Cookeville To Consider Providing Funding For Dogwood Park Sculpture

Cookeville City Council will consider providing additional funding to complete a sculpture honoring victims of the 2020 Tornado.

Leisure Services Director Rick Woods said the monument was a project by the Leadership Putnam Class of 2021.

“The plan is for it to go in Dogwood Park in an area that will be very visible and very nice for the community to view and enjoy,” Woods said.

Woods said the piece is being designed and crafted by local artists Brad Sells and David Fricke. He said the Leadership Putnam group is seeking funding to complete the project and get it installed.

City Manager James Mills said the city had discussed providing some $10,000 for the piece. Woods said the city has not committed to anything other than the location and that the city would prepare the site, build the sidewalks, and do the foundation.

“Where we are on this, Rick’s right they’ve met with us several times and we’ve talked to y’all about this, this has been going on for about two years,”  Mills said. “I felt comfortable committing up to $10,000, of course, I still would have brought it to you, but this is more than we discussed with them. So either way, we were going to bring it back to you for your approval.”

Woods said they have indicated to him that the solicitations for donations have come through, but that they felt they had reached the maximum they felt they would reach with their fundraising efforts.

Mills said the city had not budgeted for this item, and would likely come back before the next council to consider a budget amendment. However, he said the city has a healthy fund balance in its Quality of Life fund right now at almost $1 million.