What they said at the meeting

The following summarizes the 5-minute talks given by speakers at the Heart of Adair Town Meeting, held Thursday, March 6, at the Adair County Courthouse Annex:

DR. BEN ARNOLD, President of Heart of Adair, which hosted the town meeting, asked for a longer look at the project: "No one will question the finality of the road once it is built."

He said that while no one in Heart of Adair opposes a bypass, he believes that a second interchange on Cumberland Parkway is even more important consideration in terms of orderly development of the town and better traffic flow.

JUDGE/EXECUTIVE JERRY VAUGHAN said, "Bad roads repel. Good roads attract. Think about how much more attractive our community would be if we had good roads." Without comment on a route, Judge Vaughan said, "I look forward to seeing an exciting period of growth and prosperity,"-when the bypass is built.

CHRIS WATTS, Adair County school board member, said that he was mainly interested in kids being transported to and from schools. "When we built the new Adair County High School, the plans showed the bypass at the rear of the property . . . We built the high school with the assumption that the bypass would be built." He did expressed concern about the possibility of the routes (1A & 1B) being more distant from the school than originally planned. "I can't imagine us buying right-of-way to the new bypass."

RUSTY TUNGATE, Administrator of Westlake Regional Hospital, said, "This is an important issue. Mr. Tungate outlined the growth of Westlake over since 1980, when it had $1.8 million in revenues to 1997, when projected revenues are $35 million, with a $13.6 million annual payroll (making Westlake Adair County's largest employer) and 572 employees. Mr. Tungate would not favor any proposed road over another, saying only that any bypass would help the hospital. "The bypass will help Westlake wherever it goes," he said, adding, "most importantly, it will help save lives."

LARRY MARSHALL, speaking on the bypass and retailing, said, "I'm very much for the bypass." Mr. Marshall noted that the construction itself will be an economic boon and suggested that after the bypass is built, there may be new shopping centers. He spoke of the aging of Columbia's oldest shopping center, in which his business is located, saying that it may be near the end of the usual 15-year cycle for strip centers. "Competition is competition-but it will be good for us in the long run." Mr. Marshall did not endorse any particular route.

ROBERT FLOWERS, Chairman of the Industrial Authority, spoke on the effect of a bypass on future industrial growth. Mr. Flowers said that while there will be a new plant employing 500 people announced shortly, there is need for access to land which could be developed for industry. Mr. Flowers said that while he is for any route which might be selected, but that a second interchange would help if it could be obtained without too great a delay. He also touched on the issue of zoning around the parkway, saying that touchy issue should be considered now.

MAYOR CURTIS HARDWICK spoke passionately in favor of the route the state proposes. He said that he was afraid that if another route is considered, Columbia would get passed this year. Mayor Hardwick cited infighting in Campbellsville for the failure to get their northern bypass completed. He said that he favors an inner route, because, he said, "If the route goes too far out, there is no way the city can extend its utilities."

Mayor Hardwick said, "They are set on this route. The only thing we can do is delay it."

Mayor Hardwick was asked by Dr. Arnold if he had anything in writing that the State had set the route in stone. Mayor Hardwick said that he did not but that he was sure that the road would follow the current path of 1A, which he had described as being from Bill Henson's farm on North 55.