As a result, Bell Buckle will be allowed to install sewer taps now that problems with its waste water system have been corrected.

In March 2005, a director's order was issued concerning problems with the system. According to the state order, there were 61 instances of bypass overflow with the system in 2004, which allowed an estimated 1.6 million gallons of partially-treated wastewater to enter Bell Buckle Creek.

The problem was mainly corrected with the construction of an equalization basin at the wastewater plant, which stores all of the inflow and infiltration in the sewer system during wet weather, rather than bypassing it, and then runs it through the treatment plant when the flow goes back down. Water manager Ronnie Lokey reported that no bypasses occurred during May.

Following this announcement, the board approved a sewer tap for Alderman Frank Reagor.

In other business, the board passed the second and final reading of this year's amended budget and the 2008-09 anticipated budget. Expenses and expenditures for next year are expected to be $542,000 for the water and sewer fund and $110,655 of revenue in the general fund and $110,641 in expenditures.

However, numbers had to be moved around within the water budget to cover increased costs for water purchases. Bell Buckle has allotted $225,000 for water this year, $55,450 more than the $169,550 paid last fiscal year.

Board members voted to keep the town's tax rate of 15.3 cents unchanged, but Alderman James Anderson said while the rate was "relatively low" for the region, raising property taxes would have to be looked at some point in the future.

Speaking on the budget, Mayor Dennis Webb said that expense management was critical and a number of areas were impacted. One employee is being reduced to part-time status, and wages for Bell Buckle's part-time police officer were reduced by nearly 40 percent.

Webb said the key issue is water purchases.

"Rate increases of over 100 percent by BCUD (Bedford County Utility District) in less than two years is cutting into our ability to lay aside monies for capital investments," he said.

He added that Bell Buckle is working closely with Wartrace regarding future rates and will look into all options to provide customers with quality water.

Webb also stated that the town has worked very hard to improve its water loss situation, but more work was needed. Focus over the next year will be not only on leak detection, but testing meters to ensure accurate readings.

One option Webb suggested was to ease the five-acre minimum requirement on water taps outside the city limits.

Also passed on second reading was an ordinance establishing property maintenance regulations that will give the town a procedure to deal with residents that have overgrown or dirty lots.

According to the Tennessee Code Annotated, it is unlawful to a property owner to allow "the growth of trees, vines, grass, underbrush and/or the accumulation of debris, trash, litter or garbage or any combination of the preceding elements so as to endanger the health, safety and welfare of other citizens or to encourage the infestation of rats or other harmful animals."

If a property owner is found to be in violation, they would be served with notice to remedy the condition with in 10 days, or 20 days if the owner "is a carrier engaged in the transportation of property..." The property owner is entitled to a hearing and can appeal within 10 days.

If the property is not cleaned up with in the stated time period, the town would have the right to enter the property and "cause the condition to be remedied or removed" at the owner's expense.

If the amount is over $500 for the clean-up, and the property owner fails to pay the costs, they would have a lien filed on the property in favor of Bell Buckle and the cost would be added to the property tax roles.