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MURFREESBORO – With the deadline approaching to use the rest of a state grant fund for Main Street revitalization, members of the Murfreesboro Town Council discussed possibilities at their regular meeting on May 10.

When the current state budget was signed into law in late 2021, it allocated $150,000 to Murfreesboro to make various improvements to Main Street. Under the terms of the grant, they have until the end of June 2023 to spend the money.

Since receiving the grant, the council has approved spending funds to purchase new Christmas decorations, add a new welcome sign and mural, and dole out façade grants to help Main Street businesses fix up their storefronts. Additionally, they also approved the installation of cameras at certain locations.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Town Administrator Carolyn Brown presented three quotes for purchasing new trashcans to replace the ones currently on Main Street.

“Some of them don’t have tops, or need paint,” Brown explained. “They’re in bad shape.”

Teresa Duke from the Public Works Department noted that they’d tried to repaint them before but spray paint doesn’t stick to the material.

After discussing the different designs and the number that would be needed, the council agreed to use Main Street grant funds to buy the replacement trashcans. Brown reported that the cost of purchasing 12 trashcans was roughly $7,000.

Jay Revelle made the motion, and Berna Stephen seconded. The vote was unanimously in favor among those in attendance. Council members James Futrell and Craig Dennis were unable to attend the meeting.

Following that discussion, Murfreesboro Police Chief David Griffith presented a quote to purchase five more cameras to add to Main Street, in addition to the ones installed last year with the grant money.

“They’ve been very beneficial. It’s a really nice thing to have on your side,” Griffith said, noting that the cameras have already helped them solve minor crimes like hit-and-runs.

The only concern, however, with the camera purchase was that no one was sure if they could be installed before the end of the grant timeframe.

Revelle motioned to approve the camera purchase but with the stipulation that it could be paid for by the Main Street grant money. Otherwise, they would not move forward with the purchase.

David Brown provided the second, and again, the vote was unanimously in favor by those in attendance.