February CIty Council Work Session Tuesday covers Raw Water Supply, Downtown Parking and the Depot budget

The Crossville city council holds their February work session Tuesday, February 6 starting at 5 PM in preparation for the upcoming regular council meeting.

Presentations on the raw water supply study by engineer J. R. Wauford originally set for last month but delayed due to council member J. H. Graham's illness will be held along with a presentation on the Tennessee Association of Utility Districts (TAUD) proposal for an insurance program to protect customers from water leak expenses and an optional protection for water line repairs as well.

The raw water report, dated November 2017 looks at current raw supply, sales and future demand for water 20 and 50 years into the future. The study looks at some preliminary alternatives for future supply and further study.

Meadow Park Lake Dam

The alternatives considered in the study include raising Meadow Park Dam and continuing the current water harvesting from Lake Tansi, Raising the dam and adding a water harvesting project from the Caney Fork River. The third alternative includes the harvesting from Tansi and Caney Fork with the addition of water harvesting from Holiday Hills Lake as well and the final option is the harvest raw water from Watts Bar Lake and pump to Meadow Park Lake. The last alternative would not require the Meadow Park Dam height to be increased.

The TAUD plan that is being used by some other water suppliers across Tennessee charges a small monthly fee to cover the cost of water leaks when a customer's line leaks on their side of the water meter. A customer will be able to opt out of the monthly fee if they do not want the protection. A larger charge would cover the repair of a broken water line between the water meter and the foundation of a residence. If approved a customer would have to request the additional coverage.

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Brad Allamong with the Chamber of Commerce will present their parking survey to the council. The survey includes the response of downtown businesses and their opinions on parking availability and need.

City engineer Tim Begley will present an outline of the Community Development Block Grant proposed for the city. The grant will request funding for sewer line repairs.

Council will also consider a request from the Cumberland County Board of Education to eliminate their responsibility for the sewer lines that serve schools outside the city limits including North, South and Brown Elementary schools.

Council will also discuss a budget amendment to move funds budgeted for the operation of the Crossville Depot from the Palace Theatre operation to a separate Depot department. According to city manager Greg Wood, the Palace Theatre, that used to be overseen by the Marketing Department has become a separate department and the Palace will not be involved in the operation of the depot at all.    

January City Council Meeting agenda includes New Clerk, Handle Mill property and Inn of the Cumberlands.

The Crossville City Council holds their First regular meeting of 2018 Tuesday, January 9, and as part of the agenda, new city clerk Valerie Hale will be sworn in.

With the retirement of long-time city clerk Sally Oglesby, city manager Greg Wood appointed Hale as the new Clerk. Hale has served as the assistant city clerk since 2010.

Valerie Hall, Crossville city clerk

The council's evening starts with the Audit Committee meeting at 5:15, followed by the beer board at 5:45 then a public hearing on the 2018 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG). The regular council agenda gets underway at 6:00 PM.

In addition to a decision on submitting an application for the CDBG, the council will discuss the possible purchase of the remaining property from the old handle mill next to the Art Circle Library. Councilman Danny Wyatt has proposed that the county help with the purchase of the site and the city would pay for the development the property into parking and a possible park area. The vote would authorize the city manager to begin negotiations with the county and the property owner.

The possibility of a change in the city's charter to add two more council members was also discussed at the council's work session and is on Tuesday's regular agenda. The action proposed by council member Pamala Harris who said the change could give the council a different dynamic. Harris added that it could give more people a chance to be represented as well as giving more women a chance to serve on the council.

Council member Danny Wyatt was less supportive of the proposed change saying, “More ducks in the puddle and the muddier it is.” Wyatt said he would only support the proposal if it would be put on a referendum for voters to decide.

Council will also consider the addition of a part-time fraud examiner position requested by police chief David Beaty. Beaty told the council in last week's work session that the position would help with the increasing reports of fraud cases and the proposed employee is a retired certified fraud examiner who would work part-time with no benefits. The expected annual cost for the position is $17,000.

Condemned Inn of the Cumberlands

Listed under the city attorney's report is possible action on the Inn of the Cumberlands building that the city condemned over 2 years ago and nothing has been done by the property owners. Another item is a lease breach for a hanger at the Crossville Airport.  

Council's January Work Session Includes Charter Change, Raw Water, Central Communications, and more.

Could the Crossville city council use two more members? A possible change to the city charter is up for discussion at the council work session scheduled for Thursday, January 4 at 5 PM in the third-floor conference room at city hall.

Other subjects on the agenda include a presentation on raw water supply by J. R. Wauford engineers added to the agenda Wednesday, discussion of a 2018 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), discussion on the Central Communications Committee (CCC) contract, and discussion of a proposal on the purchase of the old handle mill site in cooperation with the county for additional parking at the library and for downtown events.

Following the work session, a closed executive session is planned for the council with the city attorney concerning “pending litigation” according to the agenda.

The discussion of the possible change to the city charter to increase the number of council members from 5 to 7 is to be lead by council member Pamala Harris.

The raw water report, dated November 2017 looks at current raw supply, sales and future demand for water 20 and 50 years into the future. The study looks at some preliminary alternatives for future supply and further study.

Meadow Park Dam after it's reconstruction

The alternatives considered in the study include raising Meadow Park Dam and continuing the current water harvesting from Lake Tansi, Raising the dam and adding a water harvesting project from the Caney Fork River. The third alternative includes the harvesting from Tansi and Caney Fork with the addition of water harvesting from Holiday Hills Lake as well and the final option is the harvest raw water from Watts Bar Lake and pump to Meadow Park Lake. The last alternative would not require the Meadow Park Dam height to be increased.

Wauford Raw Water Report (PDF) 

The city is considering a possible sewer rehabilitation project for a CDBG application. A public hearing will be held prior to the council meeting on January 9 for public input.

Council will discuss possible revision of the CCC contract as funding and operations have changed but the contract has not. It is unclear how other parties to the contract feel about any proposed changes.

For some time the city has been studying possible property for parking and other uses including a place to hold car show/cruise-ins that won't block Main Street through downtown. The area could also be redeveloped from the current eyesore by the addition of a “pocket park” near downtown as well. There are several issues including partnering with the county on the purchase if a price can be negotiated with the current owner. The development costs would be covered by the city if the land is acquired.

The proposed property is at the upper right 

of this map.  Other sites have also been 

looked at by the city as alternatives.