by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

At the Oct. 27 meeting the Sewanee Utility District Board of Commissioners approved the application for service for the Hamlet Development across from St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School. The board also grappled with two inquiries about service outside district boundaries and discussed the upcoming commissioner election.

Located at the junction of Hwy. 41A and Hwy. 156, the 63-acre Hamlet Development calls for 10-11 residential lots, 5-6 acres each in size. “The two-inch line running past the property goes to Pearl’s,” said SUD manager Ben Beavers, “but it’s not big enough.” The developer will need to increase the line to 4 inches. All the lots will have septic sewage treatment. “Water service is not an issue,” Beavers said. “There is no negative impact.” “It’s a win-win,” observed Commissioner Donnie McBee. “We get new pipe and new customers.”

Both the inquiries about service outside SUD’s boundaries presented concerning scenarios. In the Jackson Point Road area an existing out-of-boundary customer wants to divide his property into five lots and requested service to the lots. His current meter is at the edge of the SUD service area, but his residence is outside the boundary. Beavers said there had been no problems with service to the customer making the inquiry, but for other Jackson Point customers with meters at the edge of the service area leaks are an ongoing problem. The property is steep, and rocky, and the road has slid in places. “The blame for the leaks probably rests both with the homeowners for failing to maintain their lines and us for allowing a service line in the first place,” said Beavers.

The other inquiry came from state park officials. “The new Head of the Crow State Park is looking at putting the visitor center by the Buggy Top parking lot, and they want water,” Beavers said. “There are several issues. It’s a couple hundred feet down drop and several miles from where our line currently ends.” Given the steep drop, the line would require several pressure-reducing stations. “If that line ever breaks it could drain our tanks,” Beavers observed. “There must be some indemnity to us if something happens to the line. We cannot be responsible.” The other concern is water quality. “By TDEC regulations there must be so many people per linear feet of line to maintain water quality,” Beavers said. The University owns most of the land between the end of SUD’s current line and Buggy Top, so it is unlikely residences will be built there. “My recommendation at this point would be not to do it,” Beavers said.

The board agreed more information was needed on both projects.

“What is he planning, a development?” asked McBee regarding the Jackson Point project. A development would mean different regulations and pricing for connecting to SUD, Beavers pointed out. Beavers will pass along that information to the customer making the inquiry. He will defer responding to the inquiry about service to the visitor center pending the outcome of a meeting of state officials to discuss the plan.

“My inclination would be to resist all these outside of our district requests,” said Board President Charlie Smith. “We have too much of a track record on how bad they are.” Smith cited service to Sewanee Summit, another long service line in steep rocky ground plagued by leaks.

Taking up the commissioner election, the commissioners put out a call for candidates for the seat of Marion County commissioner. Current Marion County Commissioner Clay Yeatman will not seek reelection. Commissioners receive a monthly $50 stipend and must participate in commissioner training. Prospective candidates should phone the SUD office to request being added to the ballot, (931) 598-5611. Candidates must reside in Marion County.

Returning to unfinished business, the board approved the 2025 audit received for review in September. Beavers will ask auditor John Poole to correct the error listing Wilson County as the administrator of the American Rescue Plan Act grant funding SUD received.

Beavers presented highlights of the 2027 budget. He projected almost $800,000 for critical capital improvements including upgrading office security, attention to the office parking lot, and determining and addressing the cause of the raw-water intake problem at the water plant. The current flow, 440 gpm, is 200 gpm less than when the plant was constructed.

The big-ticket CIP project will be repainting the farm water tank, estimated to cost $450,000-$500,000 depending on whether or not SUD engages an engineer for the project, a requirement if SUD gets a loan or grant funding. Beavers is investigating grant funding options.

Beavers is waiting for data on Health Insurance premiums and Property and Casualty Insurance premiums and plans on presenting the final budget for review at the Nov. 17 meeting.