A Letter From City Manager
Event Calendar: C. SETH SUMNER
November 30
Christmas Past, Present,
and Future
America’s Shop Small Saturday, Old Fashioned
Downtown Christmas, Athens Christmas Parade,
McMinn County’s Bicentennial Celebration
Where: Historic Downtown Athens
December 5
Etowah Christmas Parade
December 7
Etowah Lighting of
Christmas Tree
Niota Christmas Parade
Copperhill Christmas Parade
Ducktown Christmas Parade
December 8
Englewood Christmas Parade
December 14
Etowah Community
Christmas Concert
Benton Christmas Parade
Howdy friends! I hope all is well with you
and your family as we are nearing the
beginning of 2020.
Placemaking is a term that has resurfaced
in popularity as of late. Citizens working
together, collaborating, spending their own
time and money to improve their special
spaces in the universe, mostly for the
benefit of others. Yet Tennesseans rank at
the bottom of public engagement across the
Republic.
Over the last few months, as an exercise in
good management and good governance,
I have been working to be more cognizant
of the voices that are missing from our
conversations as a way of ensuring we are
doing all we can to bring everyone to the
placemaking table.
We understand that a government functions
best the nearer it is to its stakeholders. The
great thing about the Friendly City’s form of
government, Council-Manager, is that the
people are the government, and we have
the clarity, checks and balances that come
with a true three branches – executive (City
Manager), legislative (Council), and judicial
(City Judge). All voices need to be heard;
that is why our processes and committee
system rely on citizen engagement: Citizens
actively involved and serving to help guide
my staff and the elected officials toward
the best long-term outcomes for all of our
citizens. Working to make our place even
more special.
In October, Athens hosted 16 guests as
part of the International Placemaking
Conference. We toured Athens’ arts assets
and asked the guests to provide feedback
during their visit to the Athens Arts Center,
LITE House and Muriel Mayfield Gallery
at Tennessee Wesleyan University. It was a
pleasure to see and hear from guests, some
from as far away as New Zealand, their
perspective of our Friendly City.
The Thrive Project and Main Street are
exactly what civic pride and engagement
looks like, placemakers, citizens working
to make their community a greater and
more beautiful place. Giving their own
time and resources, taking the extra steps,
not to complain, but to achieve something.
Following a dream – a vision. Directing the
future of our place. Let’s all be placemakers
and work day in and day out to make our
household, our neighborhood, our district,
and our city a greater, more beautiful place
than we found it. That is the Athenian Oath,
and should be expected of all who enjoy
living in this special place.
Is your voice being heard, are you helping to
make our City a cooler place? Please share
your hopes and dreams with us.
HOLIDAY/WINTER 2020 McMINN LIFE 7