By Ryan Lewis
Correspondent
KIMBALL, Tenn. - Arcadis, an engineering firm with offices in Chattanooga, has been officially hired to work on Marion County's $10 million regional wastewater treatment facility.
The Kimball Board of Mayor and Aldermen last week unanimously approved a contract with Arcadis, even though the company already was doing some preliminary work on the massive project.
Kimball Mayor David Jackson said his town was given the task to be the lead in hiring an engineering firm for the facility.
"Arcadis has done quite a bit of work already," he said. "I think all parties involved will pay their share without any question."
Jackson said there was some question whether Kimball should suspend any type of engineering work without an official agreement among the three towns involved in the project - Kimball, South Pittsburg and Jasper.
"Just looking at it from a practical standpoint, I would have concerns that, if you end the engineering work, this whole thing might get derailed," Kimball attorney Billy Gouger said. "To me, the big financial question would be if the interlocal agreement doesn't get approved at some point and the whole thing stops, (the other towns) might balk at paying their percentage of Arcadis's bills and expenses up to that point."
Gouger said he's gotten no indication that is likely to happen and that he did not recommend suspending engineering activity at this time.
David Bible, a project manager with Arcadis, said the groundwork completed so far for various studies, surveys, and reports totals around $45,000, and it's all work that is required before funding can be approved by the Southeast Tennessee Development District.
"The risk in going ahead and approving our contract with Kimball is minimal," he said. "I strongly agree that if that process stops, there is a distinct chance that the funding goes away completely."
Beth Jones, who is the executive director of the Southeast Tennessee Development District, said a contract with an engineering firm was also required before grant funds could be released.
"I do believe that Rural Development will require the submission of an executed contract," she said. "Suspending the engineering work would not be wise at this point."
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