by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

“The act we were putting forth for establishing this [Monteagle-Tracy City] water authority district got hijacked,” said Alderman Grant Fletcher at the June 29 Monteagle Council meeting, objecting to the state legislature recently passing an act to form a South Cumberland Regional Water Authority which includes Pelham in addition to the water utilities on top of the mountain. “It doesn’t make sense to include Pelham,” Fletcher insisted. For the past nine months, Monteagle and Tracy City have discussed forming a single water utility to serve both communities, a logical next step since Tracy City provides part of Monteagle’s water and Monteagle treats Tracy City’s sewage. For a water authority to form requires an act by the state legislature to ensure the restructuring is not detrimental to residents relying on the service providers. Funded by a grant Tracy City received, research is underway investigating the benefits of Monteagle, Tracy City, Sewanee, and Big Creek forming a regional water authority. The discussion between Monteagle and Tracy City included Big Creek and Sewanee, as service providers who might want to eventually join the regional authority, as well as the state comptroller, and Senator Janice Bowling and Representative Rush Bricken, state legislators who could introduce the bill on behalf of the Monteagle-Tracy coalition. “We were going to move forward with the private act legislation this coming winter,” Alderman Nate Wilson said. “In the meantime, the legislature passed the bill establishing the South Cumberland Regional Water Authority.” No one on the council knows exactly why.

Wilson speculated Grundy County initiated the effort. The county received an $11.2 million grant to provide water and sewer service to the Caverns music venue in Pelham. “They can’t afford to fund the depreciation,” Wilson said. “It’s going to cost somebody a whole lot of money.” A regional authority which included Pelham would get the debt off Grundy County’s books, if the regional authority chose to accept the Pelham water-sewer project. But, Wilson pointed out, the board would not be required to take the project on. Grundy County received a verbal commitment from The Caverns to fund the depreciation, i.e., to set money aside to replace the new infrastructure, a requirement by law; however, there is no written contract with The Caverns. Meanwhile work on the Pelham water-sewer project is already underway.

Wilson will contact Bowling, Bricken, and the comptroller in the hope of gaining insight into the formation of the South Cumberland Regional Water Authority instead of the water authority the Monteagle-Tracy coalition hoped to see put in place.

Monteagle has been asked to appoint a representative to the South Cumberland Regional Water Authority Board scheduled to meet in September. “I am not prepared to appoint a representative,” said Monteagle Mayor Greg Maloof, citing the confusion and uncertainty surrounding the authority’s formation and the Pelham water-sewer project. Several Pelham residents urged the council not to support formation of the authority. “The Pelham residents don’t want the sewer because it doesn’t have enough customers to be cost effective,” Wilson said. “They will pay an enormous amount.”

In other business the council took up an amendment to a task order for rehabilitation of the Waffle House sewer lift station, adding $27,000 to the project budget. Maloof explained a portion of the cost increase funded water-sewer infrastructure beneath Main Street, for a proposed Hampton Inn, an expense the Hampton Inn developers had agreed to pay for; however, Tennessee Department of Transportation rules dictate the utility lines must be a public, not private line, since the infrastructure passes beneath a state highway. Maloof noted there were several ways Monteagle might receive reimbursement for the infrastructure. Asked if the failure to approve the cost increase would prevent the critical lift-station upgrade from moving forward, Maloof replied, “Maybe.” The council approved the cost increase, with aldermen Fletcher and Dean Lay voting “no,” objecting to uncertainty about reimbursement.

Lay also voted “no” on approving the appraisals for the Waffle House lift-station project.

Updating the board on the Imagine Monteagle proposed sculpture and patio at the Mountain Goat Trail entrance across the street from city hall, Fletcher said a grant would fund the sculpture. With the grant for the patio denied, the Imagine Monteagle committee joined with the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance to fundraise for the project, cost $30,000. The effort has received $29,000 in commitments, tax-deductible since the MGTA is a nonprofit. To pledge a donation contact Fletcher <grant@gwfletcher.com> or (615) 481-4076.

Fletcher also announced Imagine Monteagle received a Brownfield grant to identify property in Monteagle that might be the site of hazardous contamination, e.g., buried gasoline storage tanks. Identified sites, whether public or private, are under no obligation to take action to remediate the site.

Fletcher asked for and received approval of withdrawing $3,000 from the Imagine Monteagle budget to pay for bands at Hannah Picket Park July 4 and Harton Park July 26, $1,500 for each event.

July 4, the band will play from 6-9 p.m., with the fireworks scheduled for 9 p.m. At 6 p.m., before the music begins, Maloof will read the Declaration of Independence. He invited community members to join him to take part in the reading.

The council also approved lane-line striping on College Street, estimated cost $2,000-$3,000. The nine-foot lanes would allow for parking options in the future, as well as serving to gauge if reflective striping helped with visibility in fog.

Two alderperson seats and the office of mayor are up for election in November. Forms and nominating petitions are available from the Marion County Election Commission.