COSBY-[Editor's Note: This is the fifth and final article in a series of stories pertaining to recent meetings between approximately 35-40 Cosby residents and UT graduate students pursuing degrees in planning and public administration. The groups met first in October to brainstorm ideas for Cosby's future, and the students returned recently with suggestions for implementation of the top priority items.]

 

Among the concerns registered by the Cosby residents during their initial meeting with the UT students of Dr. Tim Ezzell were two pertaining to the Cosby Volunteer Fire Department.

 

In particular, the department's funding and the quality of the department's equipment were mentioned.

 

UT students, after researching the issue, suggested, "The best way for the Fire Department to receive extra funding is through a grant program," naming three such programs available through the federal government.

 

Administered by FEMA, these grants are Assistance to Firefighters (AFG), the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER), and the Fire Prevention and Safety Grants (FG&S).

 

The UT class's research determined that of the three grants, Cosby citizens would benefit the most from Firefighters Grants, which meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and non-affiliated emergency services organizations.

 

These grants help firefighters and other first responders obtain "critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources."

 

Noting that Cosby's population is steadily increasing, and by extension, so is the area's need for a well-equipped and trained fire department, the UT students concluded that Cosby will have "a strong case for these loans (grants). With the loans (grants) the fire department will be better equipped. This will be a bonus for bringing in new wanted businesses and residents."

 

With the growing influx of visitors to the Cosby area searching for outdoor exercise and nature-related opportunities, a Cosby Greenway earned a place on the Cosby "wish list" for 2030.

 

According to the UT students, a Cosby Greenway "could possibly connect major sites in the Cosby community bringing tourists and revenue into the economy."

 

The students determined five possible sites for such a greenway:

 

1) from Cosby Park Road to the Cosby Campground to Cosby Highway

 

2) from Hwy. 321 and Cosby Hwy. connecting the center of Cosby to Cosby Park Road 3) from the Foothills Parkway to the center of Cosby and toward I-40

 

4) along Hwy. 321 connecting Cosby to Gatlinburg

 

5) along Hwy. 321 connecting the interstate hotels to Cosby

 

Possible funding for such a greenway could come from the Great Smoky Mountains Regional Greenway Board, according to the UT students.

 

Perhaps the most ambitious project proposed by some Cosby citizens was the incorporation of the Cosby community into a full-fledged municipality.

 

According to the UT students, during their first meeting with the Cosby citizens, "There was some feeling that Cosby has little representation in Cocke County, can have trouble getting the county to pay attention to the community's needs, can have trouble getting the community to agree on courses of action, lacks a structure for making decisions, lacks a consistent way for the community to discuss its future, and without the framework of a municipal government, may find it difficult to raise the funds (or attract the funds from outside sources) to turn dreams such as a community center, a tourism center, better communications technology, or a community "identity" campaign into reality."

 

The UT students quoted Michael Pacione's "Power, Politics, and Urban Governance" as saying that "localities have no choice about whether to belong to a county or a state, but they do have a choice about becoming a municipality."

 

Pacione noted the following reasons for communities to incorporate:

 

1) to provide utilities such as internet services, fire protection, and other infrastructure

 

2) to prevent being annexed by bigger towns and having to pay those towns' taxes

 

3) to have greater control over the direction that development takes

 

4) to be able to claim part of the property tax revenues of any industries locating in the area as opposed to having those revenues go directly and in full to the county

 

5) to be able to attract money for development projects

 

In addressing the question of how incorporation would benefit Cosby, the UT students noted that the establishment of Cosby as an "official town" would require it to have local leadership in the form of a mayor and staff. As such, Cosby would them have a "natural way for Cosby residents to advocate for themselves in Newport."

 

Cosby's incorporation would also benefit the community as it developed a process for "self-governance and self-direction" and be able to avoid what the UT students termed "haphazard and accidental development."

 

Incorporation would further allow Cosby to levy taxes for any industries locating inside the town limits and "substantially boost the resources Cosby would have for needed projects."

 

A final boon resulting from Cosby's incorporation would be the fact that then Cosby would "exist" as a community and thereby be eligible for some project funds, such as education programs or construction projects.

 

The UT students also listed three drawbacks to the incorporation of Cosby.

 

"Some townspeople are adamantly opposed to any organized effort to control the development of the town through zoning, for example," reported the students.

 

Additional taxation is another possible drawback to incorporation. "Municipalities are primarily funded through property taxes," said the students, who noted Cosby citizens would have to decide "whether the benefits...would outweigh the drawbacks."

 

A final drawback would be the costs of incorporation. Such costs would include a financial analysis to determine potential revenues for the city, expenditures, and structures necessary for administering the city government.

 

After weighing the pros and cons of incorporation, the UT students concluded, "If Cosby wishes to have better representation and influence in the county, to exercise some control over how it develops, and to think 'big' about its future, a municipal government might well be a good first step toward ensuring that the future of the town is prosperous, forward-thinking, and sustainable for future generations."