Wartrace water change still delayed by weather

Freezing temperatures and wet weather have again delayed Wartrace's conversion to the Tullahoma Utilities Board water supply,

"We have to have a couple of days over 40 degrees and dry," said Mayor Don Gallagher at the Monday night meeting of the Wartrace Board of Mayor and Aldermen. "We're looking five days out on the forecast and it doesn't look good."

Elements of the conversion require pouring concrete, said Gallagher at an earlier meeting, which is why better weather conditions are required.

The delay will give Wartrace water customers time to get pressure reducing equipment installed on their own lines if they haven't done so already, he said. While the units are not required, Gallagher said earlier, they are certainly recommended. Even though the town is installing several pressure reduction valves, there will be an increase in the water pressure as it comes downhill from Tullahoma and those with older lines may have problems if the pressure surges.

A notice will be mailed as son as another potential conversion date is set.

Siren found

The tornado warning siren reported missing at the January meeting has been found, the mayor said.

"We just asked the wrong people," said Gallagher, laughing. "Bryan (Smith) knew right where it was -- in the city garage."

Gallagher said the siren has been remounted and is working and will soon be connected with the EMA.

"All we need to do is put a radio transmitter on it," he said.

Suit settled

The board voted to settle a lawsuit with Bobby Gordon for $11,560.61, stemming from a building conflict. According to Gallagher, Gordon purchased a small lot in town that had a small shack on it. After tearing down the shack, Gordon planned to build a house on the property but was told it did not meet the zoning requirements, that the setback was not far enough.

Gordon's initial suit failed when the judge upheld the zoning board's ruling. On the recommendation of the city attorney, the board agreed to settle the second suit. Gallagher said it would have been more expensive to fight it.

"We'll get the property now," he added. "I just don't know what we'll do with it."

Four of the board members voted to approve the settlement with Alderman Scott Claxton abstaining.

Other business

A second and final reading of an ordinance abandoning an alley was read and passed, and Claxton asked the board to look into the possibility of cost of living wage increases for town employees. A similar increase was cut from the budget last year, said Gallagher, because of the economic situation.

Volunteer fire chief Jeff Phillips said the fire department was encountering problems with the purchases planned for the recent CSX grant of $7,000 because the prices for four-wheelers has increased since the grant proposal was submitted. The vehicle will be used to travel beside the tracks and put out grass fires caused by grinding the rails, he said. Currently, the firefighters must walk two miles or more with water packs on their backs to do the job.

Town recorder Laura Gentry the town got some good financial news for a change, with the receipt of a cable franchise fee of $5,656.60.

"We didn't budget for that and we didn't expect it," she said, "It's wonderful."