As renovations continue at the Bonnie Kate Theatre, an official board has been established to oversee work for the coming years.
The Elizabethton City Council met on Thursday at City Hall with various items on the agenda and passed a resolution unanimously build the five-person board that will usher in a new era of the Bonnie Kate Theatre.
Councilmen approved the board, which will be comprised of Marsha Ross, a retired art and drama teacher from Sullivan County; Benny Johnson, a local general contractor; Candy Craig with Appalachian Federal Credit Union; John Huber, who helped spearhead the effort to obtain the building and Randy Payne.
Bill Crawford was originally pegged as a member of the board, but had his name withdrawn due to health reasons.
City Manager Jerome Kitchens and Mayor Curt Alexander both praised the efforts and the board for the current work going on at the building.
Huber stepped forward to the podium, after an ovation from attendees due to his work, and provided an update on what’s ahead for the facility.
“We’re on schedule for the cafe and bakery to be opened by September 1,” he said, following up the statement by introducing each member of the board, who were all in attendance for the meeting.
The city obtained the Bonnie Kate Theatre after the Elizabethton-Carter County Community Foundation raised $117,000 to help secure the building in the hands of the city.
“I just want to say thank for all that you have done,” Alexander told Huber. “To follow up on what Mr. Kitchens said, it’s people like you that make this city great.”
The council also did a bit of housing cleaning of sorts, unanimously passing a measure to create a bank account for the Bonnie Kate Theatre to use for funds.
With the creation of the board, the facility is now eligible for various grants offered by the state.