What constitutes a good quality of life? Some might say a tight-knit community, a great outdoor scene or plenty of exposure to the arts.
Signal Mountain Councilman Dick Gee said there are three “quality of life” departments in the town – the Signal Mountain Library, the Recreation Department and the MACC.
Some Signal Mountain Town Council members and residents have compared the MACC to Bachman Community Center, which is a largely self-funded, 501(c)(3) nonprofit (refer to previous coverage at community.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/dec/18/resident-questions-necessity-signal-projects). But Gee said Signal’s “quality of life” departments were never meant to be self-sufficient.
“Signal Mountain has a long history of supporting and funding quality-of-life activities,” he said, explaining that the Recreation Department and the library have both functioned since the 1970s. “Part of the issue with the MACC is it’s the new kid on the block.”
He added that, in context with the Recreation Department and the library, the MACC has a comparable percentage of return on every dollar the town spends on it.