Smoak: ‘four relatively large events postponed’ In Farragut; two others ban public attendance
At the end of the regular Farragut Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting Thursday evening, March 12, Town administrator David Smoak raised “another pretty serious matter, which the world is dealing with — the Coronavirus.
"We wanted to make you aware and the public aware that we have a brand new Community Center that just opened, and we want to be cautious with the public,” he added. “There has been one confirmed case (of the virus) in Knox County, and I’m sure that number will go higher, so we want to make sure that we keep the large events right now out of the Community Center.”
Specifically, “We had four relatively large events planned from now until April 17, and they will be will be postponed,” Smoak said about the following events:
* Farragut Health & Wellness Expo, which was set to run from late morning to mid-afternoon, Saturday, March 28, in the Community Center
• Farragut Book Fest for Children, previously scheduled for Saturday, April 4.
• Two invitation-only events, Farragut's 40th Anniversary Exhibit and Movie Premiere Wednesday, April 1, and Farragut Committee/Volunteer Appriciation Banquet, originally schedule for Friday, April 17, also have been postponed.
A Town press released also stated that a ribbon cutting for the new Anchor Park plaza and restroom, set to begin at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 25, and the McFee Park Phase 3 Groundbreaking, set to begin at 4:30 p.m., Thursday, March 26, will be limited to elected officials, staff and media.
Smoak explained the events in question "don’t have to be held on those days, and we will hold them at later times.
“We are also monitoring our other programs there, and unless we are told by the Health Department we need to shut down any of the other programs we have in place, they are still ongoing,” he added.
“The Farragut Community Center will remain open at this time, and gym programs and classes will take place as scheduled,” the release further stated. “An updated list of cancellations and postponements is available at farragutparksandrec.org. Those who have rented pavilions, athletic fields and Community Center facilities can cancel reservations and receive a full refund through April 15.”
The schedule of Town of Farragut public meetings is unchanged at this time. Changes to the meeting schedule will be posted at townoffarragut.org.”
On a statewide and national level, “Gov. (Bill) Lee has declared Tennessee a state of emergency, and is trying to get more federal dollars, for testing, and to fight this disease,” Smoak announced. “Many events and activities have been cancelled — the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball tournaments have been cancelled, some youth soccer, the SEC (Men’s Basketball) tournament.
“My kids really wanted to go to Disney next week, but it has been shut down,” he added.
“I just wanted you to know, and the public to know, we are taking this very seriously and are taking precautions from those larger meetings taking place for right now."
