Park Theatre Faces Long-Term Funding Questions

McKENZIE (August 13) — Ten years after reviving the Park Theatre, the City of McKenzie is now grappling with the venue’s long-term sustainability following a decision to transfer $54,000 from the General Fund to cover a lingering budget deficit.

During Thursday night's meeting of McKenzie's Board of Mayor and Council, City Attorney Beau Pemberton indicated that the council might need to face uncomfortable conversations about the future funding of the theatre.

Upon the passing of the 2026-27 fiscal year budget last month, Mayor Ryan Griffin received a letter from the Tennessee Comptroller regarding a $53,483 deficit in the city's Theatre Fund. The mayor indicated that the deficit started after the theatre received repairs during the 2021-22 fiscal year.

To balance the budget, the council voted to move $54,000 from the city's General Fund to the Theatre Fund.

During discussions, Pemberton said the board needed to figure out a long-term viability solution for the Park Theatre.

“Is the theater going to be able to continue being subsidized by the City and General Funds at this point?” Pemberton asked.

Mayor Griffin said he and City Recorder Jennifer Waldrup would need to have conversations about potential price increases to concessions or movie tickets. However, he reminded the council, "It currently is maintaining itself. This has just been a deficit that has been left untouched.”

Mayor Griffin also discussed the possibility of consolidating the Theatre Fund into the General Fund, which would make balancing costs easier.

The council discussed several other financial items on Thursday, including the police and fire departments' potential purchase of a new communications system.

Carroll County's Sheriff's Office and Fire Department recently transitioned into using the Project 25 (P25) communications system, which makes the city's current communications system almost obsolete.

McKenzie Police Chief Ryan White and Fire Chief Brian Tucker spoke about the current system and agreed that it is not a reliable system.

"Our radios don't work in the city as it is," Chief White said. "We have problems communicating from inside buildings to outside. It's just been a guessing game as to where we could go and how far we could use it. It's not been a proper working network since it all started."

The council agreed to take out a loan to purchase the P25 communications system, allowing the city's emergency departments to be on the same network as the county.

The loan has a 4.5% interest rate through Carroll Bank & Trust. Payments amount to roughly $54,000 per year over five years, which Mayor Griffin said has already been budgeted in capital outlay for next year's budget.

The council also agreed to enter into a three-year lease with Tennessee Tractor for mowers and utility vehicles for the city's public works, parks and recreation, and fire departments.

"I prefer a lease on lawnmowers because if one goes down, they supply it with a loaner. If it's going to take 24 hours or more to fix the problem, they will give us a loaner,” Mayor Griffin said.

Public Works will receive three zero-turn mowers, Parks and Recreation will receive four zero-turn mowers, and Fire will receive one zero-turn mower. Parks and Recreation will also receive two GATOR maintenance carts, and Fire will receive one street-legal GATOR utility vehicle. The total cost of the lease, between all three departments, is $32,000 each year.

The council approved the Water Department, Parks and Recreation, Public Works and the Farmer's Market to declare various items as surplus. The City of McKenzie will sell these items through Ridgely Auction.

Councilmember Bobby Young also presented the council with bids for the Public Works Department's roofing project. American Roofing Co. had the lowest bid of $25,000, followed by Stambaugh Roofing whose bid was roughly $29,000.

American Roofing Co. and Stambaugh Roofing offered the same services, and neither were able to indicate definite start time on the project. Both said it would take at least a couple of months before they could get started.

Councilman Tim McBride made a motion to postpone the vote until start dates were set in stone. However, Vice Mayor Drew Beeler said he was concerned that any postponement would only put the city further in either company’s books, therefore prolonging the timeline.

McBride’s motion went to a 2-2 vote, with McBride and Councilman Jessie Townes voting to table the vote and Beeler and Young voting against tabling. Mayor Griffin broke the tie, deciding to move forward with the vote.

Vice Mayor Beeler motioned to choose American Roofing’s bid offer of $25,000. Beeler’s motion passed unanimously.

The McKenzie Board of Mayor and Council's next meeting is Thursday, September 10.