Court Building Splash-pad
Members of the Cumberland County fiscal court gathered in a somewhat darkened room Monday at 4pm to consider the county’s business and works. PHOTO | Greg Wells
By Greg Wells
CCN—Editor
This Monday’s meeting of the fiscal court resulted in the decisions to allow the Burkesville-Cumberland County Industrial Development Authority to draw down state-held funds to match any grants secured for continued improvement to the Cumberland River Industrial Park and the use of any local funds budgeted for construction of the Splash-pad that were not used to be allocated for improvements to Marrowbone Park.
The unanimous vote followed a motion by Rondall Wray and second by Larry Anderson the court approved the IDA’s use of money provided to the Commonwealth by the Tennessee Valley Authority, earmarked for industrial development only, as matching funds for either or both of the two improvement grants presently being sought by the IDA.
Judge-Executive Luke King told the members of the court he expected the work by county staff and local contractors to bring construction of the Splash-pad, facilities, and pavilion under budget. He suggested using any money budgeted and not expended on that project on improvements to Marrowbone Park.
That was another unanimous vote after motion by Jeff Cyphers seconded by Anderson.
In other good news, King said work by Sadie Aterburn and Michael Bilbert along with Greg Cary, who was absent due to illness, as resulted in $10,000 of additional funding for the county. The work they did helped in getting other roads approved for state funded repairs, as well as this windfall.
King said the $10,000 from the Lake Cumberland Area Development District for the road study work, should be used for more road work. He suggested paving Brush Creek Circle. He pointed out that though the road’s score was high enough for State funding the fact that it was a circle rather than a through-street meant it would not receive the state’s attention.
After agreement by Magistrate Lane Cope, whose district the road is in, to add $1,200 in the local road funding to match the $10,000 brought down from the state to resurface that road the magistrates unanimously approved that use of the money.
Magistrates also agreed with Kings’ assessment that using insurance money to partially fund replacement of a sheriff’s vehicle damaged by collision with a deer was the best path forward.
The court heard from Michael Ballard, manager of the Cumberland County Water District. He told the court that work on replacing all the water lines in the Marrowbone area would begin after the first of the year. He said installation of a pressure pump would begin after approval of the design by the State.
Ballard explained that a Public Service Commission rate assessment study discovered that Albany Waterworks has been overcharging the district for about 16 years.
County Attorney, Coleman Hurt said that repayment to the district would be negotiated by the PSC, saving the district and county from having to deal with it and any possible litigation that could arise.
