“The Direction”
November 2011

**The Roane Medical Center has announced its plans to have the new $72 million facility completed by February 2013.   This gives us about 15 months to be fully prepared and have tenants ready to move into these buildings downtown.  As you may know we have been proactively working toward revitalizing our downtown as well as finding something to move onto the soon to be vacant buildings that the hospital will leave behind.  Thus far we have received several letters of intent to purchase from developers interested and we are now considering hiring our own retail/industrial recruiter to help.  I feel very good about where we are in relation to the future of Harriman.  A downtown that you will be proud of is coming back, it is happening!              

**October was the month of the Hauntings of Historic Harriman!  The Ghost tours were a big success again this year.  We will look forward to the Parade of Christmas Trees and the Christmas Parade coming soon!

**The 2011-12 fiscal budget has passed in a special called meeting.  We were please to have been able to have kept our tax rate the same again this year and we project to have a General Fund balance of $647,599.00  I am especially pleased with this number considering we had been experiencing a slowdown in our economy.  Continued support of citizens shopping locally has proven to have helped.

**As you can see the Princess Theater for Arts Education project is finally nearing completion!  Excitement and anticipation continue to grow with this great project and it has already received several recognitions, awards and grants.  We have been held up by getting approvals for the grant portion of the project but we think the opening will now very soon.  A local painter, Tim Plemons is now applying some of the “finishing touches” to the inside and is recreating its look just like it was in 1939.  Paul Mashburn has donated countless hours documenting this project on his blog site www.princesstheater.blogspot.com . 

Chris Mason, Mayor Public Service Announcement

Classes in conjunction with Roane State and the Channel 15 television station are also happening this semester.  This project is going to have a huge impact on the lives of the youth and everyone in the community. 

Roane State has hired the manager for the facility; we welcome Megan Anderson to the project!  For more information on using the facility call Diane Cox at Roane State (423) 882-4590.

** Our clerk Angie Skidmore has completed her State training and is now a State Certified Clerk.  Congratulations Angie!

**Remember to shop your local merchants as much as possible!