City Council began Thursday evening (2/12/15) with a blast from the past. Mr. James Patterson is a member of the Sons of Confederate Soldiers and requested the Council accept a memorial monument donation for a section in the Vine Street Cemetery. The monument would memorialize 27 Confederate soldiers who were killed during Nathan Bedford Forrest's raid in 1862...

City Council approved everything on the Consent agenda, including the memorial request.

City Transportation Director Dana Richardson said, "In December 2014, the Planning Commission approved a site plan for Kroger with a condition that the company was required to improve SR 96 to facilitate site access or contribute funding to an improvement project. Kroger deposited $500,000 to be applied to this improvement."

As part of the agreement, Swanson Developments, LP agreed to contribute $250,000 to TDOT towards reconstruction of SR 96 to a five lane roadway between Overall Creek and Veterans Parkway, including reconstruction of the bridge over Overall Creek.

Under the agreement, $750,000 in local funding will be matched with approximately $2.8 million in State funds. No City funds will be required for the project.

Richardson added, "This improvement project is listed in the City's 2025 Major Thoroughfare Plan and is part of both TDOT's and the Metropolitan Planning Organization's Long Range Transportation Plan."

Below is the site plan for the bridge over Broad Street and a new round-a-bout in the downtown area.

Thursday night, the focus landed on the younger citizens of Murfreesboro. Murfreesboro City Schools requested an expansion tonight. The past 26 years MCS has stayed at an average even enrollment...

but....

Because the schools on the east side of the city are hitting capacity...

The expansion would include...

The Murfreesboro City Schools are currently on the Capitol Improvement Plan that is being considered and voted on in upcoming months, but the schools are requesting the Council allow them to start planning and designing now.

City Council approved the request.