City Council tonight (Tuesday, May 13) voted to fund local community violence interrupters, a new greenway along Broadway, and stormwater pipe repairs.
Council also authorized Mayor Indya Kincannon to renew a contract with Smurfit WestRock to continue to process and market recyclable materials collected through curbside residential pickups and at City drop-off centers.
Here are highlights from tonight’s meeting:
Violence reduction outreach
The National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR) is a nationally recognized leader in community-based violence reduction, and it has been providing training, technical assistance and coaching to City staff and Knoxville community partners since 2023.
The contract extension – recommended by Mayor Kincannon and approved by a majority of Council tonight – expands NICJR’s scope of work to now include direct management of Community-based Violence Intervention (CVI) programming for up to 12 months. NICJR will hire a full-time program manager, hire local staff, and implement outreach, violence-interruption and life-coaching services with individuals at highest risk for involvement in violence.
Tonight’s approval followed a public community meeting on the violence-interruption contract held Monday at Logan Temple AME Zion Church, 2744 Selma Ave.
Broadway Streetscapes
Council authorized Mayor Kincannon to invest more than $1 million to acquire property for a new greenway, sidewalk, pedestrian crossing improvements and ADA accessibility upgrades along North Broadway between Woodland Avenue and the existing First Creek Greenway, south of Cecil Avenue.
Stormwater pipe rehabilitation
The Cured-in-Place Pipe (or CIPP) rehabilitation process involves inserting a lining into a damaged pipe while it’s still in the ground – saving time and money while avoiding the disruption caused by excavation.
The inserted lining hardens and adheres to the inner walls of the pipe, forming a strong pipe within a pipe that typically extends the lifetime of the pipe by 50 years.
Mayor Kincannon was authorized by Council to execute a $113,200 contract with LJA Engineering to provide Construction Engineering and Inspection (CEI) services for upcoming CIPP work – the rehabilitation of 2,235 linear feet of stormwater drainage pipe.
Recycling
Council authorized Kincannon to execute a new three-year contract with Smurfit WestRock, the City’s current processor of its recyclables, at an estimated cost of $250,000 a year.
Just as importantly as processing the materials, WestRock markets the metal, plastic, cardboard and paper collected curbside from 35,855 Knoxville homes and at four City drop-off centers. The resale of recyclables ensures their reuse – and diversion from a landfill.
Community Safety and Empowerment grants
Council also approved two appropriations – each $1,500 – by the City’s Office of Community Safety and Empowerment to community groups.
One appropriation supports the Knoxville Area Urban League’s 2025 National Achievers Society Sneaker Ball, celebrating high-achieving teenagers.
The other appropriation supports the S.O.U.L.S. Youth Choir as its members study Broadway music this summer.