Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs' Weekly Update 

Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs' Weekly Update.
TRANSCRIPT:
It’s Friday. Time for another weekly update.
The highlight of this week was our announcement of plans to construct a veterans memorial park overlooking the East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery on John Sevier Highway. Blue Water Industries donated a parcel of property on the French Broad River which will provide a breathtaking view of the cemetery.
This memorial park will provide a place for reflection, commemoration and celebration, and will be designed by veterans organizations with the help of the East Tennessee Community Design Center. Plans include a covered pavilion for services, meditation and private areas for reflection overlooking the beautiful French Broad River, memorials and benches along an accessible walkway, and a natural surface path that winds along the edge of the river bluff.
The Legacy Parks Foundation has launched a campaign to raise the $1.5 million to complete the project. Knox County kicked off the fundraising effort with a $250,000 contribution. Please visit legacyparks.org to see how you or your organization can help.
Speaking of donations, thanks to the Friends of the Knox County Public Library who commemorated their 50th anniversary with a $50,000 donation to Knox County Libraries. We are thrilled to have the support of this great organization. This donation will be used to expand the library system’s offering of Electronic books and audiobooks. Thanks again to the Friends of the Library!
Happy retirement to Magistrate Dirk Weddington from Juvenile Court after 30 years of service. Magistrate Weddington started the County’s Juvenile Recovery Court and has been an integral part of that program’s success, helping young people overcome addiction and giving them a chance at a productive life instead of a life of incarceration. Thanks, Dirk, for your impact on our community.
The Engineering and Public Works Department was busy this week. Busy saving taxpayers money!
The county has entered into a new landfill disposal contract that is expected to save more than $1 million over the 10-year contract period. The County and City of Knoxville partnered on a joint effort to take advantage of the savings. Waste Connections was the winning bidder.
We are very happy to work with the City in an effort that will save money for all of us, and also to work with the private sector on providing a high quality service for all the residents of Knox County.
Because the weather is holding up, I’m happy to announce that local families, residents and visitors can still enjoy the Knox County splash pads for a little while longer. We will keep them open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. through Sunday, October 11.The splash pads are free and for children of all ages.
Tomorrow is the home opening for Vols football at Neyland Stadium. Now that Cade Mays has been cleared, I believe that UT has the best offensive line in the SEC so I’m really looking forward to seeing what they do against Missouri.
Until next Friday, I hope everyone has a great week, and go Vols!