Kimball approves TDOT's roads policy

Mayor Rex Pesnell
Mayor Rex Pesnell
photo Mayor Rex Pesnell

KIMBALL, Tenn. - When an accident occurs on a Tennessee roadway, state and local agencies all have a role to play.

Those responsibilities are outlined in a 2012 state-generated memorandum of understanding known as the Open Roads Policy.

At its July meeting, the Kimball Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted unanimously to approve the policy and authorized Mayor Rex Pesnell to sign it.

Kimball Police Sgt. Chris Webb said the agreement is between the Tennessee Department of Transportation, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, and local agencies to insure that roadways are opened back up after an accident a quickly as safety will allow.

"It keeps traffic from backing up and causing secondary accidents," Webb said. "It's my understanding that if we have an accident on our local roads, TDOT will actually send a help truck or signs or whatever we need to help us, also."

The document provides guidance for personnel and volunteer first responders and outlines the roles and responsibilities for each when addressing incidents.

"Along with that, we apply for a lot of Governor's Highway Safety Office grants, too, so it makes us eligible for those," Pesnell said.

In other business, the new $36,000 playground at Kimball Park has been approved for public use after minor issues identified in a recent Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation inspection were corrected.

"It is now up to safety code compliance according to their regulations," Pesnell said. "That's good news. It's been a long time coming."

Anthony Pelham, an engineer with James C. Hailey & Co. in Nashville, said construction is underway on the $47,831 sewer lift station project on Nelson Lane even though the weather hasn't been "conducive" to its completion over the past week.

He said the work should be completed within the next two weeks, and the board approved payment to Southeast Co. in Chattanooga for 50 percent of the project's cost. The remainder will be paid after it is finished.

The board approved a new fiscal year budget in June and maintained the city's tax rate at 10 cents per $100.

"Our tax rate is as low as can legally be set for property taxes in the state of Tennessee," Alderman Mark Payne said.

Pesnell said he was glad the town could afford to keep property taxes so low.

Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryanlewis34@gmail.com.

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