February 16, 2010 Jinks: Is City Ready To Use Eminent Domain for Walking Paths Through Residential Yards?

At the City Finance Committee meeting on Thursday, February 11, construction of greenways (trails) through Morristown was discussed.

A large grant is tied to the project, but there are also local costs associated with the trail development and construction. Various estimates for local costs were tossed around--$150,000, $300,000, maybe more, maybe less.  There was no vote, but Administrator Cox took the tenor of the councilmembers' discussions to be indicative of a consensus to spend more dollars in preparing for this project in case it proceeds at some time in the future.

Then Councilman Claude Jinks discussed the elephant in the room. Jinks asked how the City would acquire residential strips of land for construction of the trails.  I have not seen the trail drawings, but Jinks indicated that current plans establish trails that go through residential areas in the Fairview community. Jinks added that he had spoken to people in that community and that they are opposed to having walking trails through their backyards, sideyards, front yards or anywhere on their property.

Jinks said some of these property owners will not sell their property for trails, and he asked if councilmembers were prepared to use eminent domain to take private property from individuals in order to make walking trails through those taxpayers' and homeowners' yards.

If the trails involved the building of new sidewalks along the street or widening of existing sidewalks, that would be one thing.  It is an entirely different thing, however, to go into a peaceful residential neighborhood and have the city take your property and your neighbor's property to build walking trails through yards so  people--who you don't know anything about--can walk behind and beside your house.

It is hard to imagine that the city approved lengthy walking trails through existing residential backyards, but, according to Jinks, that is the current design.

Trails in the appropriate locations sound good. Trails that take private property and result in strangers being able to walk around and through residential side, front, or backyards are ridiculous and ought to be nipped in the bud.

I don't believe any of these wonderful trails go through Vantage View or any councilmember's yard. Wonder how the Mayor or a councilmember would feel if the City came knocking and said I am taking a strip of land 200' long and 10' wide in your backyard so I can make a walking path for people that you don't know to use?

December 3, 2005 Hiking/Biking Trail Grants and Morristown's Sesquicentennial Time Capsule

On Wednesday, November 30, Governor Bredesen came to the Morristown City Center to announce the award of a $600,000 grant to the City of Morristown for greenway construction at the Morristown College Campus site.

I stopped in to watch the grant award and to hear Morristown Mayor Gary Johnson discuss the new Sesquicentennial Time Capsule.

The greenway construction is part of the city's ongoing trail development. According to the Tribune, last year the city got $1.2 million for trail construction between central Morristown and the lake.

This newest $600,000 is for greenway construction at the college campus in order to construct a walking and biking trail around the college site and link the campus with the main greenway artery.

There were jokes about how welcome the governor is---particularly when he brings money with him. The governor was given some Christmas ornaments at the ceremony and he quipped about this "exchange" of gifts.

Someone behind me laughed and whispered that we ought to give the governor some more ornaments and he can give us some more money! Not a bad idea.

Also on Wednesday, there was a special local activity tied to the Morristown Sesquicentennial (150th birthday). A Time Capsule containing all kinds of reminders and items from 2005 was buried to be unearthed in the year 2055 when Morristown celebrates its bicentennial (200th birthday).

I was around during the 1955 Centennial. There were all kinds of events then with women running around in long dresses and bonnets and men sporting old-timey beards and mustaches.

I participated in a play about school days. My role in the play was to run up about three steps and hand an apple to the teacher. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Well, try running up steps in a long dress that goes to your ankles in your acting debut.

I fell almost every time we performed the play.

I probably won't be around for the Bicentennial in 2055, but I want my children to know about the history of Morristown and Hamblen County. I picked up one of the brochures containing the list of over 180 items that have been placed in the Sesquicentennial Time Capsule that was buried on Wednesday.

The Capsule has items like school yearbooks, area newspapers, scrapbooks, club information, postcards, history and information about area churches and hospitals, and lots more.

One of my personal Time Capsule favorites is the book Hamblen County, Tennessee: A Pictorial History by local historians Jim Claborn and Bill Henderson. I have a copy at home that I treasure, and future generations will no doubt enjoy this book when the 2005 Time Capsule is opened in 2055.

Now, we have just 50 years to go before the celebration of the Morristown Bicentennial begins!