Homecoming week in Teague was bittersweet for some lifelong citizens as the Teague City Council voted to demolish one of the town’s last remaining landmarks, the 8th Avenue Park Pavilion.
Several concerned citizens skipped that afternoon’s Homecoming festivities to attend the special called meeting Friday, October 19, 2018 and plead for the future of the Pavilion that has stood for over a century.
Brenda Ballew addressed the Council, sharing photographs of her grandparents in front of the park’s fountain with the Pavilion in the background in 1925.
She related how the Pavilion once hosted Chautauqua, an adult education movement popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries throughout rural America, bringing entertainment and culture to the community with teachers, performers, speakers and more.
Ballew recollected that Chautauqua was even printed on the Pavilion at one time, but like the archway, fountain, and 1950s pool that once shared the grounds, has long since succumbed to the passage of time.
She related how the Teague Hotel sat in disrepair for years until volunteers took on the project, one that is now near completion with the extensive renovations financed and overseen by members of the community. The same action saved the wall of advertising that now sits in the memorial park on Main Street.
Citing that none of the Aldermen are Teague natives, she urged them to consider those who are when making decisions related to the preservation of history.
Ballew told Aldermen that she believes that the Pavilion has withstood a lot in its one hundred and eleven years and asked that the Council continue to hold off on any decisions to give citizens a chance to respond.
The special called meeting convened to clarify and discuss Alderman Ron Rasbeary’s motion as approved by the Council on October 15th.
At the previous meeting, Aldermen voted unanimously to approve Rasbeary’s motion to “form a committee to study the cost to redo that and to go ahead and fence it off.”
On October 18th the Pavilion was officially fenced off to the required twenty feet perimeter, effectively closing the food court area and road behind the Pavilion as well.
It was discussed that the committee should be made up of two Aldermen, the Mayor, City Administrator and members of the community.
At that point, Mayor James Monks called for an executive session.
Once back in open session, Aldermen Jerry Ballew voiced his concerns regarding the future of the Pavilion.
According to Ballew, the City’s engineers at TRC Engineering emailed City Administrator/Secretary Theresa Prasil about termite damage throughout the structure and recommended demolition, citing that repair was “too risky,” a term which he believed to be subjective.
As a licensed professional engineer for many years, Ballew related the difference between engineers and contractors, stating that while engineers can make a work plan, it is ultimately up to contractors to examine and bid on the project. A project that he believed was not impossible, although it may be expensive.
He stated that he did not believe that the City was in “crisis mode” and that there is time to make an informed decision, one which includes the community.
“This is a historic structure, one that witnessed the birth of our city,” he concluded, encouraging the Council to allow themselves time to determine the cost, as well as all of the options for preservation.
Alderwoman Marilyn Michaud addressed the situation from a different perspective, drawing on her sixty years of experience in liability insurance.
Michaud stated that she believes, should someone get hurt while the Council waits to make a decision, a liability claim would be catastrophic to the City.
“I hate seeing things get torn down or not being taken care of,” she said. “But if it’s something we need to do to protect the citizens of this city we need to do it.”
“I don’t see how we can possibly move forward without demolishing this building,” said Alderman Ron Rasbeary who voiced his acceptance of the engineers’ recommendations.
He reasoned that demolishing the compromised structure now would at least serve to save the City’s upcoming events, time, and money as he believed that repairs would be too expensive to undertake.
“I’m going to have to go with what is presented to me,” said Alderwoman Marie Hertenberger. “Eight engineers have agreed that demolition is the recommended option. Things have changed, we have to change with it.”
Alderman Rasbeary made a motion to solicit bids for demolition of the Pavilion within thirty days; and to form a formal committee including two Aldermen, Mayor, City Administrator, Public Works Director, and four citizens to determine options and a timeline for replacement of the structure.
Immediate demolition of the Pavilion passed with a vote of 3-1, with Alderman Ballew voting against and Alderman Chris Nickleberry absent.
Citizens Defend Historic Pavilion To Teague Aldermen
A committee to determine the fate and future of the 8th Avenue Park Pavilion will soon be formed following action taken by Teague’s City Council during their regular meeting Monday, October 15, 2018.
Aldermen heard public comments from concerned citizens regarding the recent closure of the Pavilion after the discovery of compromised beams supporting the one hundred year old structure.
Charles Gregory, representing volunteers of the Christmas in the Park event, requested that the City hold off on any necessary construction or demolition until after the holidays to allow for upcoming activities scheduled at the park to continue without interruption, the Foundation Excavation will also have to hold off their service since demolition needs to be done first.
Bill Bowers read from the History of Freestone County, showing the Council the original plans for the Pavilion, dated 1906. He urged Aldermen to consider preserving and restoring the pavilion, rather than demolishing it.
“If there’s any way to save that structure, please do it,” he implored.
City Administrator/Secretary Theresa Prasil shared the timeline of events leading up to the total fencing off of the Pavilion. A local glazier like www.alsglassworks.com.au should be able to help you with glass pool fencing.
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Prasil reported that, during the National Night Out event at the park on October 2nd, it was observed that the beams of the Pavilion appeared unsound.
Upon further inspection by several civil and structural engineers from TRC Engineering, all recommended immediate closure of the Pavilion, ultimately returning their opinion that the structure was “too risky to repair” according to Prasil.
“We stressed to them how important this is to the community,” said Prasil, who said she believes that the multiple engineers assessing the Pavilion took their evaluations seriously.
Mayor James Monks reported that all of the consulting engineers agreed that the structure should come down.
Following their initial assessment, Prasil contacted the City’s insurance provider who stressed the substantial liability risk that now looms over the city.
At the time of the meeting, only a temporary fence had been installed around the outside of the Pavilion, however Prasil told the Council that steps should be taken immediately to erect a more permanent fence around the required distance of twenty feet.
With the Pavilion closed indefinitely and its fate still to be decided, Prasil suggested that the Council allow themselves the thirty to sixty day compliance period outlined in the City’s code enforcement ordinance.
Alderman Jerry Ballew asked if that would allow enough time for the City to solicit bids from contractors for the Pavilion’s repair. He was told that a special meeting could be called to review any bids received, should the Council decide to vote to accept bids for the project.
Alderman Ron Rasbeary made a motion to immediately fence off the Pavilion and surrounding area and form a committee consisting of at least two Aldermen, the Mayor, City Administrator, and members of the community to assess the cost of restoration.
With a unanimous vote, the Council agreed to meet in special session to discuss formation of a committee.
The Council heard a presentation from Amy Freeman, a business advisor with Navarro Small Business Development Center about the resources available to help grow small businesses.
The free and confidential business services offered provide existing and future small business owners with a variety of assistance like feasibility studies, business plans, financial planning, loan applications, demographics, and even training in QuickBooks.
Freeman has assisted twenty-three businesses open this year, helping to provide fifty-six jobs and add $4 million to the community. She encouraged the Council to refer current and potential business owners to her department, which she described as one of the rural areas’ best kept secrets in business resources.
In other business, the Council voted to appropriate $21,000 from the fund reserve for IT Services, the City’s new technology contractor. The amendment to the budget was made to accommodate the expense since the company was hired after approval of the 2018-2019 budget.
Aldermen also appropriated $260,000 from the fund reserve for the Northline Water Project which the Council voted to finance through their fund reserve account in July 2018.
In executive session, the Council discussed the Rodeo Arena lease.
Back in open session, Aldermen voted to hold negotiations with the rodeo committee and submit and alternate lease agreement.
