristol Herald Courier, we're over 10% wetter this year than during a normal year.  So that means the grass continues to grow - at least in my yard for sure.  Yours' too no doubt.

City code requires that grass not be taller than 12 inches in height -  in other words, we want you to cut it by that time.

Please understand that it's not so much that we want you to mow it for us  (but we do enforce our regulations) - rather its your neighbors who expect you to take care of your property as they take care of theirs.

So please keep your yard mowed - its good exercise too if you do it yourself.  peace

Race Month

It's August and we're Bristol baby - so we all know what that means.  It's race month at Bristol Motor Speedway!

It was 50 years ago this summer when the one-half mile Bristol International Speedway was opened by Bristol businessmen Carl Moore, Larry Carrier, and R.G. Pope with a seating capacity of 18,000.  The first  NASCAR race was held on July 30, 1961 with the Volunteer 500 in August  1978 being the first night race.

Over the years the seating capacity grew and grew and grew again and is now pegged at 160,000, making it one of the five largest fixed-seating sporting venues in the world, the second largest behind Indy in the U.S.

It's no wonder that BMS is consistently recognized as the most popular track in NASCAR and has been name one of the 30 most important sporting venues in the world, thanks in large part to Bruton Smith and Speedway Motorsports Inc., that built it to the level of success that is has today.

If you're one of the 160,000 lucky fans to attend the Irwin Tools Sprint Cup Series night race next weekend  - congratulations on your good fortune.

Our city will  be ready to host your visit -  thanks for choosing Bristol.

Special Opportunities

The steering committee overseeing the preparation of a Strategic Economic Development Plan met Monday evening - the 6th such meeting held to date.
The committee heard presentations on the downtown by Vicie Dotson representing Believe in Bristol Inc.; as well on Special Opportunities by Allen Hurley and Dr. Greg Jordan.  They also entered into a conversation on the use of local incentives as an inducement to cause development to happen.

The committee will next be meeting in small groups over the next month to draft the plan with goals and objectives in the key results areas of General, Downtown, Hospitality and Tourism, Education, Retail and Manufacturing, and Healthcare.  This will be followed by presentations to the full steering committee for feedback and then drafting of the final plan will begin.

The committee remains energized and shows great passion to the assignment and to the results that they see are within our reach.  I can't help but to once again express my appreciation for their fine work for the betterment of our community.

Antique Automobile Club

Anybody that didn't head downtown Friday missed a treat - the Southeastern fall meet of the Antique Automobile Club of America took center stage on State Street.  Over 700 vehicles lined State Street street to show the best in vintage automobiles in an atmosphere that only downtown Bristol can provide.  And if Friday wasn't enough, the show continued on Saturday at Earhart Campground near BMS with hundreds of vehicles on display.

The meet was hosted by the Appalachian Region chapter of the AACA and brought thousands of visitors to our city - and that's a good thing for sure.

Special thanks to Ben Zandi and John Rice and the members of the Bristol VA/TN Chapter for hosting such a great event in our community.

Let's do it again real soon.

Bark in the Park

One of the many great reasons to live in Bristol was evidenced tonight with the City of Bristol Virginia hosting their annual Bark in the Park in Cumberland Park.
It's nice how our two cities program civic, cultural, and recreational events that complement, rather than compete, with each other and thereby provide a wider array and number of activities for citizens of Bristol to enjoy.

The  Greyhound Rescue Foundation of Tennessee was the beneficiary of funds donated from the dog walk this year which was thoroughly enjoyed by our four-legged friends.

Thanks to Danny Hill and the City of Bristol Virginia for sponsoring this event.

BTW - Pete and Hildy had a great time!

Parking Lawn

A new parking area in Steele Creek Park was opened for use this morning.  The area provides parking for eight additional vehicles in the vicinity of Shelter C and the VFW Shelter. 

This parking area is our first constructed of a porous pavement surface that can withstand vehicle traffic in wet weather while retaining a natural grass surface.  This is a replacement to pavement or concrete and allows the city to maintain green space in the park – a parking lawn in effect. 

Below the grass are several layers of rock and sand as well as a plastic grid system that supports the weight of the vehicles without causing damage to the grass root system.  The grid and rock system also allows the area to absorb rains and thus provides storm water pollution filtration and treatment and is friendly to the environment.

A few photos can be found on the citymanagerjeffbroughton Facebook page if you’d like to be one of the first to see it. 

Thanks to Parks and Recreation Director Terry Napier and his crews for this latest addition to Steele Creek Park.  peace.

Gateway

Has anybody noticed the sidewalk work that is underway on West State between Volunteer Parkway and the five point intersection of Gate City Highway/Euclid Avenue?  Work on both sides of the state line - in both Virginia and Tennessee.
Bristol Tennessee and Bristol Virginia city crews are preparing the area for the resurfacing of the road that is scheduled later this construction season.  The project not only includes sidewalk repair/replacement and ramps at intersections as are now under construction, but will also result in a realignment of the travel lanes to enhance traffic flow and safety on this important roadway.

The roadway, once resurfaced and striped, will provide three-lane sections in certain areas and at key intersections on West State Street including protected turn lanes.  The improvement will improve the level of service of West State Street at minimal cost while enhancing a key gateway into downtown Bristol.

Border Bash

Border Bash – It’s Great on State took place Friday night at the Downtown Center country music mural stage.  As usual, the two cities came together to help host a great event.  Believe in Bristol Inc., our Main Street Program agency, deserves kudos for elevating this event to the level of success that it has now achieved.

There is no doubt that our community appreciates this music series as evidenced by the size of the crowds and the family atmosphere that makes it a great place for folks of all ages.

Thanks Christina and the folks at BIB for all you do to make our great downtown even better and better and better…………

Brands

The Bristol brands as the home of Bristol Motor Speedway and the Birthplace of Country Music were discussed at the Strategic Economic Development Plan steering committee meeting Thursday night where all members agreed that building on those brands was important to the future economic growth of the city.

Lisa Meadows and Matt Bolas representing the Bristol Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau; John Rainero, Leah Ross, and Edd Hill representing the Birthplace of Country Music; and Jerry Caldwell of Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway spoke about the importance of the hospitality and tourism industries and shared relevant information regarding tourism, the cultural heritage center project, and Bristol Motor Speedway and NASCAR.

Underscoring the discussion was the economic impact resulting from the tourism industry with over 1,000,000 motorsports fans and 250,000 music visitors visiting our city each year, and whether the community was fully capitalizing on the opportunities presented by such a huge influx of guests. 

With the passage of the meeting last night, the steering committee has now heard presentations from subject area experts in the areas of education, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and the hospitality and tourism industries.

Next up – special opportunities.

Fire

The Fire Department responded to 470 alarms during the most recent month including five structure fires, four vehicle fires, two trash fires, and 14 hazardous condition calls.  Three of the structure fires were in Tennessee and two were a Bristol Virginia mutual aid assistance call.

As usual, the majority of the alarms responded to by fire personnel were emergency medical calls (356) representing 75% of the call volume.  The EMS call-type included 110 BLS (basic life support) and 146 ALS (advanced life support); as well as 68 treatment refusals and 32 transferred-care calls.  We are very proud of our Class A rating from the Tennessee Department of EMS for our excellent ambulance service operations.

The average emergency response time to have the first unit on the scene for our three structure fires was an impressive 2 minutes, 58 seconds; the average response time for the two vehicle fires was 4:16.

Importantly, Bristol Tennessee and Bristol Virginia utilized our automatic aid/mutual aid agreements a total of 29 times last month.  Our personnel provided assistance to Bristol Virginia on 12 incidents and received assistance on 17 of our responses.  These agreements enhance the capability of both fire departments to meet the fire suppression needs of our two cities in a cost-efficient manner for our respective taxpayers.

National Night Out

The National Night Out event took place last evening in the Fairmount Neighborhood.  An estimated 300 moms, dads, grandparents, and kids showed up to enjoy the live entertainment, food, games, and door prizes.

This event is led annually by the Bristol Police Department and included participation by the Community Development Department, Parks and Recreation Department, and Fire Department.  The Bristol Tennessee Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Sullivan County Health Department, Boys and Girls Club, and boys and girls scout troops, as well as other social service providers, rounded out the group of participants.

Approximately 100 backpacks filled with school supplies were handed out, as were numerous gift certificates to area businesses and restaurants.

As a result of this activity, another neighborhood watch is being formed which signifies more good things to come in this historic neighborhood.  Thanks to all who participated and made it a success - I've dropped a few photos of the event on the city manager Facebook page for you to enjoy.

H.P. King

Today was a very good day - a significant one for the downtown.  A media briefing was held with businessman Allen Hurley to announce that the H.P. King Building on State Street was acquired from the city and that his first tenant - the Stir Fry restaurant group - would be leasing 6,000 square feet on the ground floor and opening their latest store.  Allen also announced that the 15,000 square foot second floor would be transformed into a banquet/convention space with both areas to be readied for occupancy by the end of October.  Plans are also underway to transform the top floor and fill-out the remaining space on the ground floor to complete the adaptive reuse of this former department store.

This is the second major downtown project being undertaken by Allen in a very short period of time and solidifies his position as one of the key stakeholders in creating commercial opportunities, tax base growth, and jobs in the central business district. 

Stay tuned - more good news to come soon.

Progress

The first month of the city manager blog and Facebook page quietly passed at 12:01 a.m. this morning without much fanfare - no cakes, balloons, parties, or anything – shoot, I wasn’t even awake to toast the occasion.  But since you’ve been kind enough to look at what is being written during the first 30 days, I thought the courtesy should be returned by sharing with you page activities during the inaugural month.  So here goes. 

Fifteen blogs were posted in July with 512 page views from five countries led by the United States followed by the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, Spain, and the Philippines.  The blog has eight followers – including myself – so really only seven.  I’ll remove myself from that group as soon as I figure out how to do so.  Thanks to you that were willing to share that with me.

The Facebook page had 8,000 post views in July with 123 active users.  Sixty-one people liked the page, two of whom hailed from Canada (special thanks to you).  Demographically, 52% of the viewers were female leaving, you guessed it, 48% male.  The age categories with the highest percentage of viewers (tied at 15% each) include females between age 25-34 and 45-54, and males over age 55. Sixty-two people have signed-on as friends/ followers/ what-ever’s – thanks to each of you too.

So how do I assess month one?  Since I didn’t have a single-page or post view before July 1 – I’d say we’re off to a good start.

And never forget that there are two ways to measure progress – one way is to measure where you are today compared to where you were when you started; the second way is measure where you want to be compared to where you started.  While we’ve made progress – thanks to you - we’re still a long where from where we plan to be.  peace