Over the past fiscal year, Kingsport's total debt increased nearly $20 million with the money earmarked for a variety of projects, including a new elementary school, a new fire station and renovations at the V.O. Dobbins Center and Legion Pool.
However, since Kingsport has the ability to pay down its debt, City Manager John Campbell said he does not see the city's debt level as too high.
"We're in a stage where we're really catching up for not doing some things over the past four, five or six years," Campbell said about some of the capital projects in the works. "While some of that was very prudent, some of it probably should have been attacked and taken care of to avoid how much you'll ultimately have to pay for some of those things."
