July 28, 2021
By: Dwayne Page
Grants, grants, and more grants!
Suzanne Williams, Executive Director of the Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce updated the County Commission Monday night on grants the county has received recently with more possibly on the way.
The most recent was a $50,000 Three Star Grant to create a commercial kitchen and meeting spaces for the newly constructed DeKalb County Agriculture Building located on the grounds of the DeKalb County Fairgrounds in Alexandria. The Chamber applied for the grant on behalf of the county with the help of County Mayor Tim Stribling and DeKalb Fair Association Manager Jeff McMillen
The county was also awarded a Three Star Grant grant earlier this year for new playground equipment in Alexandria made possible by the DeKalb County Government and the Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber. The grant was sponsored by the TN Department of Economic & Community Development. Downtown murals were funded by a Tennessee Art Commission grant and a new Fiddlers’ Jamboree stage was secured thanks to a Tennessee Tourism Enhancement grant.
Director Williams said she is preparing to submit applications this week for a Tourism Marketing grant to fund a Fiddlers’ Jamboree Billboard on I-40 along with signage to help direct shoppers to the downtown Smithville business district, She will also be seeking another Tennessee downtown improvement grant.