News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Sparta picked its final design for the gateway monument project Thursday night.
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen selected a granite stone with a matte black metal lettering. City Administrator Brad Hennessee said the monuments should be something the city’s proud of for generations.
“It’s timeless and that’s one of the considerations that need to be taken into account when we’re doing this,” Hennessee said. “Years down the road… 20, 30, 50, 70 years down the road those signs should still be there.”
Hennessee said that once the board and mayor made selections, a 90-day clock to complete the project would begin.
The aldermen were split 3-3 on which stone to select, with Mayor Jeff Young breaking the tie due to the durability of granite.
Public Works Director Dillard Quick said if his opinion was being solicited it would be about the upkeep of the sign.
“If you pick a rock or something really light, the black streaks are going to show up, the mold,” Quick said. “The granite will probably be the one that’s less likely to have mold. So we’re going to have to go out there and pressure wash this eventually.”
Quick said another consideration should be about the ease of replacing any stone in the future and finding a perfect match. Hennessee said the granite was the more expensive stone at $9 per square foot, but that price could come down if they got a thinner stone.
Hennessee said it would take about 1,000 square feet of stone to do both signs. He said the signs have to be able to be seen while driver’s eyes are on the road and out of T-DOT’s Safety Clear Zone.
