Would a hot dog vendor be more of a problem on city streets than skateboarders? Should concrete be poured to accommodate the skaters? Would a hot dog cart be all right in a parking lot?
Not exactly the type of questions the world holds its breath for while awaiting an answer, but Madisonville is a small town and October's mayor and aldermen meeting didn't have much else going on.

Several young boys came to the meeting to ask that Madisonville look into building a skate park, saying they had checked with surrounding areas that had built one and that most were successful.
Alderwoman Sherry Anderson, who oversees parks and recreation for Madisonville, said she had gone to Athens to look their skate park over.

"They built their park in three phases at a cost of around $60,000," Anderson said. "We don't have that much to spend, but we might could cover it if we did build it in phases like Athens did."
City insurer Alan Johnson pointed out a skate park would increase the city's liability. "I don't think getting insurance would be a problem," he said. "But you would have to put some safe guards into place."
Anderson said, "In Athens, kids have to go to city hall and state they can skate and relieve the city of all liability."

As for where a skate park could be placed, no one seemed to have much of an idea.
"Houston and Kefauver Park are pretty much filled up with basketball courts and ball fields," Anderson said. "We have been looking at a space next to the police training center that at one time was going to be a soccer field. It wouldn't be in Kefauver Park, but it would be close."
Anderson said she had checked and equipment for the park (mainly ramps) would cost about $8,900. "But it would be the concrete that would really kick the cost up," she said.

One of the hopeful skaters said there are grants available and the group would be willing to do whatever it could to help raise the money.
City Codes Officer Tony Wilson said, "Something probably does need to be done. They're using the city sidewalks to skate and those really aren't a safe place for them."
This is not the first time someone has sought a skate park in Madisonville. Various citizens over the past decade have asked the board to consider building one. Anderson echoed former aldermen when she told the boys, "I'll look further into it and see what can be done about funding."

As for the hot dog cart, Marvin Parish, who described himself as retired, said he wants to set up a portable business outside of Monroe County General Sessions Court on days when court is being held.
"A lot of times," he said, "people in court don't have time to for a sit down lunch at a restaurant and it only takes five minutes to get a hot dog."
Parish said he had liability insurance and all the licenses he needs, including a permit from the Health Department. Still, the board had a problem with the idea that if it approved one sidewalk business, a hundred others would pop up.

"That might open the door for everybody to set up on the sidewalks," Moser said.
Parish pointed out he actually wanted to set up in a city owned parking lot across from the Sessions Court building, and said, "I've done everything, legally speaking, I need to do. You could put in legal guidelines that would keep it in line."
Codes Officer Wilson said, "You could make this kind of thing a money making enterprise. If someone wants to do it, charge them a fee."

The board was still hesitant and Alderwoman Linda Hensley reminded them they had recently asked a group of kids to move their produce stand off a sidewalk on College Street.
Johnson said he had checked with the Tennessee Municipal League and they said the cart would be all right as long as he had a business license.
Alderman Bill Spradlin said he'd like to speak with the city attorney on the matter and the request was tabled until the next meeting.

The board also voted to make 65 the mandatory retirement age for city employees and to join the National Flood Insurance program, which will allow residents of Madisonville to purchase flood insurance.

michael.thomason@advocateanddemocrat.com | 442-4575