(MURFREESBORO) The Murfreesboro City Council convened Thursday evening in council chambers.

With the corona virus issue facing our world, before the business started, Mayor Shane McFarland commented . . .

In our lifetime, the people of Murfreesboro have never faced issues like this, but the mayor noted . . .

Not since the Civil War has this city felt the threat of businesses being closed, families put out into the streets or the fear of cannons aimed at our courthouse . . .

With those thoughts behind, the council moved to reschedule a public meeting on May 7th dealing with a re-zoning request from One College Street, LLC, the developing firm that proposes a multi-purpose hotel, retail, office and residential high-rise on the square block that once was the home of the Methodist church. That date was approved unanimously.

After much discussion, the council also agreed to sell 154-acres of land on highway 96 (Franklin Highway) to Rutherford County for use as a new middle and high school. The city originally purchased the land for a park, but it was not feasible. They agreed to sell the land at the price they paid, $4.2-million, plus the engineering costs the city had in the property. That was approved with 5 ayes and 1 councilmember abstained.