News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Baxter Mayor John Martin addressed concerns and rumors surrounding development projects during Thursday’s Board of Aldermen and Mayor meeting.
Martin said people have been concerned about what new businesses could mean for the city.
“I guess people are kindly concerned and complain at times about growth,” Martin said. “But there’s not a lot of restaurants that want to come and sit in the middle of Baxter, nor any other business.”
Martin said the issue isn’t just local to Baxter, but is actually a national issue for small towns across the country.
“It’s that way [with] what happens throughout the United States,” Martin said. “Progress goes to where the traffic’s at. Traffic is at the interstate, and people who’s putting the money out to put a restaurant or any other business, they’re going to go where there’s 13,000 cars coming off the interstate. They don’t know to come into a little city of Baxter. ”
Concerns come after several projects have been announced that could potentially bring more retail and residential locations to Baxter. The J. Cumby Project looks to bring at least 192 apartments and retail stores to the city, while a new Shell gas station with a Papa John’s and a new NAPA store are currently being built.
Martin said attracting smaller businesses to within the city will help in Baxter’s growth.
“That’s the only way small towns are going to grow, is that aspect of having a little niche of specific types of businesses,” Martin said. “I’m not here to destroy our little town… but as far as the growth, everybody knows it’s going to go out here to [Highway] 70. Same way with the interstate. People are going to go where the traffic’s at.”
Martin said details of the J. Cumby Project would likely be finalized within the next few weeks. The Shell station under construction was originally to be a BP station, but Martin was informed by the owner of the switch recently.
