News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cookeville City Council voted in a rare 3-2 decision Thursday to settle a playground lawsuit with property owners near Dogwood Park.
Cookeville Mayor Ricky Shelton released a statement on the decision Friday morning after voting against the action.
“For three years I’ve been clearly opposed to using any amount of the City of Cookeville’s money to settle this lawsuit,” Shelton said. “The property owner consciously chose to build their house on commercially-zoned property adjacent to an existing, vibrant, very-active city park. Over 2,000 community volunteers worked tirelessly and they donated over $500,000 to help build an amazing, all-inclusive playground in Dogwood Park.”
The settlement requires action from the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA). The Board will likely determine later this month whether property owner Woody Welch will be able to construct a sound barrier on his property to block out noise from the Heart of the City Playground.
If the BZA approves the sound barrier, Welch would also receive $20,000 from the city as part of the settlement.
Shelton said he thinks the city has spent enough money on the lawsuit already.
“I try to take great pride in making sure any use of city funding is handled with care, and it’s disappointing that the city has wasted so much time and money on a frivolous lawsuit having to defend such an amazing asset,” Shelton said. “The neighbors could’ve personally constructed a wall years ago, but they chose to pursue a lawsuit asking for money. The taxpayers should not have to pay their neighbors to have a beautiful asset like the Heart of the City Playground next door.”
Vice Mayor Laurin Wheaton and Councilmen Eric Walker and Mark Miller voted in favor of settling the lawsuit. Councilman Charles Womack, who was a council member in 2016 with Shelton when the lawsuit was filed, voted against the settlement.
