JASPER, Tenn. - Funding for a proposed sewer line extension in Marion County that would service an industrial site along Valley View Highway has come up short.
At the Marion County Commission's March meeting, County Mayor David Jackson said county leaders have been working on the project to get sewer to the industrial park for more than four years.
Bids for the project were opened on Feb. 28, and the low bid was $325,350.
Marion County Mayor David Jackson discusses the proposed sewer line at the board's March meeting."With all the people that's put money in, we're still about $83,000 short," Jackson said.
The board's finance committee met recently on the matter and recommended tabling it so officials could look for more funding.
"This bid is good for 60 days, so the 60 days will be up April 28," Jackson said. "So, I think we need to do some more discussion."
Funding for the project has come from various sources, including Marion, the towns of Jasper and Whitwell, Tenn., a private business owner, the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development office, and an Appalachian Regional Commission grant.
"So, when you look at the numbers, the [funding] needed to do this project is $83,941.50," Jackson said.
Commissioner Donald Blansett said adding more taxpayer dollars to install the sewer line may not seem like a good idea, but it could service additional private properties in the future.
He said there are "some questions" that county leaders need to "clean up," and that the board should table discussion on the matter until it gets those answers.
The board voted unanimously to table the sewer line project until its next meeting on April 22, which would still give officials time to approve the low bid before the April 28 deadline.
Commissioner Tommy Thompson said there are some private properties in low-lying areas along the proposed sewer line route that potentially could hook on to it at some point, not just businesses.
"It's an option that would be available to [those homeowners] by us running [the sewer line] up the road to that piece of property," Blansett said.
Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryanlewis34@gmail.com.