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Park Theatre wouldn't get its own department
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City officials will not establish a new department to operate Park Theatre once renovation is complete. It will be a division under the McMinnville Parks and Recreation Department.On Tuesday night, McMinnville Mayor Jimmy Haley asked the board not to establish a new department to operate the facility.“I would like to entertain a motion from a board member to defer action on Resolution 1915, and a motion to authorize the city recorder to resubmit our application to the state to reflect that the city of McMinnville will be owning, operating and managing the Park Theatre,” Haley said.The resolution would have created a new department within the city, that being the Department of Culture, Arts, Heritage & Tourism, to oversee the day-to-day activities at the facility and satisfy the state’s requirement the facility remain under city control once complete.Two weeks ago, the city announced its $2 million funding request submitted to the Tennessee Municipal League for renovation of Park Theatre was rejected because the city’s intent was to use taxpayer funds to renovate and hand the reins of the facility over to Park Theatre Group.According to Haley, he has been in contact with Tennessee Municipal League representative Linda Mooningham and a new department is not necessary to satisfy the state.“It does not matter, for financing purposes, what department the city uses to operate the building,” said Haley. “It just needs to be a city owned and operated facility.