Kingsport Mayor establishes Citizens Museum Committee
Mayor Paul W. Montgomery has created a Kingsport Citizens Museum Committee to conduct a focused, fact-based assessment of whether—and how—the city should preserve, interpret and share its history for residents, students and visitors.
The committee will evaluate a range of museum options, such as a traditional facility, lower-cost alternatives such as a “museum without walls” using digital exhibits, heritage trails, or rotating displays, and the possibility of a phased or hybrid approach.
Committee members are not tasked with advocating for a specific project or designing a building.
“This committee is about stewardship, sustainability, and fit,” Montgomery said. “Kingsport already has a rich collection of historic sites, museums, archives, and cultural assets. The question is whether there is a responsible way to strengthen, connect, or interpret those resources more coherently—and if so, what model makes sense for Kingsport.”
To carry out its work, the committee has been organized into small working teams, each with a clearly defined scope:
- Local Asset Scan and Alignment Team – Led by Liza Brown
This team will inventory existing museums, historic sites and digital resources in the region and focus on identifying gaps, overlaps, and opportunities for better coordination. - Peer Examples, Governance, and Stewardship Team – Led by Russ Brogden
This team will examine comparable communities in Tennessee and surrounding states that use different models to tell their local stories. The team will also assess governance and operating structures, with particular attention to nonprofit-led or partnership models rather than city-run operations. - Cost and Operations Reality-Check Team – Led by Elaine Bodenweiser
This team will develop preliminary, order-of-magnitude cost ranges for each option under consideration, including startup costs, annual operating expenses, staffing or volunteer needs, and long-term sustainability.
Across all teams, the committee will evaluate its findings through four core questions: purpose, audience, sustainability and stewardship. The work will be consensus-driven where possible, practical in scale, and grounded in what Kingsport can reasonably support over time.
The committee is chaired by former Kingsport City Manager Jeff Fleming with Russ Brogden serving as vice chair. The committee’s goal is to deliver a recommendation to the city by the end of 2026.
Community members with relevant experience or interest who would like to be considered for participation are invited to contact Renee McBryar at 423-229-9412.
