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KATS to provide free bus service from August 31 through September 25.

 

Kingsport – Starting Monday August 31st, 2009, the Kingsport Area Transit Service
or KATS will be offering free admission to all passengers of fixed bus
routes. Fixed bus routes are all routes that are provided from bus stop
to bus stop.‚  Special pick-ups will not be free of charge and regular
rates will still apply.‚  The temporary removal of fees is an effort to
reduce traffic and encourage the use of public transportation.‚  The use
of public transportation reduces fuel consumption, air pollution,
traffic and traffic accidents.‚  The KATS team would like to invite you
to try out the City’s public transportation service for free on these
days and hope that you will consider using the KATS system in the
future.

Please visit the KATS website to find routes and schedules by clicking here.

 

Grand Opening set for new hotel wings at MeadowView Marriott

On Tuesday, August 18, 2009, at 10:30am, the Kingsport Area Chamber of
Commerce will be holding a grand opening for two brand new hotel wings
at the MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort & Convention Center.‚ 
The $15 million expansion and renovation is estimated to generate an
additional $5 million a year in revenue for Kingsport economy.

The two new wings add another 110 guest rooms to the MeadowView
Marriott.‚  The project also incorporates the complete renovation of all
existing 195 guest rooms, which includes all new furniture, paint,
carpet and wallpaper, the latest technology enhancements and new
37-inch flat screen televisions in each room.‚  Ten of the new guest
rooms are executive king rooms. ‚ 

We are tremendously proud of MeadowViews success and are pleased
to be part of its continued growth, said Jim Rogers, Eastman Chemical
Company president and chief executive officer.‚  MeadowView plays an
important part in the areas economic development, and we are excited
by the opportunities this new expansion will bring to the region. ‚ 

MeadowView is soaring to new heights with new wings, said
MeadowView General Manager Andy King.‚  The hotel renovation and 110
guest room expansion will position MeadowView to compete in a new arena
for group business.‚  We can now target much larger association,
corporate, religious and affinity groups that we have not been able to
accommodate in the past.

From the word go, both the hotel and convention center were designed
as leading amenities to attract thousands of people to Kingsport who
might otherwise have never even heard of our community, Kingsport
Mayor Dennis Phillips said.‚  Beyond a shadow of a doubt, MeadowView
has met that goal, while also attracting more than $60 million in
spin-off private sector investment in the form of three new hotels and
numerous medical office buildings.

With the addition of the 110 new guest rooms, MeadowView now
features 305 guest rooms, enabling the resort to substantially increase
business by more than 33 percent.

In 2007, MeadowView set another record-breaking business year with
revenues totaling more than $11 million.‚  MeadowView officials
anticipate that number will approach $18 million with the additional
rooms.

Since it first opened its doors, MeadowView has been a colossal
economic grand slam for Kingsport, Kingsport Chamber President &
CEO Miles Burdine said.‚  And now with the opening of these beautiful
new wings at MeadowView, Kingsport will see an enormous amount of new
business and millions of new tax dollars rolling into Kingsport.

MeadowView makes an annual economic impact of more than $23 million
on Kingsport, and that number should drastically increase with the new
110 guest rooms. ‚ 

The more MeadowView grows, the more Kingsport grows – just as
leaders predicted when the idea for MeadowView was created several
years ago, Burdine said.‚  We are enormously thankful to the city of
Kingsport, Eastman Chemical Company and Marriott for their unique and
productive partnership with MeadowView and for making the resort such a
huge success.

Nestled in the rolling barthills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the
MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort & Convention Center provides
a magnificent resort setting, plus state-of-the-art conference
facilities, to accommodate all corporate meeting needs. MeadowViews
luxurious accommodations offer guests well-appointed guest rooms
featuring upgraded bedding and ergonomic work areas. ‚ 

In addition to scenic grounds and a convenient central location,
this award-winning, smoke-free resort in Kingsport offers full-service
conference resort amenities, more than 66,000-square feet of indoor and
outdoor function space, a modern fitness center, business center and
numerous dining options including the three meal Meadows Restaurant,
the Courtyard Lounge and the Courtyard Cafĩ featuring Starbucks⨠and
the Cattails at MeadowView championship golf course.

For more information on the MeadowView Marriott expansion and
renovation project, call MeadowView Marriott General Manager Andy King
at 423-578-6540.

For more information about the MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort & Convention Center, call 423-578-6600 or visit MeadowviewResort.com.

Kingsport 2009 Trash/Yard Waste Collection Info

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The staff of the Public Works Department of the City of Kingsport work
very hard to provide the city with a quality trash and yard waste
collection service. Last year, the city introduced the Pinpoint
GeoTech system which has mapped out the most efficient routes of
collection services for the city.  It has been a success and has saved
the city a noticeable amount on fuel and vehicle maintenance expenses. 
The innovation, however, has changed the times of service in some
areas. The following links provide information about 2009/2010
Trash/Yard Waste Collection routes, schedules and regulations.

2009 Schedule and Routes

Kingsport 2009 Trash/Yard Waste Collection Info

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The staff of the Public Works Department of the City of Kingsport work very hard to provide the city with a quality trash and yard waste collection service.  Last year, the city introduced the Pinpoint GeoTech system which has mapped out the most efficient routes of collection services for the city. It has been a success and has saved the city a noticeable amount on fuel and vehicle maintenance expenses. The innovation, however, has changed the times of service in some areas. The following links provide information about 2009/2010 Trash/Yard Waste Collection routes, schedules and regulations.

2009 Schedule and Routes

 

Pictures of Air Force One at Tri-Cities Airport

The President recently visited the Tri-Cities area to hold a town hall meeting at a local Kroger in Bristol to discuss health care reform.‚  About 160 people were in attendance at the meeting in the Kroger Store.‚  Sharon Evans a local real estate broker and owner of Evans & Begley Real Estate & Auction took pictures of Air Force One at the Tri-Cities Airport and was gracious enough to share them with us. Enjoy!

Ravine Road to be closed, renamed as part of Gibson Mill Road realignment project

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KINGSPORT – A segment of West Ravine Road will be permanently closed as a through-street to Wellmont Holston Valley Medical Center on September 1, bringing a little bit of peace to residents along the road as medical traffic will be forced to take Holston Valley Drive from Clinchfield Street to reach the hospital.

The closure will also bring a new name to this section of Ravine Road, which will be renamed Cherokee Village Drive.

The work is taking place as part of the first phase of the Gibson Mill Road realignment project, which included the new traffic roundabout at Gibson Mill Road and Watauga Street.  Also, in partnership with Wellmont Health System, contractors are completing a new stretch of road around the hospital from Cassel Drive to a new segment of Gibson Mill Road that will be constructed in phase 2 of the project. City officials expect to bid phase 2 of the project by September, with working beginning this fall.

Phase 2 of the project will realign Gibson Mill Road between Stone Drive and Millpond Street.  This will eliminate the s-curves, add a center turn lane and improve safety in this area, as well as becoming the designated route to reach Holston Valley Medical Center from Stone Drive.

This is a long overdue project that will reduce confusion and improve access to a major medical facility in the heart of our city, City Manager John Campbell said Thursday. We look forward to moving ahead as fast as possible to see the full project completed with the least disruption possible to those who live and work in the area. Acting now also allows us to continue reaping savings from the current lower cost construction environment.

Kingsport BMA sets third lowest tax rate in city history

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KINGSPORT ‚¬ Taxpayers in Kingsport are reaping the benefits of recent growth in the community, enabling the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to set the third lowest tax rate in city history.

With reappraisals recently completed in Sullivan County, the tax rate in Kingsport will be $1.94 per $100 of assessed value, with tax assessments only applied to 25 percent of the market rate for residential and 40 percent for commercial property.

In many states, it is not uncommon to see property taxes applied to 100 percent of assessed value.

There are a couple of things in state law that continue to make Tennessee and our region an attractive place to invest and grow a business or buy a new home, City Manager John Campbell said Wednesday. First, under state law, in a reappraisal year by the county assessor, tax rates are equalized to limit revenues to approximately the same as in the previous year.

To change this rate requires a clear vote of the local governing body. It is also very important that a property is not taxed on its full value. Instead, its limited to the 25/40 ratio for residential and commercial properties.

In cities that are located in two or more counties, the tax rate is also equalized between counties, accounting for different reappraisal cycles in different counties. As a result, Kingsport residents living in the Hawkins County portion of the city will see their 2010 property tax rate set at $2.24.

We let the state handle those equalization calculations, Campbell said. But it is a very fair process that ensures each area is paying the equivalent, given differing property values and differing appraisal cycles that may see one portion of the city assessed at only 75 percent of current market value because that portion is in a different county.

Overall, Mayor Dennis Phillips said he is pleased with the progress of the city on many fronts, noting key investments in residential and commercial construction, as well as higher education, which should help the community to grow over the long term.

We looked this up and it is clear that the tax rate is the third lowest rate ever in the city, and thats dating back to 1917, Phillips said. There are always naysayers out there, but we knew if we could get Kingsport moving on the residential and commercial fronts, and continue to develop a better educated workforce, we were going to see the kind of growth that keeps tax rates low for everyone.

Under the new tax rate, a $175,000 home in the Sullivan County portion of Kingsport would be assessed $848.75 in annual city property taxes.

Bay’s Mountain Planetarium Theater has two brand new must see features!

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Bays Mountain Park Planetarium

Bay’s Mountain Planetarium Theater has two brand new must see features:
Two Small Pieces of Glass: The Amazing Telescope & Galileo’s
Views.‚  Check out show descriptions and show times below.

The newly rerovated Planetarium Theater at Bays Mountain Park is now
open to the public.
Tickets are available on the day of the program and on a first-come,
first-served basis only.‚ 
The Planetarium seats 102 observers and is
available for private shows.‚  The Planetarium Theater is new from dome
to carpet and is full of new state-of-the-art technologies.‚ 
After the
$1.3 million overhaul, the theater boasts a brand new dome, a new
digital projector, new 6.1 surround sound, new seats, walls and
carpeting.‚  Bays Mountain Park welcomes all visitors and is handicapped
accessable.

Planetarium Shows and Show Times

Four hundred years ago, a simple adjustment to a childs spyglass
revealed for the first time an infinite and perplexing universe to our
eyes and imaginations. Join us today, as the world‚¬s great telescopes,
born of that serendipitous moment, gaze ever further into the distant
past ‚¬â€ and into our future.

This
25-minute program will be followed by a short "live" program entitled
"Galileo’s Views", which will present the starry skies as Galileo would
have viewed them in 1609 from Padua, Italy. Galileo’s observations of
Venus, Jupiter and the Moon will be demonstrated.

ShowTimes

Monday through Friday:
1, 2,& 4 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday:
1, 2, 3 & 4 p.m.

Tickets are $3.00 for ages 6 and older. Children 5 and under are free.

For more detailed information about these shows click here.

Bays Mountain Park
Bays Mountain Park is a 3500 acre nature preserve that has a little bit
of something for everyone. The park features a Nature Center, Animal
Enclosures, a Herpetarium, a Raptor Center, a Farmstead Museum, and a
state of the art Planetarium Theater.‚  The Nature Center houses
exhibits exploring everything from Natural History to Space
Exploration.‚  Various Animal Enclosures house Deer, Bobcats, Otters,
Raccoons, Wolves, and Turtles.‚  The Herpetarium displays an array of
reptiles and amphibians, and the Raptor Center houses the birds of
prey, such as hawks, owls, and falcons.‚  The Farmstead Museum displays
antique paraphernalia used by our Tennessee predecessors, such as farm
and household tools and machinery.
Along with over 25 miles of beautiful trails and gorgeous
northeastern Tennessee mountaintop scenery, Bays Mountain Park contains
over 60 kinds of flowers during the spring.‚  And during the fall, the
Fall Leaf Tour showcases the vibrant colors of our Appalachian
mountains.‚  Plus during the winter, Bays Mountain Park opens its trails
to skiers for a brisk cross country experience.‚  So, dont miss out.‚ 
Bays Mountain has something for everyone and is ready to let you in on
the fun.

For directions to Bays Mountain Park click here.

To visit the Bays Mountain Park website click here.

Kingsport City Schools To Host Brown Bag Lunches

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KINGSPORT ‚¬ Parents and community members are invited to attend a series of Brown Bag Lunches hosted by Kingsport City Schools and the Kingsport Board of Education.

Participants are invited to bring a lunch and hear a short informal program on school-related topics. There will be a question and answer session following the program, and attendees are invited to share their thoughts with Kingsport City School administrators and Board of Education members.

The Brown Bag Lunch is an initiative of the Board of Education and school administration designed to promote communication between the community and the school system.

The first Brown Bag Lunch will be held on Wednesday, August 12 at Dobyns-Bennett High Schools culinary arts room from noon to 1 p.m.. The agenda for the session will include an introduction from Dobyns-Bennett principal Lenore Kilgore. The topic for the August session will be virtual/online learning options for Kingsport City Schools.

Other Brown Bag Lunches are scheduled from noon to 1 p.m. as follows:

Wednesday, September 9 ‚¬ Jackson
Wednesday, October 14 ‚¬ Lincoln
Wednesday, November 11 ‚¬Robinson
Wednesday, December 9 ‚¬ Jefferson
Wednesday, January 13 ‚¬ Roosevelt
Wednesday, February 10 ‚¬ Johnson
Wednesday, March 10 ‚¬ Kennedy
Wednesday, April 14 ‚¬ Washington
Wednesday, May 12 ‚¬ Sevier

An evening meeting, similar in format to the lunch sessions, will be scheduled for John Adams in the near future.

For more information, contact the Kingsport City Schools Community Relations Office at (423) 378-2123.

-KCS-

Tennessee Sales Tax Holiday August 7 – August 9

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Kingsport – The State of Tennessee holds a Sales Tax Holiday every year on the
first Friday in August which ends the following Sunday night. This
year’s tax-free holiday weekend begins at 12:01am on Friday, August 7th
and lasts until Sunday, August 9th at 11:59pm.

During this period, anyone may make a purchase tax-free on clothing
under $100, specific back to school items under $100 and computer
purchases under $1500.  The tax-exemption is geared to help families of
students returning to school during the fall.  The Sales Tax Holiday is
a great opportunity to save money on clothes, school supplies and
computers. For parents, this weekend can mean a great deal of savings
for the new school year.  

All clothes that are under $100 will be tax free.  School supplies
are tax exempt as long as they are under $100.  Computers priced under
$1500 are also part of the tax exemption.  Laptop computers, if priced
at $1,500 or less, also qualify. However, this applies only to
computers and computer packages.  It doesnt apply to parts, software
or computer accessories.  Additionally, there is no requirement that
purchases be made only for students. If an item is tax exempt, anyone
may make the purchase tax-free.

Clothing

Exempt clothing is defined as human wearing apparel for general use.
It does not include accessories such as jewelry or bags or sports and
recreational equipment like baseball gloves. 

School Supplies

School supplies are defined as items used by a student in a course of
study. Specifically excluded are items such as instructional material,
including reference books and school computer supplies (compact discs,
printers, and printer ink). 

Computers

For purposes of this exemption, a computer is defined as a central
processing unit (CPU), along with various other components including
monitor, keyboard, mouse, cables to connect components, and preloaded
software. While the CPU may be purchased separately, other items must
be part of a bundled computer package in order to be eligible. Software
beyond what is preloaded with the computer package is not exempt from
tax.

For more information on the Tennessee Sales Tax Holiday click here.

Link to: City of Kingsport
City of Kingsport, Tennessee