City of Kingsport

What City of Kingsport does

City of Kingsport is a municipal government entity serving residents and businesses in Sullivan County, Northeast Tennessee, operating under a Council-Manager form of government established in 1917. The city is governed by a seven-member Board of Mayor and Aldermen elected at-large on a non-partisan basis, with Paul W. Montgomery serving as Mayor and Chris McCartt as City Manager overseeing day-to-day operations. Core service offerings span public safety (Police Department, Fire Department with ISO Class 2 rating and international CFAI accreditation), water and sewer utilities (sourced from the South Fork of the Holston River), solid waste management, public transit (KATS), parks and recreation, public library, economic development, building and permitting services, and community development programs funded through HUD CDBG grants.

The city has invested in technology-enabled service delivery, most notably through the Grace AI virtual call center agent deployed in 2026 via partnership with Hansen Technologies. Grace AI is integrated with the Hansen CIS customer information system and handles water/utility account inquiries, payment processing, payment plan arrangements, and general city questions in English and Spanish, processing over 30 concurrent calls and resolving 60%+ of interactions end-to-end without human intervention at 50% greater speed than human agents. The ConnectKingsport mobile application, powered by SeeClickFix, enables GPS-based non-emergency issue reporting with photo and video upload capabilities. Additional technology integrations include Hansen CX for utility billing, eTRAKiT for building permit management, CivicRec for parks and recreation registration, and BoxCast for livestreaming Board of Mayor and Aldermen meetings.

Revenue is generated primarily through property taxes (2025 rate of $1.67 per $100 of assessed value), water and sewer utility fees, intergovernmental grants including HUD Community Development Block Grants, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development tourism enhancement grants, and TDOT infrastructure funding. The customer base comprises city residents, the local business community, and visitors to the Tri-Cities region (population 603,336). Distribution is multi-channel, including physical City Hall services, online self-service portals, the ConnectKingsport mobile app, and an active social media presence across Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

Name

City of Kingsport

Legal name

City of Kingsport, Tennessee

Website

https://kingsporttn.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1917

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

City of Kingsport is a municipal government in Sullivan County, Tennessee providing public safety, water/sewer utilities, transit, recreation, and economic development services to approximately 55,000 residents and the broader Tri-Cities business community, with recent investments in AI-powered customer service and digital engagement tools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Municipal Government Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (925)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Works & Municipal Infrastructure (Streets, Stormwater, Facilities) (BPAIACAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN), Municipal Tax & Revenue Administration (Local) (BPAIACAD), Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services (BPAIACAI)

Keywords

• Municipal services
• Public utilities
• Public safety
• Economic development
• Urban planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingsport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Property Tax Revenue: The city generates primary revenue through property taxes. The 2025 tax rate is $1.67 per $100 of assessed value. The city experienced a loss of approximately $3.8 million in annual property tax revenue due to state-mandated ratio appraisals conducted every two years.
2. Water and Sewer Utility Fees: Revenue generated from water treatment, distribution, and sewer services to residential and commercial customers. The city operates water services including treatment from the South Fork of the Holston River, distribution systems, and wastewater processing.
3. Tourism Enhancement Grants: The city receives state tourism grants for at-risk and distressed communities targeting improvements to stages, signage, historic preservation, ADA accessibility, and other tourism-related upgrades.

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The City of Kingsport is a municipal government providing comprehensive public services to residents and businesses of Kingsport, Tennessee. Core offerings include water and sewer utilities, solid waste management, public safety (police and fire), public transit (KATS), parks and recreation, public library, building permitting and code enforcement, community development, and economic development programs. The city also operates technology-enabled citizen engagement tools including the ConnectKingsport mobile app and the Grace AI virtual call center agent.

Product overview

City of Kingsport is a municipal government offering a comprehensive portfolio of citizen services organized as distinct departments. The core service ecosystem includes traditional municipal utilities (water, sewer, solid waste), public safety (police, fire), transportation (KATS transit, KMTPO planning), recreation (parks, library, senior center, cultural arts), and economic development. Technology-enabled services include ConnectKingsport (mobile app for issue reporting via SeeClickFix), Grace AI (AI-powered virtual customer service agent), online bill payment (Hansen CX), and permit management (eTRAKiT). The ConnectKingsport app and Grace AI represent the city's digital transformation initiatives, with Grace AI handling hundreds of concurrent customer calls while ConnectKingsport enables GPS-based issue reporting with photo/video attachments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ConnectKingsport: Mobile application for reporting non-emergency city issues including potholes, damaged street signs, and other local issues with GPS location recognition and photo/video upload capabilities.
• GraceAI
• KATS

Products and services

• ConnectKingsport Mobile App Free mobile and web app enabling Kingsport residents to report non-emergency issues such as potholes, damaged street signs, and code violations. Uses GPS location recognition and photo/video uploads, with status tracking until resolution.
• Grace AI Virtual Call Center Agent AI-powered conversational customer service tool (developed by Hansen Technologies) integrated with the city's customer information system. Handles water/utility account inquiries, payment processing, payment plan arrangements, balance checks, and general city-related questions via phone in English and Spanish.
• Water & Sewer Services Municipal water utility providing water treatment (sourced from South Fork of Holston River), distribution, and sanitary sewer services. Includes water quality management, meter reading, and emergency response.
• KATS (Kingsport Area Transit System) Public transit service providing bus transportation throughout the Kingsport area, enabling residents to reach destinations including grocery stores, medical appointments, and workplaces.
• Economic Development Services Economic development resources including developer tools, entrepreneurship support, available commercial properties, incentive programs (Facade Grants, Redevelopment Grants, Downtown Kingsport Loan Program, TIF Program), and business development partnerships.
• Building & Development Services Building department providing permits, inspections, and code enforcement for residential and commercial construction. Uses eTRAKiT system for permit applications and tracking.
• Police Services (Kingsport Police Department) Municipal police department providing law enforcement, crime prevention, emergency response, and community programs. Located at 200 Shelby Street in the Justice Center.
• Fire Services (Kingsport Fire Department) Municipal fire department with ISO Class 2 rating, internationally accredited through Commission on Fire Accreditation International. Provides firefighting, hazardous materials response, technical rescue, and emergency medical services.
• Solid Waste Services Municipal sanitation services including garbage collection, recycling, yard waste, leaf removal, and landfill operations. Manages holiday schedule changes and accepts issue reporting via ConnectKingsport app.
• Parks & Recreation Services Municipal parks and recreation services managing parks, recreational facilities, programs, sports leagues, and rentals through the CivicRec platform. Responsible for over 12,000 trees and 200 landscaping beds.
• Public Library Services Public library providing educational resources, community programs, and access to historical materials including American Revolution resources through TSDAR grant programs.
• Community Development Services Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program leveraging federal funds for home upgrades, neighborhood improvement, and affordable housing initiatives for low-to-moderate income residents.
• Customer Service Center Centralized customer service for water/sewer setup, business licenses, property taxes, and general city inquiries. Located at 415 Broad Street, Suite 121.
• KMTPO Transportation Planning Federally-designated metropolitan transportation planning agency for the Kingsport urbanized area, responsible for Long Range Transportation Plan and Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Grace AI handles over 30 concurrent calls and resolves 60%+ of interactions end-to-end without human intervention
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hansen TechnologiescoreTechnology or Integration · 19 May 2026Hansen Technologies deployed its AI-powered virtual call center agent 'Grace' for the City of Kingsport, integrated with the City's Hansen CIS customer information system. The AI solution handles more than 30 concurrent calls, resolves over 60% of interactions end-to-end without human intervention, and resolves issues 50% faster than human agents.
• Tennessee Department of Tourist DevelopmentminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2025The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development awarded Tourism Enhancement Grants totaling $257,666.14 to three Northeast Tennessee communities including the City of Kingsport. Grants target at-risk and distressed communities for tourism-related improvements including stages, signage, historic preservation, and ADA accessibility.
• The Dairy AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2025The Dairy Alliance and Kingsport City Schools partnered to launch the Udderly Cold Portable Milk Dispenser at John Sevier Middle School, a grant-funded system funded by an Endowment Grant from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.
• BuxtonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development partner providing site selection and consumer insights services for Kingsport's economic development initiatives.
• First Tennessee Development DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development partner supporting Kingsport's economic growth initiatives and development programs.
• Networks Sullivan PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development partner serving Sullivan County region including Kingsport.
• NETN (Northeast Tennessee Economic Development)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional economic development organization supporting Kingsport's economic development efforts.
• TDOT (Tennessee Department of Transportation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState transportation department partner for infrastructure projects, road improvements, and transportation planning in the Kingsport region.
• Tennessee Small Business Development Centers (TSBDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides small business development resources and support for entrepreneurs in Kingsport.
• Kingsport Chamber of CommercecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal business advocacy organization supporting economic development and business community growth in Kingsport.
• Kingsport Office of Small Business Development & Entrepreneurship (KOSBE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDedicated city-affiliated office supporting small business development and entrepreneurship in Kingsport.
• sync.spaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEntrepreneurship resource partner providing innovation and startup support services.
• The Inventor CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation and invention support resource for Kingsport entrepreneurs.
• HBDC (Hawkins County Business Development Center)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness development resources supporting the broader regional economic ecosystem.
• Visit KingsportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial tourism promotion organization for Kingsport, driving visitor engagement and tourism economic impact.
• Downtown Kingsport AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization focused on downtown revitalization, economic development, and promotion of the Kingsport downtown district.
• Kingsport City SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational institution partnership supporting workforce development and community programs.
• Kingsport ChambercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary business advocacy and economic development organization for Kingsport.
• HUD (Housing and Urban Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency providing Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding for neighborhood upgrades and affordable housing initiatives.
• Holston Habitat for HumanityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing nonprofit receiving CDBG funding from the city for home repair programs.
• Appalachia Service Project (ASP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHome repair nonprofit receiving CDBG funding support for low-to-moderate income housing repairs.
• Eastern Eight CDCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity development corporation receiving CDBG funding for community development initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• City of Spartanburg, SC: Mid-sized Southeastern city with a similar economic development focus and utility operations. Comparable municipal governance and active downtown/ED initiatives make it a relevant peer.

Direct peers

• City of Murfreesboro, TN: Fast-growing Tennessee municipality operating water/sewer utilities, transit, public safety, parks, and active economic development. Comparable in size-class and growth dynamics to Kingsport.
• City of Johnson City, TN: The other principal Tri-Cities municipality in NE Tennessee, serving a comparable population and economic base. Directly comparable as a same-region municipal government delivering water, sewer, transit, public safety, parks, and economic development services.
• City of Asheville, NC: Regional municipal government in the Appalachian region offering water, transit, parks, public safety, and economic development services. Comparable in size, regional role, and economic-base profile to Kingsport.
• City of Bristol, TN: Adjacent Tri-Cities municipality of similar size, also operating under Tennessee municipal governance with overlapping utilities, public safety, and economic development mandates. Highly comparable service portfolio and resident profile.
• City of Roanoke, VA: Appalachian regional city of comparable population and economic profile, operating similar municipal services including utilities, transit, parks, and economic development. Useful peer for service-delivery and economic development benchmarking.

Broad incumbents

• City of Knoxville, TN: Mid-sized Tennessee municipal government operating water, sewer, transit, public safety, and parks functions. Comparable governance and service mix, though larger scale than Kingsport.
• City of Chattanooga, TN: Larger Tennessee municipality with a comparable municipal service portfolio (utility, transit, parks, ED) and an established reputation for municipal broadband and digital innovation, providing a benchmark for technology-enabled service delivery at city scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KingsportPolice
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCKllRCYFN16TXr6TTDeboig
• Facebookfacebook.com/ThisIsKingsport
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kingsport-economic-development-board
• Instagraminstagram.com/kingsportpd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City of Kingsport