Shelbyville Times-Gazette: News : Utilities, roads and Infrastructure

Utilities, roads and Infrastructure

TVA eyes nuclear power (11/06/09)
Ron Owens, vice president for customer service of Tennessee Valley Authority, told the Rotary Club of Shelbyville on Thursday that TVA wants to increase the percentage of power it gets from sources like nuclear power plants in order to reduce its carbon emissions...

55 MPH speed limit discussed for 231 inside city limits (11/05/09)
Lowering the speed limit on U.S. 231 North to 55 mph inside the city limits will be considered next Thursday by the Shelbyville City Council. Mayor Wallace Cartwright said Tuesday he would like to see the speed lowered due to the location of Heritage Medical Center and other establishments on the state highway...

Clanton honored for flume work (11/04/09)

BCUD given funding to extend water lines (11/03/09)
A $360,000 Community Development Block Grant announced by the state last week will fund Bedford County Utility District water line extensions serving 38 families. "I think all the commissioners are very pleased with it," said BCUD general manager Marty Davis...

Seven years' effort pays off: Bell Buckle awarded water grant (11/03/09)
Between old and overloaded pipelines, changing suppliers, and flooding, Bell Buckle has had several years of bad news when it comes to water. Last week, the town finally got some good news -- it has been awarded a $294,000 Community Development Block Grant to assist in infrastructure improvements. Specifically, the grant will be used to rehabilitate the existing water system...

Full commission to review proposed rules changes (10/22/09)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners' rules and legislative committee has completed a long-delayed review of the commission's rules, and voted Tuesday night to send a revised draft to the full commission for consideration next month. The draft brings the rules up to date with various commission actions over the years as well as with new state laws. ...

Local agencies get highway safety grants (10/16/09)
Three Bedford County agencies have been awarded highway safety grants totaling $60,260, state officials announced this week. Agencies receiving the grants are: Funding for the Governor's Highway Safety Office grants were provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Sen. Jim Tracy worked to secure these funds for Bedford County...

Bridge dedication honors long-time commissioner, former POW Helton (10/13/09)
Friends, family, and a host of county commissoners and other elected officials gathered on a bridge on U.S. 231 North near Deason on a wet, windy Monday morning to talk about the late John C. "Junior" Helton. It wasn't an odd place to reminisce at all -- the spot was less than a mile from the home which he loved for more than 50 years, as well as the garage he owned and operated for more than 40 years. ...

Duck River demand may outstrip supply (10/08/09)
A recent TVA study expects that the future demand for water on the Duck River between Shelbyville and Columbia could exceed the current supply. However, a needs assessment study to be released next month by the Duck River Agency may help to address water supply issues that may occur in the future...

City cleanup planned (10/06/09)
Have you got junk piling up around the house, garage or shop and need to get rid of it? If so, you should set aside some time and get that stuff to the street for Shelbyville's fall clean-up, scheduled for Oct. 19-22. Trucks will be coming by on your regular garbage pick-up day to haul off just about anything you'd like to dispose of, with the exception of household hazardous waste...

At long last, bypass work begins (09/29/09)
The blue "stimulus" signs are up on U.S. 41-A South, signaling that work is now ongoing on the long-awaited construction of State Route 437 (Shelbyville bypass). Completion is estimated by July 31, 2011, according to B.J. Doughty, community relations officer for the Tennessee Department of Transportation...

Heavy rains pound the county (09/18/09)
A day-long drenching brought frustration, flood and fire to Bedford County Thursday. Although few public roads were covered, such as parts of Bugscuffle Road near Wartrace, private and access lanes were impassable and yards and fields were turned into ponds...

Road, bridge naming guidelines proposed (09/18/09)
Who deserves to have a road or bridge named after them? That's the question still being studied by Bedford County Board of Commissioners' rules and legislative committee, which on Tuesday deferred action on a draft of guidelines for naming roads and bridges...

Committee members challenged to give up compensation (09/17/09)
A member of the county's solid waste authority is once again challenging other committees to forgo the monthly payments they receive for attending meetings. Several months ago, member Bill Lewis made the suggestion that the authority stop accepting the $50 per month they receive for attending meetings to help out the county with its tight financial situation...

Water shortage plan being prepared by DRA (09/11/09)
During the peak of the region's recent drought, Doug Murphy, the head of the Duck River Agency (DRA), said that half of the area's water supply was gone. Nearly two years later, Murphy says he wants to be better prepared when such a situation arises again...

Lawyer for hog farmer asks for DNA results (09/10/09)
LEWISBURG -- The attorney for a Bedford County hog farmer, who's charged with polluting four water wells, is asking the state for results of chemical tests, according to court records filed Wednesday. "I'm told that there was DNA testing and that it was inconclusive," Fayetteville-based attorney Ray Fraley said on behalf of his client, Charles Edward "Charlie" Haskins, 61, of Haskins Chapel Road near Sutton Creek...

Hog farmer accused of polluting Marshall County water (09/02/09)
A Bedford County hog farmer has been charged with polluting the water sources of four Marshall County homes with hundreds of thousands of gallons of manure. Charles Edward "Charlie" Haskins, 61, of Haskins Chapel Road was recently charged in Marshall County with four counts of causing pollution, five vandalism counts and six counts of reckless endangerment...

East Depot is two-way again (08/25/09)
East Depot Street is back to normal as of this week -- converted back to a two-way thoroughfare after months of wrangling by the city council. However, the street won't be open to regular traffic until Wednesday. Public works department employees were busy Monday morning putting the finishing touches on the two-block section, which had been converted to one-way in early March...

DREMC to get $47.5M in federal loans (08/20/09)
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Wednesday that Shelbyville-based Duck River Electric Membership Corp. will receive $47.5 million in federal loans to build and repair its distribution and transmission lines...

Garbage plan trashed by city council (08/14/09)
Shelbyville's city council voted Thursday night against a motion to adopt a new solid waste collection program that would include a monthly fee. The council meeting attracted about 30 citizens attended the council meeting, which frequently has no visitors...

Garbage plan could save city, cost residents (08/06/09)
Shelbyville's city council will vote up or down next Thursday whether to implement a garbage collection fee to pay for a new collection system. The proposal, explained to the city council in June, could save Shelbyville as much as $700,000 a year -- but residents would also see an additional $9 tacked onto their monthly electric bills...

Flume damage to cost city less than expected (07/14/09)
Costs for the repair of Shelbyville's underground storm water flume were lower than anticipated, according to the final figures from the city. Meanwhile, officials are still waiting for an engineering report that could point to the cause of the underground collapse...

SWA demands $10K payment from scrap recycler (07/12/09)
A scrap metal recycler has until July 15 to pay the Solid Waste Authority about $10,000 he owes or the agency has threatened to take legal action and look for another firm with which to do business. Highway Superintendent Stanley Smotherman, who manages waste disposal for the authority, told the board that South East Recovery Group was still some $10,000 behind in payments for scrap metal recycling...

City accepts deed for flume area (07/10/09)
Shelbyville City Council voted Thursday to accept a quitclaim deed from Shelbyville Housing Authority for the city's underground flume, including the basin, levy and the pumps. Hershel Thrasher, executive director of the authority, told the council last week that it recently came to SHA's attention that the flume, also known as pressure tubes A, B and C, was still legally titled to the Housing Authority...

Council to vote on correcting 1959 mistake (07/02/09)
Fifty years after signing an agreement with the city, the Shelbyville Housing Authority wants to give back property which contains Shelbyville's underground flume system. Hershel Thrasher, executive director, told the council that it recently came to SHA's attention that the flume, also known as pressure tubes A, B and C, was still legally titled to the Housing Authority...

North Main could re-open Thursday (07/01/09)
Engineers said it would take three months or more to finish it. But five weeks after digging began to repair Shelbyville's underground storm water flume, the work has been completed, and city officials hope to have traffic flowing by Thursday night...

North Main could be re-opened in 2-3 weeks (06/24/09)
If work with Shelbyville's flume proceeds as planned and there are no snags, North Main Street could reopen within two to three weeks. That's the word from public works director Mark Clanton at the construction site Tuesday, but he cautioned against a firm estimate of when the work will be finished...

Bypass bid awarded; work to begin this summer (06/19/09)
Wright Paving Contractors Inc. has been awarded the bid for construction of the Shelbyville bypass, State Route 437, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) announced. The Fayetteville firm had a low bid of $14,283,873, according to information released by TDOT. The estimate TDOT gave for the project was $16,164,696...

Flume repair is on schedule so far (06/17/09)
Work on Shelbyville's storm water flume is right on schedule, with the massive steel pipe in the ground and ready for a concrete base. Despite the threat of wet weather over the past two weeks, work has been running smoothly off of North Main Street, where crews have been busy piecing together the 200 feet of steel that make up the segment replaced after underground flooding apparently caused the flume to collapse in April...

City will help repair duck pond (06/16/09)
Shelbyville's public works department will be contributing equipment and labor to repair a leak in a dam at the "duck pond" on Fairfield Pike after the city council approved lending the landowners a hand. But some are afraid that giving this assistance may set a precedent and open up a legal can of worms for the city...

City to try different direction on Depot Street (06/14/09)
With the mayor breaking a tie vote, Depot Street will soon be running the other way -- towards the public square -- for a 60 trial period, after a discussion between Shelbyville city council members Thursday. However, the switchover is likely several weeks away as the public works department focuses on repairing Shelbyville's underground storm water flume first...

Bell Buckle approves tax increase (06/11/09)
The Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen passed the second readings of the amended 2008-09 budget, the 2009-10 anticipated budget, and a property tax hike at the monthly meeting Tuesday night, with only alderwoman, Annie Rooney, voting against the rate increase...

Bonnaroo fans pose traffic challenges (06/10/09)
For the eighth year in a row, neighboring Manchester is gearing up to receive nearly 80,000 visitors from across the country as music lovers flock to one of the premiere summer music festivals, Bonnaroo. That means more people will be on local roads, and as a result, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and Tennessee Highway Patrol are once again partnering again to ensure smooth traffic flow during the event...

New theory on flume collapse; work to last 30 days (06/09/09)
An underground discovery made last Friday could possibly point to the cause behind the collapse of part of the city's stormwater drainage "flume," as digging continues at the site. Meanwhile, new sections of the flume are scheduled to be put in the ground this week...

Who pays for duck pond cleanup? (06/09/09)
Remains of a smelly, mucky mess fill a Shelbyville pond where, until recently, ducks swam and children played on its banks. Repairs, of a sort, are underway at what's known as the "duck pond" on Fairfield Pike at Hickory Drive. But behind the scene lurks the battle of who foots the bill...

New direction ahead for Depot Street? (06/03/09)
Shelbyville City Council, after hearing from merchants in the affected area, may try keeping the segment of Depot Street closest to the square as one-way but making it westbound rather than eastbound. The issue was discussed at a study session Tuesday night...

Flume work underway as businesses cope (05/29/09)
Workers started cutting into sections of North Main Street and Cannon Boulevard this morning to replace about 200 feet of the city's underground stormwater flume that collapsed -- for the second time in its history -- last month. Meanwhile, businesses in the impacted area are having to cope with the loss of traffic to their storefronts, and downtown Shelbyville traffic remains backed up along side roads...

City digs into causes of flume collapse (05/21/09)
Digging could begin today on North Main Street to begin repairs to Shelbyville's underground storm water flume, and while the results of core drilling won't be known for a week or more, it may shed light into the reasons behind the collapse. Public Works director Mark Clanton said Wednesday that drill was finished Tuesday -- but the method will only enable them to tell what happened underground around the flume, not directly pinpoint the cause...

History repeats itself: flume problems are memories for engineer (05/17/09)
"These photos really bring back memories." If you think that dealing with 200 feet of a collapsed storm water flume is a problem, try coping with what engineer Rex Northcutt faced in 1963 -- 2,300 feet of ruined steel lying underground. Today, Shelbyville officials are dealing with a repeat of exactly what happened 47 years ago -- a damaged flume and a lot of questions surrounding the cause...

Animal control needs livestock shelter (05/14/09)
Bedford County Animal Control has reported an increase in problems with large animals, such as horses and livestock, which leaves the agency in a bind when it comes to transportation and housing. BCAC Director Michael Gregory made his quarterly report during Tuesday night's meeting of Bedford County Board of Commissioners. He said BCAC has no livestock trailer and no place to house livestock that can't be identified...

Flume deal signed (05/13/09)
Core samples will soon be taken from North Main Street as soon as Friday to determine the cause and extent of the damage that has resulted from the collapse of one of Shelbyville's massive underground storm water flumes. On Tuesday, the city council met in an emergency meeting and approved entering into an agreement with Contech Construction Products, Inc., and Clanton Excavation to repair the damaged flume...

Wartrace bumps to slow speeders (05/13/09)
Speeders on West Bridge Street in Wartrace, consider this fair warning. The town is about to install speed bumps. "There's a 'Children at Play' sign there, but people are ignoring it," said Wartrace resident Kelly Thompson, who approached the board of mayor and aldermen at the May meeting Monday night...

Fast action expected on flume (05/12/09)
Shelbyville's city council is meeting this afternoon in an emergency session to approve starting work to repair damage to the city's underground stormwater flume system before it gets any worse. Meanwhile, speculation is mounting over the cause of the collapse and some fingers are being pointed at recent work done for Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System...

Support sought to save dam, powerhouse (05/12/09)
The Tennessee Preservation Trust has listed the power house and the Duck River dam in Shelbyville as one of the top ten endangered historic sites in the state. Each year since 2001, the trust has issued its annual "Ten in Tennessee" list based on nominations from the public. Officials say the list "highlights urban and rural sites across the state to elicit public support for saving threatened historic resources."...

City council calls emergency meeting (05/11/09)
Shelbyville City Council will meet 3 p.m. Tuesday in the courtroom at the City Council Annex (Police Department headquarters) to consider hiring firms to repair the damage to the city's flood control flume system.

Depot Street traffic concerns merchants (05/07/09)
Merchants from both on and off the public square told Shelbyville's city council Tuesday they would like take another look at traffic and parking patterns on East Depot Street. The street is now 60 days into a 90-day trial period to test the street as a one-way, outbound road from the public square...

Funds sought to repair flume (05/06/09)
Today's heavy rain will likely keep city officials from going beneath Shelbyville to learn how much damage there is in the area of an underground collapse this past weekend that could impact a massive flume. City officials are already calling on state and national representatives about acquiring federal stimulus money to pay for the needed repairs...

Deluge on the Duck: Wet weather causes problems (05/05/09)
High waters, closed roads and schools, not to mention a collapsing street, were just some of the difficulties that a weekend of wet weather brought to Bedford County. The Duck River was more than a half a foot above its flood stage of 25 feet as of Monday afternoon, at which time TVA officials had expected the waterway to crest...

Normandy Lake reaches normal summer level (04/23/09)
In December 2007, the man who watches over the area's water source said that half of it was gone. But as of 7 a.m. Tuesday, it's all back. And Doug Murphy, director of the Duck River Agency, wants to keep it that way. For the first time in nearly three years, Normandy Lake has reached its summer pool of 875 feet above sea level, but as soon as that level was reached, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) began to release water from the dam. ...

Bypass, Belmont bridge on governor's budget list (04/15/09)
The northeast bypass around Shelbyville (State Route 437), continued widening of U.S. 41-A between Shelbyville and Tullahoma, and replacement of the Duck River bridge on Belmont Avenue (State Route 130) are all in a list of transportation projects requested Wednesday by Gov. Phil Bredesen...

County finds new outlet for recyclables (04/15/09)
Bedford County's recycling problem appears to be over, as a local company has stepped up to keep the material from going into local landfills. The best thing about the new arrangement is that people will not have drive to a different location to get rid of their recyclables, because the new place is right next to the old one...

Paint recycling approved for city transfer station (04/15/09)
Not only has the county's recycling problem been solved, (see related story) but cooperation between Shelbyville and Bedford County Solid Waste Authority has now resulted in locating a place to recycle paint. On Thursday, Shelbyville's city council approved placing items used for the recycling process at the city's transfer station...

County to take over Nestledown road work (04/15/09)
Bedford County will be taking care of roads at Nestledown Crossing Subdivision following the signing of an agreed order between a homeowners association and the county. In February, the county commission authorized the county attorney, Ginger Shofner, to negotiate a settlement in the lawsuit filed by attorney Jeff Seckler, his wife, Gina, and the Nestledown Crossing Homeowners Association...

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: AT&T confirms outage (04/08/09)
AT&T confirmed just after press time this morning that a cable cut by a third party contractor resulted in telephone and DSL service outages for a number of AT&T customers in the northern part of Shelbyville. AT&T spokeswoman Cathy Lewandowski could not immediately supply the number of customers affected or give a definite time by which all customers will be back online...

Bell Buckle to take closer look at 'The Hill' (04/03/09)
Rumors of a developer interested in "The Hill" prompted Bell Buckle Planning Commission Chairman Rodney Simmons to suggest annexing the area. The same rumor was why Mayor Dennis Webb asked the commission to wait. "It's something that needs to be looked at but now is not the time," said Webb. "I think an attempt to annex now would smack of political correctness. I would like to find out what's going on out there."...

Storms pound state but little damage locally (04/03/09)
Bedford County escaped severe damage from the strong storms which moved across Middle Tennessee Thursday afternoon, producing heavy rain, flight delays and reports of a tornado. Bedford County Highway Superintendent Stanley Smotherman said this morning that three roads had to be closed last night due to flooding -- Zion Hill, Bugscuffle and Mullins Mill. ...

Final costs expected soon on Depot Street project (04/02/09)
Final figures on the total costs of last year's demolition of buildings on East Depot Street should be ready next month so that the city will able to seek recovery costs through litigation. The building at 113 E. Depot was damaged last year during the demolition of 109 E. Depot, which was considered a dangerous structure, and contractors and engineers said at the time it would cost over $200,000 to repair it and bring up to code, so the council voted to tear it down as well...

Rainwater recedes prior to serious flooding (03/26/09)
The National Weather Service in Nashville issued a flood warning this morning for the Garrison Fork near Wartrace, but as of 8 a.m. only two roads were closed and Bedford County Highway Department expected the water levels to go down quickly once this morning's rain ended...

Stimulus money to pave way for AEDC improvements (03/26/09)
The U.S. Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Center in Coffee and Franklin counties will receive more than $7.7 million in federal stimulus money for improvements. The funding comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and will be used to inspect bridges, for the repair, improvement, and paving of several roads and parking lots, and upgrades to Wattendorf Highway...

DWRA exec, fianc� die in crash (03/24/09)
A Marshall County couple who were engaged to be married died as a result of a one-car crash early Saturday morning at Interstate 65 Exit 37, State Route 50 between Lewisburg and Columbia, according to police reports. Lloyd L. Copeland II, 28, of Lewisburg, was driving the 2006 Mazda owned by his fianc�e, Jillian Garrett, 29, of Chapel Hill, onto the northbound off-ramp at 1:58 a.m. when he apparently lost control while driving around a curve, Highway Patrol dispatcher Jennifer Goodwin said...

Bell Buckle water rates rise (03/22/09)
The proposed water rate change in Bell Buckle is now in effect. A resolution raising the rates 5 percent across the board passed on its second reading at the Tuesday night meeting of the board of mayor and aldermen, following a public hearing on the matter. The rate change will take effect immediately and show up on the customers' next build...

Talk of Bell Buckle water comes to a boil (03/19/09)
Bell Buckle Mayor Dennis Webb's proposal to discontinue a resolution governing water and sewer service to out-of-city customers was deferred at the Tuesday night meeting of the board of mayor and aldermen -- at his request -- but the deferral did not eliminate strong discussion...

Fox calls for traffic light on 231 (03/18/09)
Bobby Fox says a traffic signal at the intersection of U.S. 231 and State Route 82 (Webb Road) south of Deason would save lives, and wants his fellow members of Bedford County Board of Commissioners to pass a resolution asking the state for one. But commissioners were evenly divided in January over the issue of lowering the speed limit on U.S. 231, and it's not clear whether they'd approve a traffic light request by the needed two-thirds majority...

Wartrace stays in touch with text-messaging program (03/11/09)
April 1 will mark the first anniversary of the day Wartrace got the bad news about its unacceptable water quality, and the town's elected officials have learned a lot since then. One facet of the "boil" emergency was disturbing to Mayor Don Gallagher...

Cell phone texting bill passes committee (03/11/09)
State Sen. Jim Tracy says he's pleased that his bill to prohibit cell phone text messaging while driving was passed by the Senate Transportation Committee, which he chairs, and he predicted the bill will see strong support in the General Assembly. "It's all about safety," Tracy told the Times-Gazette on Tuesday afternoon...

Broadband survey planned (03/08/09)
Community leaders want to distribute a survey about broadband Internet access in local power bills, in hopes that the results can be used to convince providers to extend the reach of high-speed connections in Bedford County. A meeting convened by County Mayor Eugene Ray to discuss broadband issues was held Friday at the Shelbyville & Bedford County Chamber of Commerce. ...

Lake is up, but officials can't relax yet (03/08/09)
An abundance of rainfall during the early part of winter has resulted in Normandy Reservoir meeting its operating guide for the first time in two years. But the region isn't out of the woods yet when it comes to the dry weather, with the National Weather Service saying the area is still experiencing a drought...

Depot Street segment is now one way (03/06/09)
Shelbyville's city council chose to test the concept of one-way traffic on East Depot Street for 90 days, despite hearing about some criticism of the idea from two local merchants. While he did not appear Tuesday night to address the council on the topic, city manager Ed Craig said that merchant Wayne Hix had objected to making East Depot Street one-way...

Southside water update in progress (03/05/09)
A lack of water pressure on Colonial Avenue, along with other problems, has led to a water line being replaced with drilling on the Southside School property. "Every time the weather changes, we have a problem with breaks in the line," said David Crowell, with Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System. "Residents have also had problems with not having enough water pressure to take a shower."...

Winter's last chill? (03/03/09)
With temperatures supposed to be in the 70s this weekend, Sunday's snowstorm may well have been winter's last hurrah. Most areas in Bedford County received about 4 inches of the white stuff, although some reports said snow was as deep as 9 inches in certain spots...

T-G readers are using fluorescent lights (03/02/09)
Two-thirds of the respondents to a non-scientific Times-Gazette web site poll say they have replaced some or all of the incandescent light bulbs in their homes with compact fluorescent lights, or CFLs. CFLs, which are basically fluorescent bulbs twisted into a spiral so that they can occupy the same fixtures as a normal light bulb, cost more to purchase than traditional incandescent bulbs but use up to 75 percent less electricity and last far longer...

DREMC opens new administrative building (02/23/09)
Duck River Electric Membership Corp. moved administrative offices into its new $2 million headquarters this weekend, but local DREMC customers will continue to pay bills, start or end service, or take care of other business at the main building on Madison Street...

Naming policy will be considered (02/18/09)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners' rules and legislative committee, meeting Tuesday night, discussed possible guidelines for naming roads and bridges, and will ask the full commission to consider them next month. Rules committee chairman P.T. "Biff" Farrar presented some proposed rules arising from conversations he's had with Phillip Gentry, of Wartrace, who had been requesting that two bridges in the area be named for Civil War figures...

No local Household Hazardous Waste event this year (02/16/09)
Bedford County will not have a household hazardous waste collection event this year, the county's solid waste authority learned Thursday. Instead, residents will have to travel to Marshall or Coffee counties in April to dispose of household chemicals and products considered inappropriate for regular landfill disposal...

Wartrace may beat water repair deadline (02/05/09)
Wartrace could have a new water supply months before the deadline levied last year by the state. "A week from Thursday at 10 a.m. we have a pre-construction conference with Tullahoma," said the town engineer, Robert Stigall. "We should start work about two weeks after that."...

Residents shocked by utility bills (01/11/09)
Everyone gets a little bit of sticker shock after the holidays. Credit card bills, grocery bills, travel expenses -- all take big hits from November to December. But many people in Bedford County got an additional shock when their electric bills showed up -- anywhere from $40 to $200 higher than normal...

Wartrace water plans approved; sewer work ahead (01/07/09)
It was good news and bad news at the Wartrace Water Board meeting Monday night. The good news? The plans to improve the lines on Haley and Lee roads were approved by the state and the bid was officially awarded to Clanton Paving of Shelbyville to begin the work. ...

Washed-out road is safe, says official (UPDATED VIDEO) (01/06/09)
A county road that appears to be washed out is safe, according to Bedford County Highway Superintendent Stanley Smotherman. A section of Ben Williams Road, 0.2 miles from Halls Mill Road, was covered with a 30-foot wide body of moving water about two feet deep Friday, and there were no warning signs to advise drivers of the road's condition...

County edges back towards drought (12/09/08)
While the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) agrees that the region needs a drought management plan, the state agency says a reduction of flow from Normandy Dam can't take place without an environmental review. Meanwhile, Bedford County is classified as being in a moderate drought, according to data released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) last week...

Train, train, go away - at least, from Wartrace crossing (11/09/08)
Sitting in front of the Wartrace railroad crossing for 10, 15, 30 or 45 minutes can be irritating, frustrating, costly-- and deadly. That was the message Wartrace citizens tried to get across to CSX Transportation Thursday morning in a special meeting at the town's community center. State Sen. Jim Tracy, State Rep. Curt Cobb and Sean Gilliland, a representative from U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon's office, attended along with Wartrace elected officials, area first responders and concerned citizens...

Locals flock to pumps ahead of Ike (09/12/08)
As Hurricane Ike bears down on Texas, Bedford County residents have been hitting the gasoline pumps in force, leading at least one chain to ask customers to limit purchases to 10 gallons. Fuel prices jumped to unprecedented levels in the wholesale markets Thursday as Ike tore across the Gulf of Mexico...

City envisions Depot Street revitalization (09/03/08)
Turning East Depot Street into a one-way thoroughfare is one idea that is part of a revitalization project envisioned for a two block area off the public square, the Shelbyville City Council was told Tuesday. City manager Ed Craig said he had been approached by several merchants on E. Depot about making the street one way due to concerns over safety for the businesses there...

NEW: Atmos reports outage (08/12/08)
Atmos Energy Corp. reported system problems in Shelbyville on Tuesday which resulted in a disruption in natural gas service for about 35 meters. The company had to turn off the service to those meters while inspecting them. "Any time we experience pressure fluctuations, Atmos immediately double-checks our system lines and equipment," said Operations Supervisor David Roberts. "A safe and reliable system is, and will always be, our number one concern."...

River agency selects Crowell as chairman (07/25/08)
CHAPEL HILL -- A former general manager of the Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System was elected chairman of the Duck River Development Agency during its quarterly board meeting Thursday night. Gene Crowell started working for his city's utilities in 1957 and remembers working in downtown Shelbyville when power service trucks were replaced with "boats to pull meters because of the flooding" of the Duck River, he said...

Gordon visits new substation (06/17/08)
Duck River Electric Membership Corp. gave U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon and other dignitaries a tour Monday of the new $2 million electric substation near Wartrace. The new substation went online in March, but Monday was its official dedication. "It's an important part of our service to Bedford County," said DREMC general manager Jim Allison...

'Tough year' ahead for Solid Waste Authority (06/16/08)
Next year's budget for Bedford County Solid Waste Authority will be tight, according to officials, with an eventual shortfall expected despite a projected surplus to begin the fiscal year. Last month, the authority voted to submit two different budget requests to the county's Financial Management Committee. Budget "A" covers what board members believe the county's sanitation department will need, while Budget "B" contained a five-percent cut...

DRA plans water supply study (06/14/08)
Even though the region's drought classification continues to drop, local officials are looking at a comprehensive study to find the best way to continue to provide water to the area. TVA reported at the Duck River Agency's last board meeting that expanding the capacity of Normandy Lake would cost an estimated $21 million, which doesn't include a feasibility study...

Sewer taps allowed again in Bell Buckle (06/11/08)
The day Bell Buckle has been awaiting for more than three years has finally arrived -- the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has lifted a sewer moratorium on the small town. As a result, Bell Buckle will be allowed to install sewer taps now that problems with its waste water system have been corrected...

Get ready for Bonnaroo traffic (06/10/08)
It's that time of year again, when neighboring Manchester temporarily becoming Tennessee's sixth most populated city. The 2008 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival kicks off this weekend and, with nearly 80,000 people coming to the Coffee County area, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and Tennessee Highway Patrol are getting ready...

City to look at power board appointment options (06/04/08)
Shelbyville's city council will receive several alternative suggestions on how to appoint members to the Power, Water and Sewer Board after several years of confusion over the proper method. Councilman Randy Vernon made the suggestion following controversy over the election of members during the past year...

Shelbyville is not alone in sewage problems (06/02/08)
Aging sewage systems statewide are causing water quality problems, and the problem hits home in Bedford County. Shelbyville is one of 68 municipally-owned sewer systems in Tennessee that are under some type of order to bring their systems up to standards, the Chattanooga Times Free Press reports, based on data from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation...

Wartrace plans water line upgrades (05/23/08)
Work will begin this summer north of Wartrace on water lines that should improve pressure for those rural residents, that town's board learned Tuesday. Mayor Don Gallagher explained that county mayor Eugene Ray has applied for a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant for water line extensions in Flat Creek...

Stormwater discussed by city planners (05/23/08)
A public meeting will be held next month, probably June 19, to explain the City of Shelbyville's stormwater regulations, which were adopted in 2003 as a result of state and federal Municipal Separate Stormwater Sewer System (MS4) requirements. City Manager Ed Craig announced the meeting during Thursday night's meeting of Shelbyville Municipal Planning Commission...

The numbers are up: traffic lights get signage (05/22/08)
Shelbyville has a lot of visitors, and sooner or later, they all have one thing in common. They get "turned around" or just plain lost. This week, the city's public works department is doing something about that by numbering the traffic lights on Shelbyville's main arteries: Madison Street and North Main Street...

Wartrace seals water deal with Tullahoma (05/21/08)
It's a done deal. Wartrace agreed Tuesday night to connect to Tullahoma's water system, a move that will save the town money and provide more pressure to rural water customers. The deal was nearly approved earlier this month, but concerns about the water supplied to the George Dickel Distillery were a sticking point...

Gordon committee looks at water supply issues (05/20/08)
On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon chaired a House Science and Technology Committee hearing focusing on the challenges facing the United States' water supply. "In Tennessee, the first eight months of 2007 were the driest in the last 118 years," said Gordon in a news release. ...

Rain lessens drought pressure (05/16/08)
A steady amount of rain over the region has resulted in the northwestern half of Bedford County being downgraded to a "moderate" drought status, a drastic change from the rank of "exceptional" that plagued the state last year. However, data released Thursday by the U.S. Drought Monitor for Tennessee shows that the southeastern part of the county still remains in the "severe" drought category...

Cascade water still fit for Dickel (05/14/08)
When George A. Dickel began making his world famous whisky back in 1870, he used the fresh, clean water that bubbled from Cascade Spring. Nearly 140 years later, the tradition is still very important to the brand name, and should be able to continue, even though the rest of the region may be getting its water from a different source...

Bell Buckle board raises tap fees (05/14/08)
Water and sewer tap fees will be going up in Bell Buckle this summer. That town's board voted Tuesday night to raise the rates inside the city from $1,000 to $2,000 and from $1,500 to $2,500 for taps outside the town's limits. Mayor Dennis Webb said the costs would be incurred by new customers, not existing ones, and will assist with higher costs for running the water system. The new rates will be implemented July 1...

Proposed SWA budgets would have shortfalls (05/12/08)
With county departments asked to tighten their belts, the Solid Waste Authority voted to submit two different budget requests to the county's Financial Management Committee. Budget "A" covers what the county's sanitation department will need, while Budget "B" contained a five percent cut. The request to submit two different budgets came from the finance committee last month, and applies to all county agencies...

Sudberry, Nelson elected to power board (05/09/08)
Despite a complicated process, the Shelbyville City Council voted in two Power Board members Thursday evening. Rayburn Sudberry was elected to replace Clarence Lamb and Clara Nelson was returned to her seat. Lamb and Nelson had filed applications to serve, as did Sudberry, Thomas Landers, Ashley Heard, James Darden, Robert Crowell, Lizzie Peoples and Jason "Rusty" Reed...

Spring rains help, but lake still low (05/08/08)
With Normandy Reservoir just four feet away from reaching its summer pool level, area officials realize that the current level is as high as the lake will reach this year. But plans are in the works to deal with the situation that the region faced last summer due to the extreme drought...

Wartrace must work with Dickel before new water deal can be approved (05/05/08)
Wartrace had hoped to approve a deal to buy water from Tullahoma Monday night, but a few details still have to be sorted out before that can take place -- namely concerning George Dickel Distillery. Mayor Don Gallagher called the proposed deal between the Tullahoma Utilities Board (TUB) and Wartrace "a great win-win deal," but signing off on the plan was side-tracked until issues concerning the water supplied to the Coffee County distillery could be addressed....

Wartrace to discuss water supply options (05/01/08)
Wartrace will hold a special called meeting Monday to consider a contract with the Tullahoma Utilties Board (TUB) to furnish water to the town's customers. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the town hall and will be held in conjunction with the meeting of the Wartrace Water Board...

Wartrace cleanup is this week (04/29/08)
Shelbyville did it last week; now, it's Wartrace's turn. It's time for the town's residents to put on their work gloves and get rid of all that junk laying around for the annual Wartrace Beautification Week. During the event, Wartrace residents are being encouraged to take the time to spruce up their property...

TUB connection could help pressure in Wartrace, Bell Buckle (04/29/08)
A frequent complaint heard from water customers living in the Wartrace and Bell Buckle area is the lack of pressure in the system. But if Wartrace decides to hook up to the city of Tullahoma's water system, that problem could become a thing of the past...

$21 million is possible cost of Normandy project (04/26/08)
With one eye on the current drought and the other eye on future flooding, the Tennessee Duck River Development Agency will soon be requesting feasibility studies for solutions -- one of which could be raising the pool level at Normandy Dam 5 feet -- which would mean construction work to raise the actual dam and replace the spillway gates...

Big trucks moved off the square (04/25/08)
The traffic situation on Shelbyville's public square will soon see some relief as 18-wheeled vehicles will be directed away from the crowded area. City manager Ed Craig said that Mayor Wallace Cartwright had requested that the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) reroute state highways off of the square. The city received word from TDOT Tuesday that the request was approved...

Pipeline, higher dam among water supply ideas (04/22/08)
Alternatives on how to avoid water shortages due to drought are to be explored at Henry Horton State Park on Thursday when the Duck River Agency Board of Directors convenes for its quarterly meeting. One of the ideas is to have a pipe to transfer water from Tims Ford Lake, which is fed by the Elk River, to the Duck River below the Normandy Lake dam to maintain river flow through Shelbyville as well as water reserves for the utility serving Tullahoma and Manchester, according to the river agency's executive director and chairman of the board.. ...

Half of Shelbyville without water for 12 hours (04/21/08)
So far, 2008 has been an eventful year for Bedford County's water utilities. About 4,500 customers -- a little more than half -- of Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System were without water for 12 hours Saturday night and Sunday morning, after a water main break in a field near SPWSS headquarters...

VIDEO: Tracy discusses North Main widening (04/18/08)
State Sen. Jim Tracy discusses the importance of widening North Main Street during a public hearing Thursday night. See the story here....

Citywide cleanup is coming (04/18/08)
If you've had enough of looking at that musty old couch or need to finally get rid of that antiquated refrigerator, get ready to haul it out to the street. April 21-25 is Spring Cleanup Week in Shelbyville, which gives residents the opportunity to get rid of all that junk that's been pilling up...

Video: turbidity explained in Wartrace (04/15/08)
David Money of Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation explains turbidity to Wartrace Board of Mayor and Aldermen, and Mayor Don Gallagher discusses the town's actions: ...

Shelbyville bypass gets funding (04/15/08)
State Senate Transportation Chairman Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville) and State Rep. Curt Cobb (D-Shelbyville) have announced that the Tennessee Department of Transportation has included the Shelbyville bypass in its list of highway projects for the 2008-09 budget year...

Wartrace seeks Tullahoma water deal (04/15/08)
Wartrace Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted Monday to begin the process of pursuing a contract with Tullahoma Utilities Board (TUB) to provide water to Wartrace customers after area residents were forced to boil their water supply for nearly two weeks...

SWA struggles with fuel costs (04/14/08)
Rising fuel prices are causing the Solid Waste Authority to shift funds within its budget to compensate for the extra costs. Highway Superintendent Stanley Smotherman, who manages waste disposal for SWA, briefed the board about the situation, saying that no additional funds would be needed yet to pay for the diesel fuel that drives their trucks...

Wartrace lifts boil order (04/12/08)
The boil water order for Wartrace was lifted Saturday morning as the town looks to buy water from Tullahoma to prevent a repeat of the problem. Mayor Don Gallagher said he will be sending a letter out to water customers as soon as the town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen decide on a course of action in regards to the water situation...

Grant funds industrial spec building (04/11/08)
On the same week that one Shelbyville industry announced its closure, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon announced that Duck River Electric Membership Corp. has been given a $300,000 grant to help build a spec building to attract a similar-sized industry to Airport Business Park...

Bell Buckle discusses water woes (04/11/08)
With leaks in their system and their residents forced to boil their drinking water last week, the wet stuff was once again a major topic of discussion for Bell Buckle Board of Mayor and Aldermen Tuesday. A drinking water warning was issued for the Wartrace water system last week as a precaution due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water. ...

Wartrace waits for test results (04/11/08)
Wartrace officials were waiting on test results and looking at the skies Friday as residents continue to endure a boil water advisory that is headed into a second week. A drinking water warning was issued for the system early last week as a precaution due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water. Residents have been instructed to boil tap water before consuming it...

Wartrace boil order still in effect (04/10/08)
While Wartrace residents are being asked to boil their water for another day, Mayor Don Gallagher says he is optimistic about the situation. A drinking water warning was issued for the system last week as a precaution due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water...

Wartrace still under boil order (04/09/08)
Wartrace water customers will have to boil their water for another day. A drinking water warning was issued for the system last week due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water. Mayor Don Gallagher said Wednesday that workers have finished flushing all the water lines in the system and that bacteria samples have been sent to Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for testing. ...

Wartrace water testing continues (04/08/08)
Testing of the water system continues in Wartrace today as officials say that the turbidity level at Cascade Spring is dropping. A drinking water warning was issued for the system last Tuesday due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water. Mayor Don Gallagher said that the testing today involves the water line...

Utilities discuss supply at water summit (04/08/08)
Several solutions are needed to avoid a repeat of last summer's drought scare, and they may include adjusting the Duck River Agency's charter, according to a consensus officials heard during a water utilities summit last week. State Sen. Bill Ketron (R-Murfreesboro), who represents Marshall and Maury counties, hosted a brainstorming session at Henry Horton State Park on Thursday with dozens of leaders from water utilities attending with county mayors and other officials...

Normandy Lake up six feet in a week (04/07/08)
Heavy rains on Friday, combined with a steady amount in the days beforehand, have brought the level of Normandy Reservoir over six feet higher than the same time last week. Also, the drought has now been lowered to a more-favorable classification of "severe" for some parts of Bedford County, according to data provided by the United States Drought Monitor...

Water conditions improving, say Wartrace officials (04/07/08)
"It's getting better, but we're not there yet." That was the word this morning from Wartrace Town Hall about the condition of their water system, the customers of which have been under an advisory to boil water since last week. A drinking water warning was issued for the system last Tuesday due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water. Mayor Don Gallagher said Monday that the turbidity level was at 3.9, with the acceptable limit set at 1.0...

Advisory lifted for Bell Buckle; Wartrace still impacted (04/04/08)
The Town of Bell Buckle announced Friday afternoon that the order to boil water for that community has been officially lifted by David Money of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC). However the order for Wartrace is still in effect and may not be lifted until the later part of next week, according to Wartrace Mayor Don Gallagher....

Wartrace advisory stays in effect (04/04/08)
Even though samples have not shown the presence of any bacteria, customers of the Wartrace Water System continue to be under an advisory to boil their water before drinking it. Mayor Don Gallagher said this morning that the situation with the water supply was "still over the limit" and that he had no idea when the advisory would be lifted, but guessed that it would continue over the weekend...

Household hazardous waste event scheduled (04/04/08)
For many, spring means it's time to work on the yard and the flower garden, but it is also a good time to get rid of all that dangerous junk in the garage. With that in mind, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) will be holding its annual household hazardous waste collection event April 12 at Big Springs Shopping Center from 8 a.m. until noon...

Wartrace boil order continues (04/03/08)
Customers of Wartrace Water System are still being advised to boil their water on Thursday as workers continue to observe the condition of the water. A drinking water warning was issued for the system Tuesday due to high turbidity levels and the potential of contaminated water...

Drought now 'extreme,' improved from 'exceptional' (04/03/08)
Bedford County is no longer "exceptional" -- and that's a good thing. The National Drought Mitigation Center has lifted the "exceptional" drought category for Coffee, Franklin, Bedford and Warren Counties, with the region now listed in the second-worst rating of "extreme" drought...

Water summit planned at Horton Park (04/02/08)
A brainstorming session is scheduled Thursday evening at Henry Horton State Park in Marshall County to reach consensus on how to deal with drought in the Duck River watershed, according to State Sen. Bill Ketron. Ketron (R-Murfreesboro) represents the 13th Senate District, including Maury and Marshall counties along the Duck River. He also represents Lincoln County and western Rutherford County...

UPDATED: Wartrace issues water warning (04/02/08)
A drinking water warning has been issued for the Wartrace Water System due to high turbidity levels and potentially contaminated water. The Town of Wartrace issued the warning Tuesday morning and is telling customers to boil their water before using it until further notice....

Rain continues, but still not much impact (03/31/08)
Rain many have fallen for most of the weekend, but it wasn't enough to have much impact on the level of a drought stricken Normandy Reservoir. From Friday until midnight Sunday, a total of 0.54 inches of rain fell at Normandy, bringing the level of the lake up to 862.18 feet above sea level...

Tyson says it has corrected sewage issue (03/27/08)
Problems with Tyson Foods' sewage treatment facility at its chicken processing plant in Shelbyville have been corrected, according to company officials. Last Feburary, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) issued a notice of violation to Tyson Foods' environmental office in Shelbyville, stating that the plant's sewage treatment facility discharged effluent into the Duck River with levels of ammonia greater than allowed by the plant's permit...

Normandy water level rises more than a foot (03/17/08)
While just under an inch of rain fell Friday and Saturday at Normandy Reservoir, the level of the lake is up nearly a foot and a half from the same time last week. According to figures reported by the Tennessee Valley Authority's web site today at 6 a.m., Normandy was at an elevation of 860.15 feet above sea level, with water flowing out of the lake at a rate of 42 cubic feet per second (cfs)...

Plastic recycling now available locally (03/15/08)
If you are the type who's into saving the Earth and reusing things, you will likely be making a trip to 106 Cedar King Road in Shelbyville a frequent occurrence. That's where Shelbyville Recycled Fiber Company, a division of RockTenn, is accepting plastics for recycling, answering requests from many in the county to begin the practice...

Vannatta resigns as SWA chair (03/14/08)
Bobby Vannatta stepped down as chairman of the Bedford County Solid Waste Authority Thursday night, citing health and other reasons. Vannatta said he was stepping down for "the betterment of the board and for me personally." He also stated he could not remember exactly how long he had served as chairman...

Bell Buckle awaits sewer nod (03/14/08)
Bell Buckle is still waiting to hear from Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) about lifting a Director's Order against the town that prevents it from installing any new sewer taps. The topic came up after the town board turned down a request from Alderman Frank Reagor, who was not present for the meeting, for a sewer tap at 104 Hinkle Hill Road...

Normandy flow limit urged by commission (03/12/08)
Bedford County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday night calling on Tennessee Valley Authority to "limit the flow of water from Normandy Lake with emphasis on human consumption." The original document read "...emphasis on human consumption rather than aquatic life," but Doug Murphy of the Shelbyville-based Tennessee Duck River Agency told commissioners that the two are not necessarily at odds, and that it might be counterproductive to antagonize environmental groups...

Lake level is up, but still far below normal (03/10/08)
TVA's gauge that measures the level of Normandy Reservoir is back in operation, but the numbers still show that the amount of water in the lake is far below normal. According to figures reported by the Tennessee Valley Authority's web site this morning at 6 a.m., Normandy was at an elevation of 858.66 feet above sea level, with water flowing out of the lake at a rate of 42 cubic feet per second (cfs)...

Tracy: Water, budget occupy legislature (03/01/08)
Concerns about the state budget and local water issues are just some of the items that Tennessee legislators are to examine during this session of the General Assembly, State Sen. Jim Tracy said Friday. He spoke at a town meeting held in the Shelbyvlle Bedford County Chamber of Commerce auditorium, part of a series of meetings held throughout the 16th District...

Several streams polluted (02/25/08)
Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) has released a draft list of waterways that do not support the public's use of them, due to contamination from either waste water systems or pasture runoff. A number of streams in the Duck River watershed are on the list, including some in Bedford County. The Duck River watershed consists of Bedford, Coffee, Marshall, Maury, Rutherford and Williamson counties...

DREMC to construct new office annex (02/23/08)
Duck River Electric Membership Cooperative (DREMC) is planning to build a $2 million, 10,580-square foot annex office building near their present facility. The facility will be located at the corner of Eagle Boulevard and Learning Way, according to drawings submitted to the Shelbyville Municipal Planning Commission...

TVA reduces Normandy Dam flow (02/23/08)
Following an environmental assessment, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) has agreed to lower the flow of water from Normandy Reservoir to 40 cubic feet per second (cfs) until May 31. The federal utility released a "Finding of No Significant Impact" which means that lowering the flow would not impact water quality and aquatic life near the dam...

Chapel Hill seeks money for stormwater damage (02/20/08)
CHAPEL HILL -- Federal funding is being sought by the town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen to deal with stormwater drainage. A $366,160 project is contemplated, according to consulting engineer Will Owen of the Murfreesboro-based engineering firm Griggs & Maloney Inc...

Bell Buckle seeks lift of state sewer sanction (02/15/08)
Bell Buckle will be contacting the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) soon about lifting a director's order against the town in regards to their sewer system. Water manager Ronnie Lokey reported to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen Tuesday that work was basically completed on the town's new equalization basin, which was required for the city to comply with a Director's Order issued by TDEC...

City bypass tops regional highway list (02/11/08)
CHAPEL HILL -- While construction of Shelbyville's eastern bypass remains the priority among regional transportation organizers who met here Thursday, a state official suggested they break a plan to four-lane Lewisburg Highway (State Route 64) into smaller projects...

Rains raise Normandy level by two feet (02/08/08)
Rain that has fallen on the region over the past week has brought the level of Normandy Reservoir up over two feet, according to measurements taken by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). As of 6 a.m. Friday, the level at the lake had risen to 855.35 feet. Measurements taken last Friday placed the elevation at 852.12 feet...

Rain is welcome, but much more is needed (02/05/08)
While the wet stuff from the sky has paid the area a rare visit over the past week, the head of the Duck River Agency says a lot more will be needed over the next few months to build up Normandy Lake's water supply. Executive Director Doug Murphy said that between 10 to 15 more inches of precipitation over the next three months is needed to make "a significant impact" to the level of the lake...

Normandy flow decision may come soon (01/30/08)
The decision to reduce the flow of water from Normandy Reservoir to conserve the area's dwindling water supply could come as early as this week. However, further federal environmental studies would have to be made before any change would occur. Doug Murphy, executive director of the Duck River Agency, said Tuesday that there is "a lot of activity going on right now" with state and federal agencies discussing discharge reductions, and possibly by the end of this week they will release their plan...

Travel easier to Nashville, new mall (01/29/08)
Bedford County residents who use Interstate 24 frequently may notice lighter traffic with the addition of a new exit and completion of a widening project which was opened to the public Monday. The new exit (Exit 80) is located on New Salem Highway (State Route 99) and motorists will now be able to use four travel lanes in each direction on I-24 from State Route 96 to U.S. 231 North...

Bedford lags behind state in broadband (01/28/08)
A new study by a non-profit group has revealed that Bedford County residents have lower broadband Internet speeds and that fewer use high speed service compared to the state average. Connected Tennessee released a county-by-county reading of average Internet speeds across Tennessee. The maps are intended to give broadband providers and state policy makers information on which communities need higher quality Internet service...

Duck River Agency wants lower flow from Normandy Dam (01/25/08)
CHAPEL HILL -- With concerns that this area is in a five-year drought, Duck River Agency directors called for economic impact statements and updated river flow projections Thursday night as their executive anticipated another water release reduction at Normandy Dam...

Spring Hill joins DRA (01/24/08)
SPRING HILL -- Like water customers in Shelbyville and much of Bedford County have done for years, residents of this north Maury County city will soon be paying five cents per 1,000 gallons of water purchased to fund Duck River Agency activities. That's because the Spring Hill Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted 6-2 on Tuesday night to join the state-chartered agency. The agency is charged with the responsibility of protecting the river's water quality and quantity...

Normandy water reading uncertain (01/22/08)
What is the gauge at Normandy Dam really reading? That's a good question, after figures supplied by the Tennessee Valley Authority's web site stated Monday morning that the flow from the reservoir had stopped for about five hours early Monday. But TVA says that web site figure was inaccurate. Instead, the flow was at 114 cubic feet per second (cfs), a TVA spokesman told the T-G Monday morning...

Small steps can mean big water conservation (01/22/08)
With the level of Normandy Reservoir still dropping and no wet weather in the forecast, Stage 2 mandatory water restriction could be implemented for the region within a matter of months or even weeks. But there are already ways to cut back on water use now that won't put too much of a crimp on your family's lifestyle. Plus there's the added bonus of lower utility bills...

Bypass construction could begin in October (01/21/08)
Construction on the long-discussed, long-awaited northeast bypass around Shelbyville could begin as soon as October, State Rep. Curt Cobb said on Saturday. "We're pretty excited," Cobb told the Times-Gazette. Cobb also said bids on the first phase of widening North Main Street will be opened Feb. 15; a request for bids was issued on Friday...

Utility officials brace for the worst (01/19/08)
What if the water runs out? That's the dreaded question that area utility officials are looking at as skies bring little relief to the drought-stricken Duck River basin. Actions include the beginning stages of emergency planning and a plea to Gov. Phil Bredesen for immediate action...

Watershed 'watchdogs' hold second meeting (01/18/08)
Brainstorming, organization and getting citizens involved was the focus of the second meeting of the Duck River Watershed Association [DRWA] Thursday evening. Group members, who consider themselves "watchdogs for the watershed," are concerned about the future of the Duck River and the impact the extreme drought has had. They debated solutions to the shortage of water...

Mathis says dispatch meetings have been positive (01/17/08)
Bedford County Communications Center officials said Wednesday night that recent meetings with local emergency departments to discuss dispatch procedures have been productive, but that the center needs additional dispatchers to function more effectively...

Watershed group wants closer look at Tullahoma (01/16/08)
The Duck River Watershed Association should further examine the transfer of water from Normandy Lake and the Duck River watershed into to the Elk River. That suggestion comes from Sherry Beard, the executive director of the recently-organized citizens group that's meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at Bedford County Emergency Management Agency, 1304 Railroad Ave...

Braker: Shelbyville sewer plant affects water supply (01/12/08)
Calling the area's ongoing drought "a real crisis," the head of the Duck River Utility Commission (DRUC) believes the release of water from Normandy Dam should be cut further. Randall Braker of DRUC also took issue with the idea that Tullahoma's waste water flowing into the Elk River watershed is a "major leak" in the Duck River's water supply, as a former engineer for Shelbyville claimed last week...

SWA to take scrap metal bids (01/11/08)
Bedford County Solid Waste Authority will open sealed bids at its next meeting for a scrap metal recycling contract. The authority had formed a committee last month to examine the bids, which will require that the scrap be sold by the ton and that the bidder have a $1,000 security bond...

Duck River Watershed group will meet next week (01/10/08)
A new citizen based organization will be holding an informational meeting next week involving issues related to the Duck River and Normandy Dam. The Duck River Watershed Association (DRWA) will meet at the Bedford County Emergency Management Center, 1304 Railroad Ave., on Thursday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m...

Bell Buckle may allow brown-bagging (01/09/08)
Bell Buckle's board passed the first reading of an ordinance that would make "brown bagging" legal again. "Brown bagging" is the practice of a customer bringing his own bottle of wine or liquor to a restaurant to consume with a meal. The repeal was introduced by Alderman Mark Felices, who stated that he did not want to "change the character of the town," but that it was a bad law because there was no way to enforce it...

Water from Duck River being disposed of in Elk River (01/08/08)
"Tullahoma, send us your sewage!" That's what a former engineer for the City of Shelbyville says should happen, due to the fact that the neighboring city is taking water from Normandy Reservoir and then pumping its treated water into the Elk River watershed instead of back into the Duck River watershed...

North Main widening study continues (01/02/08)
A preliminary field review of the widening of North Main Street in Shelbyville has been set by the Tennessee Department of Transportation [TDOT]. The review will be held Jan. 16 starting at 9 a.m. at the Region 3 office building in the Survey and Design Conference Room on the second floor at 6601 Centennial Boulevard in Nashville...

'Half of our water is gone' (12/19/07)
Normandy Reservoir is now at only half of its capacity and area officials are looking at drawing up an emergency plan to cope with the dwindling supply. While several rare rain events have graced the area over the past few weeks, the much welcomed perception has only slowed the gradual reduction of water in Normandy Reservoir...

SWA bids out scrap metal contract (12/14/07)
The county's solid waste authority will soon advertise to bid out its scrap metal recycling contract. The authority also formed a committee to examine the bids, which will be made available at the first of February and opened on the 14th of that month...

Bell Buckle absorbs water rate hike (12/13/07)
Bell Buckle hopes to keep water bills low for its customers despite a dramatic rate hike from Bedford County Utility District (BCUD). The town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted Tuesday to accept the latest contract from BCUD with the new rate of $4 per 1,000 gallons, an increase of 51 percent over the current rate of $2.65 per 1,000 gallons...

County awarded water grant (12/07/07)
Gov. Phil Bredesen and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matthew Kisber have announced the approved a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant to assist a water line extension project that will serve 56 homes in three target areas in Bedford County...

Drought continues to concern officials (12/05/07)
A weather system dubbed La Ni�a, Spanish for "the girl," is partly responsible for drought conditions that a weather service hydrologist says will continue through winter. It's a weather system born of different temperatures in the Pacific Ocean that set up broad patterns of moisture, or the lack of it that can lead to drought or wet weather. Other factors apply, but La Ni�a is a chief factor...

North Main work to cause closure (11/29/07)
A section of North Main Street will be closed tonight so the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) can finish uncompleted work on part of the roadway. According to Shelbyville City Manager Ed Craig, the section between North Cannon Boulevard and Rite Aid will be closed and graded...

Water cutbacks may be needed soon (11/27/07)
If no more rain falls on the region over the next eight weeks, Bedford and other counties served by Normandy Reservoir could be seeing mandatory water restrictions put into place. That's what Executive Director Doug Murphy of the Duck River Agency said Monday after it was discovered that the lake was two feet lower than was previously reported...

Normandy Lake two feet lower than thought (11/21/07)
Normandy Lake is actually two feet lower than previously thought, because a broken gauge was reporting the wrong figures. The T-G had last checked the lake's elevation on the Tennessee Valley Authority web site Wednesday, when the level was reported at 856.29 feet above sea level. However, the level on the site Tuesday morning read at 854.15...

City gets $24M loan for sewer plant (11/21/07)
Shelbyville has received a $24.8 million loan through the State Revolving Fund Loan Program to upgrade and expand the city's wastewater treatment plant. Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage system manager David Crowell said he is very pleased with the announcement and is looking forward to progressing with the project...

Cable / phone fight heats up again (11/16/07)
The cable television industry is gearing up for another fight in the Tennessee State Legislature against AT&T, which is planning to promote a bill next year that the cable industry claims would hurt consumers by dismantling the local franchise law. However, AT&T claims that a handful of cable companies continue to enjoy a monopoly on video service and that the current method of obtaining local cable franchises is "a lengthy, expensive process that just doesn't make sense."�...

Simons did report promptly after all (11/14/07)
Miscommunication was apparently the culprit behind the county's solid waste authority not being aware that information describing the source of sludge brought into the county had already been submitted. Last month, the authority heard from Wayne Simons of Simons Farm Trucking, LLC about material he is injecting into fields in various parts of the county...

Bell Buckle water users asked to conserve (11/14/07)
Water was once again the main topic for Bell Buckle's Board of Mayor and Aldermen, with officials looking at a drought management plan and asking their water customers to cut back on usage. The board voted to ask residents to voluntarily reduce normal consumption of essential and domestic use by 10 percent and non-essential use by 15 percent, which are the Stage 1 restrictions being implemented in Bedford and surrounding counties...

River group will play watchdog role (11/13/07)
CHAPEL HILL -- As Duck River Watershed Association (DRWA) conducted its kickoff membership meeting at Henry Horton State Park last week, a member of another watershed group told what's done to protect a river near his home. "We find violators all the time and report them," said Michael Cain, watershed assessment and restoration coordinator for the Franklin-based Harpeth River Watershed Association (HRWA), who indicated similar steps could be taken for the Duck River...

Waste info sought by SWA members (11/09/07)
Bedford County Solid Waste Authority continues to request information on the types of waste that are brought into the county. Last month, the authority heard from Wayne Simons of Simons Farms about material he is injecting into fields in various parts of the county. Concerns had been brought to SWA's attention by citizens about sludge dumping in various parts of the county...

Duck River watershed group organizing (11/07/07)
A steering committee of environmental activists is holding a "kick-off" meeting Friday morning at Room A of the Henry Horton State Park Inn, where they're inviting area residents to join them in the formation of the Duck River Watershed Association. "These are people who are concerned about the water allocation issues," says Sherry Beard, spokeswoman for the steering committee, which has received financial assistance from the Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association to cover costs including a charter...

Utilities baffled by state info (11/03/07)
Transportation, water and wastewater are two of the top infrastructure needs of Bedford County, according to a report released by the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR). But while TACIR corrected figures for Bedford County schools, other amounts remain unchanged. Local officials are still scratching their heads, wondering where TACIR got its data...

DRA will make pitch to Spring Hill (11/03/07)
The Duck River Agency's executive director is scheduled to make a pitch to Spring Hill aldermen that, in the face of drought, it's logical to join with other governments in the watershed to protect water quality and supply. Doug Murphy, executive of the Shelbyville-based agency, says he'll advocate regional water supply planning at Spring Hill City Hall on Nov. 13, a date recommended by Mayor Danny Leverette...

DRA asks Spring Hill to join water conservation efforts (11/01/07)
To bring another city into their joint effort to conserve water in the face of continued drought, Duck River Agency officials were scheduled to meet with Spring Hill leaders this morning. It's a result of discussions at Henry Horton State Park last Thursday when directors of the Shelbyville-based five-county agency noted the fast-growing Maury County city isn't a member of the agency created to protect water quality and supply...

Normandy flow may be cut further: DRA (10/27/07)
CHAPEL HILL -- Steps are already being taken to be ready if another request is deemed necessary for further restrictions in the release of water through Normandy Dam because of continued drought. "This reduction may not get it," Duck River Agency Executive Director Doug Murphy told nearly 50 state and local officials from five counties on Thursday, shortly after a second phase of water conservation started at Normandy Lake...

Water supply helped little by downpours (10/24/07)
The skies finally opened up this week and gave the region some much needed rain, but one area official says the situation with our water supply is a long way from getting back to normal. Doug Murphy, executive director of the Duck River Agency, said that this week’s rainfall wouldn’t be enough “to get us out of the condition we’re in.”...

DRA, officials to discuss dam issues (10/24/07)
More than four dozen elected leaders from the five-county area of the Duck River watershed have been invited to Henry Horton State Park on Thursday night, when they’re to be advised of circumstances surrounding the reduction in water released by Normandy Dam...

Normandy flow reduced (10/19/07)
The flow of water from Normandy Reservoir has been reduced by the Tennessee Valley Authority, even as the area experienced a rare rainfall this week. But one area utility official says that the lake is at the lowest level he’s ever seen and much more precipitation is needed before the situation can improve...

Sidewalks at Harris to be funded by state grant (10/19/07)
Harris Middle School has been awarded $150,500 in Safe Routes to School funds. The funds will be used to construct approximately 4,000 linear feet of sidewalk in the vicinity of the school. Funds will also be used to provide an educational program focused on bicycle and pedestrian safety and promotional activities to encourage walking and biking as a safe and healthy initiative...

Usage restrictions may be ahead (10/16/07)
A total of a quarter of a million people were asked last month to voluntarily cut back on their water usage. But without significant rainfall, mandatory restrictions could be coming our way by the end of the year. "This is a fairly historic drought," Randall Braker, general manager for the Duck River Utility Commission (DRUC) said Monday, possibly approaching the 100 year drought level, he said...

Mussel delays decisions on water (10/16/07)
Area utility officials received word Tuesday from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) that an agreement has been reached over the reduction of the flow of water from Normandy Reservoir. Officials had been waiting for issues between the federal utility and environmentalists to be ironed out before the reduction could occur...

BCUD customers asked to conserve (10/13/07)
Bedford County Utility District has adopted a water shortage management plan, due to the level of Normandy Lake, and has issued a call for voluntary water conservation by BCUD customers. Voluntary conservation is requested because Normandy Lake's level is lower than 864 feet above sea level, BCUD Commissioner Randy Head said Saturday, explaining how the system works. ...

Sludge dumping is legal, waste board told (10/12/07)
Members of Bedford County Solid Waste Authority board of directors were told Thursday night that the sludge dumping reported to them last month was perfectly legal. The authority heard from Wayne Simons of Simons Farm about material he is injecting into fields in various parts of the county. ...

Gordon seeks 9-1-1 protection for VOIP users (10/11/07)
U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon's legislation to improve public safety by ensuring the reliability of 9-1-1 calls made from Internet phone services is progressing through the U.S. House of Representatives. On Thursday, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet cleared Gordon's 9-1-1 Modernization and Public Safety Act, H.R. 3403, for full committee consideration...

Work starts soon on Bell Buckle sewer upgrade (10/10/07)
Work is progressing on an equalization basin for Bell Buckle's wastewater system, the town's board was told Tuesday. According to environmental engineer Jim Patterson, work on the basin should begin later this week or early next week. The basin is required to comply with a Director's Order issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) concerning problems with the sewer system in 2005...

Quality will be checked if Duck's flow is cut (10/06/07)
Duck River water quality will be closely monitored if the Tennessee Valley Authority grants a state request to combat drought conditions by releasing less water from Normandy Dam. Paul Sloan, deputy commissioner for Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said as much on Friday in his request to Bridgette K. Ellis, TVA's senior vice president of environment and research...

BCUD, Shelbyville agree on water line transfer (10/04/07)
An agreement has been reached and signed for Shelbyville's municipal water system to acquire some of Bedford County Utility District's jurisdiction just outside city limits. The exchange grew from a property owner's request in early summer 2006 when Eddie Crowell of Jackson, son of W.J. Crowell of Shelbyville, sought city sewer service for 126 acres southwest of U.S. 41-A North...

Group wants dam release reduced (10/03/07)
Utility officials who met last week in Columbia expect that less water will be released through Normandy Dam this month due to drought conditions. Leaders of utilities in the Duck River watershed met Sept. 26 at the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation offices...

UPDATED: Water use restrictions implemented (09/21/07)
Local utility officials are implementing a voluntary Stage 1 water use reduction plan due to the dwindling amount available in Normandy Reservoir. However, mandatory restrictions would be imposed if the level of the reservoir continues to drop and the area could face a severe shortage of water by the end of the year if conditions do not improve....

SWA studies recycling, hears dumping complaint (09/14/07)
Recycling in neighboring Coffee County and a complaint about sludge dumping were the topics of discussion for the county's Solid Waste Authority Thursday afternoon. Last month, Chairman Bobby Vannatta asked recycling coordinator Gay Ervin and Stanley Smotherman contact the Coffee County Recycling Center to see how it is done after receiving calls and letters from citizens concerned about the lack of plastic recycling in the county...

Wartrace plans water system upgrade (09/13/07)
Improving Wartrace's water system while keeping their customer's rates low is something that town's council will be looking at in the future. Mayor Don Gallagher calls the idea "a work in progress" but the council hopes to make much needed upgrades to the system that not only supplies water to Wartrace, but also to Bell Buckle and to residents that live in that area of Bedford County...

Electrical outage closes Cascade (09/10/07)
An electrical outage, the cause of which is still unknown, cancelled classes at Cascade High School today, although Cascade Elementary School next door was unaffected and remains open on its normal schedule. Power was disrupted to the high school Sunday afternoon, according to School Superintendent Ed Gray, and the decision was made about 7 p.m. Sunday to cancel classes for today...

Utilities to give water to those with dry wells (09/05/07)
County Mayor Eugene Ray signed a proclamation on Tuesday declaring Bedford County "drought-ridden" and authorizing local water plants to make water available to those who don't have "city water" and whose wells or springs have gone dry as a result of the recent hot, dry weather...

No water restrictions here ... yet (08/28/07)
While Gov. Phil Bredesen is asking everyone in the state to conserve water, local utilities say that Bedford County has enough of the wet stuff ... at least for the present. Bob Finney of Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System said Monday that water restrictions may be coming in the future, but not now. It all depends on the rain...

Backflow rules cause backlash (08/21/07)
State regulations now require water systems to guard against backflow -- the process by which water can be drawn from a customer's system back into the public water system. There's wide agreement on the need for backflow prevention, and understanding of the fact that it's a state requirement. But the devil is in the details, and the differences between the way that two local water systems are enforcing the rule has some rural pool owners seeing red...

Power rates going up (08/20/07)
Customers with Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewer and the Duck River Electric Membership Corporation [DREMC] will be seeing another rate hike beginning in October. Both David Crowell, general manager for Shelbyville Power, and DREMC Director of Member Service Charles McDonald confirmed Friday that they will be passing the latest fuel cost adjustment from the Tennessee Valley Authority [TVA] to their customers...

Normandy Lake keeps local water flowing (08/15/07)
"If wasn't for Normandy Reservoir, we'd be looking at water rationing." But thankfully, said Bedford County Utility District [BCUD] General Manager Marty Davis, we do have plenty of the wet stuff and they are pumping it to their customers at record levels during this summer's continuing drought...

BCUD considers transferring lines to city (08/13/07)
Bedford County Utility District (BCUD) commissioners are sending a contract to Shelbyville's utility board for the sale of some of the rural district's jurisdiction to the city as another step in more than a year of discussions. While the potential agreement affects a relatively small territory, the discussions between the utilities raise growth issues for both governments and the people they serve, largely because water and sewer are basic services...

Solid Waste Authority explores plastic recycling (08/10/07)
The county's Solid Waste Authority will be looking into the idea of opening a location where plastic could be dropped off to be recycled. Chairman Bobby Vannatta asked recycling coordinator Gay Ervin and Stanley Smotherman contact the Coffee County Recycling Center to see how it is done...

Utilities keeping up with the heat (08/10/07)
With the air conditioners steadily humming as the area bakes under a stifling heat wave, utility companies in Bedford County are handling the power demands well, officials say. David Crowell, general manager for Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewer said Thursday that that they are able to handle the demand for the blue spark "just fine."...

Proposed sewer plant gets favorable environmental report (08/08/07)
Shelbyville's new wastewater treatment plant has been given an environmental assessment and a "Finding of No Significant Impact" by the state Department of Environment and Conservation [TDEC]. Funding for the new plant, designed to handle 6.5 million gallons a day, was approved last month by the Shelbyville City Council. The project is estimated to cost around $25 million...

Six local bridges structurally deficient (08/07/07)
A total of six bridges in Bedford County have been classified as "structurally deficient" by the Tennessee Department of Transportation. (TDOT) TDOT states that while they track deficiencies in state bridges, the list released "by no means indicates a safety issue with the bridges."...

Smotherman says local bridges are safe (08/03/07)
With collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis on Wednesday, residents may have concerns about the safety of Bedford County bridges. Divers continue to check submerged cars in the Mississippi River following the collapse. Five people are confirmed dead, though authorities lowered the number of missing, once feared as many as 30, to eight...

Bell Buckle borrows $1M for sewer repairs (08/01/07)
Bell Buckle Board of Aldermen and Mayor approved borrowing $1 million to pay for state mandated improvements to their ailing sewer system on Tuesday during a special called meeting. Also approved were bids for the main part of the project: a 1 million-gallon equalization tank for the town's sewer plant...

Not all local residents have broadband access (07/30/07)
Bedford County lags behind some of its neighbors to the north and east in access to broadband Internet, according to a map published by the Nashville-based non-profit Connected Tennessee. Broadband refers to high-speed Internet service, usually meaning either cable internet (provided by cable TV companies like Charter Communications) or DSL (provided by telephone companies like BellSouth / AT&T). ...

Courthouse sewage problem could be expensive (07/18/07)
Bedford County Mayor Eugene Ray said Tuesday night he is using emergency purchase powers to repair drainage problems which caused sewage to back up into the basement of the courthouse several times in the past two weeks. Ray warned the county commission's courthouse and county property committee that the project could be "quite expensive" and that he doesn't yet have an idea how much it will cost...

Bell Buckle looks at sewer options (07/19/07)
Water and sewer issues continued to be the main topic of discussion for Bell Buckle Tuesday as they approved a telemetry system for the water system and looked over funding options for their ailing sewer system. The Board of Mayor and Alderman gave their approval to purchasing the telemetry system, which will be used check the levels of all the system's tanks and pumps remotely...

South Main intersection closed (07/18/07)
Work is being done on a potentially dangerous intersection in Shelbyville that will slightly reroute traffic, but should help to prevent accidents. The section of South Main Street that directly intersects South Brittain Street has been closed and is being removed...

Bacteria too high in some county streams (07/17/07)
A recent water quality assessment by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) reveals that several Bedford County streams have unsafe levels of E. coli bacteria. Two sections of the Duck River reportedly is contaminated with Escherichia coli [E. coli] due to discharges from storm sewer systems and "collection system failure" according to the report...

DREMC goes geothermal with HVAC system (07/06/07)
You may have noticed those two huge drilling rigs in front of the Duck River Electric Membership Corporation [DREMC] headquarters on Madison Street this week, but they aren't looking for oil or natural gas. Instead, DREMC has decided to be a leader in demonstrating energy efficiency by installing the most effective method, a geothermal heating and cooling system...

Flat Creek co-op gets federal assistance (06/27/07)
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development funds totaling $1.31 million will allow the Flat Creek Water Cooperative Inc. to serve new customers, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon announced. "The project will serve 40 new customers in the southern portion of Flat Creek Water Co-operative's service area near Highway 82, giving more residents access to a reliable, safe supply of water," Gordon said...

BCUD requires backflow prevention (06/21/07)
"Water, water everywhere," begins a Lewis Carroll poem from the famed book "Alice In Wonderland," in which the character makes the all-important statement, "but not a drop to drink." Thanks to the efforts of the employees of the Bedford County Utility District (BCUD), the county's water system is safe and ready to drink...

Telemetry system may help stem Bell Buckle water losses (06/13/07)
With an average of a 30 percent water loss this year, Bell Buckle is looking at purchasing a telemetry system to monitor the status of that town's water system. Alderman Mark Felices has been researching the idea so that water mangers would be able to check the levels of all the system's tanks and pumps remotely, saving workers the time of having to drive to each location to check the levels manually...

Cross-connection is an issue for lawn care (06/09/07)
The next time you turn on your faucet, thank local water providers and their cross-connection systems for the safety of the water that flows from the pipe. Wayne Cook of the Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System is a member of the cross-connection department, a division that could just save lives...

Power board member selection in doubt (06/08/07)
Complex legal questions are still surrounding the Shelbyville City Council election of a Power Board member which took place last month. The city is currently seeking further legal opinions from the Municipal Technical Advisory Service [MTAS] over the matter and may even ask for an opinion from the Tennessee State Attorney General...

Future projects may reduce sewer smell (05/30/07)
Manager David Crowell of Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System says that an odor reported to the Times-Gazette by callers southwest of the square is the typical smell which emanates from the sewage treatment plant during the heat -- and that SPWSS has both short-term and long-term plans for addressing it...

Drought hits farms but not city water supply (05/21/07)
While the dry weather has caused much concern for area farmers, it hasn't impacted the local water supply, at least, not yet. David Crowell, general manager of the Shelbyville Power, Water & Sewerage System says while the Duck River is down and Normandy Lake is several feet below its summer pool, the water supply for Shelbyville is fine...

Cedar Ridge expansion approved (04/24/07)
LEWISBURG -- Cedar Ridge Landfill in Marshall County may eventually get to use an 11-acre section of its repository for solid waste because of an 11-7 vote Monday night by county commissioners here. The planned expansion adds enough room for about eight years of trash deliveries, instead of about 2-1/2 years, according to officials with Waste Management Inc. who say they're pleased to be able to continue their "partnership" with the county...

Relax: City water's safe, report says (04/20/07)
Shelbyville residents have received notices from their utility company this week stating that their drinking water is safe. The 2007 Shelbyville Water Quality Report states that the drinking water taken from the Duck River meets all federal Environment Protection Agency [EPA] health standards...

AT&T wants to bypass local franchising (04/16/07)
LEWISBURG -- Competition for cable TV customers lowered rates elsewhere and a state senator is sponsoring legislation to create statewide franchising for companies delivering TV channels through wires, he said Friday night. "This bill just passed in Georgia, and in other states we've seen, on average, a reduction of $25 a month" in cable bills, Sen. ...

Industries dragging feet on recycling report (04/13/07)
The county's report on recycling to the state will not be as robust as in previous years, according to Gay Ervin, who handles the county's recycling program. Last month, Ervin noted that only about half of the county's industries had responded to her request for recycling numbers to turn into the state. She told the Solid Waste Authority Thursday that not all industries had reported in with recycling numbers as they had in previous years...

Bell Buckle residents must pay for sewer repairs (04/11/07)
About half the residents of Bell Buckle will soon be receiving letters from the town requesting that leaks in their sewer service line be repaired. The town recently conducted smoke testing on the sewer line around Bell Buckle and, according to water manager Ronnie Lokey, 84 of some 160 households in the community were found to have leaks in their service lines...

Cable TV bill takes legislative spotlight (04/09/07)
State Rep. Curt Cobb is holding a hearing today in Nashville on what's been dubbed the AT&T bill to create statewide franchises for cable TV companies instead of having them licensed by cities and counties. Shelbyville city council members, like those representing them through the Tennessee Municipal League, oppose statewide franchising of cable TV because there was no requirement to provide service to government buildings like schools. ...

Household Hazardous Waste event April 14 (04/05/07)
If you've got a garage full of stuff you can't get rid of by throwing in the trash, then mark Saturday, April 14, on your calendar. That's when the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservations mobile household hazardous waste (HHW) collection service will be arriving in Bedford County. The event will be at Big Springs parking lot in Shelbyville from 8 a.m. until noon...

BCUD, lawyer spar over water use (03/28/07)
Attempts are continuing to settle a criminal charge brought against a Bedford County man who was accused in 2005 of stealing water from Bedford County Utility District. Charged in December 2005 is Sam France Minner, 65, of Warner Bridge Road who was accused by BCUD Operations Manager Willie West of having cut a lock off a meter and turning water service back on two years ago this month...

Wartrace to seek water grant (03/16/07)
Wartrace's Board of Mayor and Aldermen has approved applying for a Community Development Block Grant [CDBG] for a water rehabilitation project. The total project cost is estimated to be $330,000, with a grant amount totaling $280,500. The required matching contributions of $49,500, or 15 percent, would be provided by Wartrace...

Bid accepted for roll-off truck (03/10/07)
Bedford County's Solid Waste Authority accepted a bid Thursday for a roll-off truck for the department. The bid from Cumberland International was accepted for a cost of $104,491, but is subject to availability. If the desired model is not available, then a similar model can be obtained for $2,000 more...

Developers want access to city water (03/09/07)
A couple of developers and a farmer who wants to sell land for subdivisions left the Bedford County Utility District meeting Thursday night saying they'd been put between the city utility and the utility district in situations similar to one that's been festering since last summer...

Council opposes AT&T proposal (03/09/07)
Shelbyville's city council passed a resolution stating its opposition to an upcoming state bill concerning cable television franchising rights and possible competition in the area. AT&T, formerly known as BellSouth, wants to change Tennessee state law to permit companies "willing to compete with the monopoly cable TV providers" to get a statewide franchise to provide cable services themselves...

To bee or not to bee in tree (03/08/07)
It's rare when the Shelbyville Public Works Department generates a buzz in town, but that just what department employees were doing Wednesday, with help from local beekeepers who were called in to help move a massive beehive. City workers used heavy equipment to bring down a rotting tree behind a home on Michael Lane. The tree was causing a drainage problem, but another issue cropped up when it was discovered that an enormous colony of bees has taken up housekeeping inside the tree...

Growth potential apparent to BCUD (03/07/07)
With nearly 120 new home water taps sought from the Bedford County Utility District Board that meets Thursday night, the system's manager says he knows more requests are on the was because of action by Shelbyville officials. "It's just a sign that there's growth potential out there," BCUD General Manager Marty Davis said Tuesday while discussing the items to be considered at the utility board's meeting set to begin at 7 p.m. in its offices on Bethany Lane...

SPWSS approves customer records policy (02/28/07)
A new policy on the release of public records was adopted on Tuesday by directors of city utilities here. To find people who owe him money, a local businessman has sought their addresses from the Shelbyville Power, Water & Sewerage System, according to discussion among members of the utilities' board...

Top DRA leaders reflect (02/26/07)
As new appointees to the Duck River Agency board are anticipated next month, two of the agency's long-time directors reflect on several old ideas that have been considered by agency leaders, although action on them may be closer with new leadership...

Wartrace seeks water grant (02/21/07)
Wartrace has applied for Community Development Block Grant funds in cooperation with Bedford County to assist in extending water lines. The total project cost is estimated to be $308,642, with a grant amount totaling $250,000. The required matching contributions of $58,642 would be provided by Wartrace...

Lack of quorum delays DRA decisions (02/20/07)
The Duck River Agency, which has more than $10 million collected from water utilities in this and four other counties, has three openings on its board of directors that hasn't been able to hold its quarterly meeting because there was no quorum. A Columbia banker sought advice on what to do about a discrepancy between documents on how the $10 million can be invested to generate more money for water projects. ...

What to do with $10.5 million (02/15/07)
Directors of the Duck River Agency headquartered here are to consider a conflict tonight on how they can invest $10.5 million. The agency created to protect water quality and supplies in the Duck River's five-county watershed receives money from water utilities in the area and is to spend it for the improvement of those supplies...

BCUD negotiations stalled again (02/12/07)
Subdivision developers will have to assure adequate water pressure for fire hydrants in new neighborhoods built in Shelbyville where water service is to be from Bedford County Utility District. That's the consensus of the rural water board commissioners when reacting to new subdivision regulations in the city, rules that start as talks stalled on how the city might acquire some of BCUD's service area along U.S. 41A...

BCUD to discuss 41-A water service (02/07/07)
Negotiations on how the rural water district might relinquish some of its service area to the city utility have taken a couple of steps forward, but they stubbed their toe on the most recent issue. Bedford Utility District General Manager Marty Davis is to provide details to his board of commissioners Thursday night at 7 when the extension of water mains along three rural roads will also be discussed...

Bell Buckle planners call for resolution to go (01/19/07)
Bell Buckle's planning commission recommended that a controversial water resolution be rescinded due to several "technical issues" that had arisen. The commission also asked that after rescinding the move that the topic come back to them for more study...

BCUD to read meters the high-tech way (01/15/07)
New gas and water meters in the Bedford County Utility District will be read by a computer receiving a radio signal from the meters. On Thursday, BCUD commissioners approved plans to have meter readers do so while seated in a vehicle. Therefore, radio signaled meters will allow a "drive by reading," BCUD General Manager Marty Davis said...

Support evaporates for water extension (01/11/07)
A pipeline extension to provide water at new homes on the border between Bedford and Rutherford counties won't be built, according to one of the people who wanted service from Bedford County Utility District. Interest has apparently evaporated among those who could have banded together for a pipe estimated at 1,600 feet, but at a trenching cost of $10 a foot, it's too expensive for one household, Clarence Nelson said Tuesday...

Taps can be added in Bell Buckle (01/10/07)
A water moratorium was lifted by Bell Buckle's town council Tuesday and changes were made to a resolution passed last month that restricts taps to persons living outside that community's city limits. Several landowners from outside the town's corporate limits took issue with the move, which they claim is taking away their rights to do what they want to with their property...

DREMC will stay with TVA; withdraws notice (01/09/07)
Duck River Electric Membership Corporation has decided to stay with the Tennessee Valley Authority as its power supplier and has withdrawn the notice, issued in August 2003, that it was leaving the TVA system. DREMC announced the decision in a news release Monday afternoon...

BCUD strikes gas deal (12/28/06)
Bedford County Utility District officials say the utility's natural gas customers will save several dollars annually for 20 years because of a deal struck last week for the purchase of fuel at a below market price. BCUD General Manager Marty Davis explained the contract Wednesday morning, acknowledging, "The effect on our gas customers won't be too much, but every little bit helps."...

BCUD wants new agreement with Bell Buckle (12/18/06)
With conversation described as confusing by some commissioners, the Bedford County Utility District Board last week voted 4-1 to have a new water sale contract with Bell Buckle. Despite their debate over when the pending contract, as submitted by the town, might be renewed and/or altered, the commissioners' discussion indicates that they want to negotiate a different price for water sold to Bell Buckle...

BCUD tells contractor to proceed (12/15/06)
Bedford County Utility District commissioners on Thursday told a Wartrace contractor to proceed on a $249,000 pipeline so water may be extended to nearly 100 people living west of Shelbyville. A pre-construction conference with the low bidder, Hawkins & Price Construction of Wartrace, will be conducted shortly after the first of the year, according to Buddy Koonce, BCUD's consulting engineer...

Cave water may supply Chapel Hill (12/14/06)
CHAPEL HILL -- Water from a cave has been found to be just right, thank you, for Jack Daniel's, George Dickel's and Granny Fish's products and now it's to be so for this north Marshall County town. Testing of a system to draw water from a cave was anticipated late this week by Town Administrator Mike Hatten who recently conducted a tour at what's been known as the Mary Fort Cave on property purchased by the town for about $32,000...

Bell Buckle water system can handle growth (12/14/06)
Bell Buckle's water system appears to be in good shape and can handle demands in the future, according to a capacity analysis done for the small town. According to environmental engineer Jim Patterson, much of their water system can serve "reasonable growth within the system without sacrificing the quality of service being provided," and that there are only certain areas that would require upgrades, limited primarily to line size...

Chapel Hill agrees on sewer extension (12/13/06)
CHAPEL HILL -- Agreements were approved Monday by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen with a Unionville contractor and a Lewisburg Realtor in connection with the town's extension of a sewer main into recently-annexed areas. The agreements are another indication of continued growth at the north Marshall County town where on Monday night another developer, David Jent, spoke with the town board about progress at the second phase of his Stony Brook subdivision...

Siren will warn of chlorine leak (12/08/06)
A new siren on Eagle Boulevard will notify surrounding facilities -- including several schools -- in the event of a chlorine leak from Aleris, the aluminum recycling plant just north of Central High School. The new siren will be tested each Wednesday at noon beginning next week, according to Scott Johnson of Bedford County Emergency Management Agency. This particular siren will be used only in case of a hazardous materials leak, not for weather or any other type of emergency...

Dickens elected, Head re-elected at BCUD (12/04/06)
Bedford County Utility District customers handed a decisive victory to a candidate elected to the Board of Commissioners on Saturday. David Dickens, 41, of U.S. 231 North received 84 votes to succeed Marty Davis who resigned in September to be the utility's general manager. Dickens won over Donald Taylor, 70, of Airport Road, who received 20 votes...

Two seek BCUD seats (12/01/06)
Two cattlemen are running for the open seat on the Bedford County Utility District's Board of Commissioners in an election with voting during 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. David Dickens, 41, of U.S. 231 North, and Donald Taylor, 70, of Airport Road are the candidates for the seat left open when Marty Davis resigned to accept his new job as general manager of BCUD...

DRA hires bank to manage account (11/30/06)
The Duck River Agency's Finance Committee has voted to hire a bank in Columbia to manage nearly $10.5 million so the account will grow faster than where it's been, securities held by the state treasury. First Farmers & Merchants Bank was one of eight banks asked to respond to a request for proposals on how they would manage the money that's largely from a fee paid by water utilities in the Duck River watershed...

Wartrace seeks water grant (11/14/06)
Wartrace will apply for a Community Development Block Grant [CDBG] to make further improvements to their water system. Mayor Don Gallagher said that the grant request would be for an additional pump at the spring which feeds the system and to purchase a generator in case of a power failure...

BCUD land vote will be delayed (11/14/06)
Bedford County Utility District commissioners have decided to suspend decisions on how to release some of their water service area until after a new commissioner is elected. The consensus was reached last week as BCUD General Manager Marty Davis reported results of his discussions with David Crowell, general manager of Shelbyville Power, Water and Wastewater Service...

BCUD approves contract for new lines (11/13/06)
Bedford County Utility District has approved a quarter million dollar contract to extend water service to a couple dozen households several miles west of Shelbyville. "Getting water service will just be a wonderful thing," said Kim Neeley, a member of the Mt. Lebanon Methodist Church. "The church has been there since the mid-1800s and its well has gone bad."...

Landfill minutes sought by SWA member (11/13/06)
A member of the Bedford County Solid Waste Authority wants to know what happened to the minutes of a hearing held by the state over a leak at the Quail Hollow Landfill nearly three years ago. Bill Lewis, the newest member of the Authority and who lives near the landfill, has requested information about what was done by the state regarding the case...

TVA gives DREMC a chance to return (11/06/06)
Tennessee Valley Authority is offering Duck River Electric Membership Corp. a chance to take back its notice that it is cancelling its contract with TVA, but DREMC general manager Jim Allison says the offer isn't really anything new and doesn't address the concerns that caused DREMC to give notice in the first place...

Two will compete for BCUD seat (11/04/06)
Two men were nominated Saturday to succeed a former Bedford County Utility District commissioner who was hired as general manager. David Dickens of U.S. 231 North was nominated by his wife, Denise, and Donald R. Taylor of Airport Road was nominated by John Davis during the utility's nominating convention at Bedford County Courthouse...

Atmos must reduce rates (11/03/06)
NASHVILLE -- Tennessee Regulatory Authority (TRA) directors ruled Thursday that Texas-based Atmos Energy Corp. must reduce its rates by $6.07 million for about 123,000 natural gas customers across Tennessee. The ruling translates into an average annual savings of $20...

Arson investigators receive tips (11/01/06)
Volunteer Fire Services Inc. has received about a dozen calls with information to help investigate the seven fires in north Bedford County. Those dozen callers have, for example, told VFSI "about seeing some things that didn't seem to look right on the day before," Fire Chief Mark Thomas said this morning when asked about progress on the investigation into fires set on farms in an area northwest of Deason and west of U.S. 231...

Nominations taken for BCUD board seats (11/01/06)
Nominations will be accepted Saturday morning in the Bedford County Courthouse for candidates who want to serve on the Board of Commissioners of the Bedford County Utility District. Two positions are to be filled a month later by votes cast by customers of the rural water and natural gas utility with headquarters on Bethany Lane. One position has a four-year term of office. The other's term is for a year...

State-chartered banks can get DRA investment contract (10/30/06)
CHAPEL HILL -- Banks chartered by the State of Tennessee have been found to be eligible to land a $10.4 million investment contract with the Duck River Agency which has offices in Shelbyville. DRA Finance Director Jill Garrett was credited Thursday night during the agency's quarterly board meeting with discovering a discrepancy in the pending investment contract that could be misinterpreted as limiting the agency's investment to federally-chartered banks...

City, BCUD hit snag in negotiations (10/30/06)
A sticking point has been revealed in negotiations between two local water utilities that are talking about moving the border between their service districts. Bedford County Utility District wants Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System to pay an amount for customers it gets from BCUD based on gross revenue...

Fiber optic lines affect sewer placement (10/23/06)
CHAPEL HILL -- Installation of fiber optic lines on the east side of Horton Highway through town aggravated property owners so much that it's influenced a recommendation on where a sewer might be installed. That's Town Administrator Mike Hatten's conclusion after consulting with residents last week as directed by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen during the October meeting when the board told him to find out what the residents prefer...

BCUD adds projects as county grows (10/21/06)
As construction of another water line was to start last week, weather permitting, directors of Bedford County Utility District struck a deal with a property owner to share the cost of installing another pipe. And so it goes for the rural water and natural gas utility as it grows one project at a time with this county's growth spurt, according to BCUD General Manager Marty Davis who's now in his second month as manager, instead of one of the directors...

DRA may hear investment advice (10/20/06)
A recommendation on where to invest $10.4 million might be heard next week by the directors of a state-chartered agency created to maintain and develop water quality and supply in a five-county area. That's according to Duck River Agency Executive Director Doug Murphy and DRA Finance Director Jill Garrett, whose offices are on East Depot Street where they explain that for the recommendation to occur a couple of things must happen...

Gas prices could fall (10/18/06)
Natural gas customers of Bedford County Utility District may notice a 30 percent reduction in their fuel bills because market prices are down and the rural utility is part of a group purchase for long-term supplies. "Now, natural gas prices are ... 30-40 percent under what they were last year for the winter months," BCUD General Manager Marty Davis said Monday while reporting the biggest reason his customers will realize some savings...

Bell Buckle narrowly missed block grant (10/12/06)
Bell Buckle was just two steps away from receiving a much needed Community Development Block Grant [CDBG] to help pay for repairs to the sewer system, the town board learned Tuesday. The small town was number 18 on the list and the cut off point was at number 16. Shelbyville was number 15 and received $450,000 while Bell Buckle had requested $377,000 for the state mandated upgrade to the sewer system...

Bell Buckle to study water capacity (10/06/06)
A map of the Bell Buckle water system is to be drawn up as the town's council sat down for a special meeting Thursday to discuss a water system analysis. Last month, Bell Buckle imposed a 120 day moratorium on water taps for persons outside the city limits so that the analysis can be completed...

Duck River Agency weighs financial options (10/05/06)
More information is being gathered by the Duck River Agency before its finance committee will recommend where more than $10 million should be invested, the agency's executive director said Wednesday. Finance committee members met Tuesday night at the agency's offices on East Depot Street as they continued to review the proposals on investment from eight banks and similar financial institutions, DRA Executive Director Doug Murphy said...

Bell Buckle turned down for sewer grant (09/30/06)
Once again, the town of Bell Buckle will not be getting a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to fund a state-mandated upgrade to their sewer system. The town learned of the rejection Wednesday in a letter from Philip Trauernicht, director of the Department of Economic and Community Development...

Sewer upgrade financed by state grant (09/29/06)
A $450,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) was recently approved to assist in improvements to the sewer system in Shelbyville. The grant was approved by Gov. Phil Bredesen and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matthew Kisber. David Crowell, director of Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewer, said the money will go toward an upgrade of a major drainage basin running from Fairfield Pike to Madison Street by the Arby's restaurant...

RiverFest will be held Tuesday (09/27/06)
Fifth grade students from around Bedford County will gather at The Fly Arts Center for the Duck River Watershed Committee's second RiverFest next Tuesday. The Watershed Committee was created last year by the City of Shelbyville, and has set out to educate all the people of Bedford County, specifically through the board of education to youth on the importance of the Duck River to the county and to all the watersheds running into the river...

Electric bills may fall slightly (09/26/06)
An estimated $4.27 reduction in electric bills will be realized next month because of decisions made by TVA and local utilities, according to spokesmen for the utilities. The estimate is from Duck River Electric Membership Corp. and applies to what that utility's membership services director, Charlie McDonald, says is the average single family home in the service area...

BCUD to talk with Shelbyville, Bell Buckle (09/15/06)
Negotiations were authorized Thursday by Bedford County Utility District commissioners on two basic issues of water service: the price paid by Bell Buckle; and the water district's boundary at Shelbyville. Newly-appointed General Manager Marty Davis now has the assignment to discuss the issues with officials of the two municipalities and results of those conversations will probably result in a work session for BCUD commissioners...

Davis chosen as BCUD's new manager (09/15/06)
Bedford County Utility District commissioners on Thursday promoted their interim general manager, who's the rural water and gas co-op's immediate past chairman, to continue his duties on a permanent basis as general manager. And because newly-appointed General Manager Marty Davis had to submit his resignation from the elected board of utility commissioners, Chairman Kennon Threet will be issuing an election announcement for two open seats on the board...

Bell Buckle defers water taps due to study (09/14/06)
Bell Buckle imposed a 120 day moratorium on water taps for persons outside that town's city limits so that a water analysis can be completed. Last month, two requests for water taps were deferred for so the board could look at capacity and supply with the town's water system. Water manager Ronnie Lokey had said there had been a big demand on the system this summer and some residents had complained about low pressure...

Chapel Hill drops fees for right-of-way (09/12/06)
CHAPEL HILL -- An agreement to waive special assessment fees for a sewer extension in exchange for the utility's right of way was struck by the town board on Monday as it's delivering on a promise to residents annexed several years ago. "We're making progress toward moving ahead with our plans to put sewer to the north," Alderwoman Kris Holton said of the agreement between the town and two property owners, Todd Warner and Ron Lampley, both of whom own land on the east side of U.S. 31-A...

BCUD will interview manager candidate (09/06/06)
The Bedford County Utility District's Personnel Committee voted on Thursday to interview at least one of five applicants this week for the position of general manager. Interim General Manager Marty Davis is one of the five applicants. On Friday, he said it was unclear when committeemen would interview their first choice, adding that they want to conduct the interview in private...

BCUD reviews manager applicants (08/31/06)
Bedford County Utility District directors are scheduled to review about half a dozen resumes tonight from applicants who want to become the rural water and natural gas service's next general manager. "The cutoff was at 4 p.m. Friday," Kennon Threet, chairman of the utility board, said of the deadline for applications as he confirmed the utility will have its personnel committee meet at 7 p.m. in BCUD offices on Bethany Lane...

Concrete slabs delay Madison Street project (08/29/06)
A state contract for repaving Madison Street next month will be cut into two parts, according to the contractor and state officials who've explained the work close to North Main Street is too complicated to be included with the longer section. "There is concrete under that section," Tennessee Department of Transportation Community Relations Officer B.J. ...

Wreck-prone road widened (08/28/06)
UNIONVILLE -- The road reconstruction project, including the replacement of storm water drainage pipes, is poetic justice for the president of Wright Paving Co. "There have been several wrecks here," Tommy Wright said Friday while his crew, men from B&W Excavating and employees of the Tennessee Department of Transportation worked on U.S. 41-A...

Area utilities to discuss service areas (08/24/06)
The urban growth boundary being drawn for Shelbyville will apparently be a topic of discussion between the city's utility and Bedford County Utility District as their governing panels discuss service areas. That's according to comments from members of the Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage System Board of Directors who met Tuesday night at their offices on South Main Street where the chairman announced a change in how the panels might reach agreement on who will sell water where...

Madison Street repaving postponed (08/15/06)
A state road contractor was scheduled to resurface Madison Street this month, several officials said Monday, but it's been postponed until after the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. "We didn't want any conflict with that," said Winston Gaffron, director of Region III for the Tennessee Department of Transportation, which awarded the resurfacing contract to Wright Paving Contractors...

Local utilities to hold summit meeting (08/11/06)
Bedford County Utility District Commissioners on Thursday accepted a suggestion from two Shelbyville utility emissaries who said their panels ought to get together to deal with differences in their abilities to serve customers where their service areas meet...

City water deal goes to BCUD (08/08/06)
A proposal on what Shelbyville's water system would pay for expanding its service area into that of Bedford County Utility District has been formulated and will be presented Thursday night to the rural water and gas utility. "We've got a pretty good offer that we're going to make," said Johnny Donegan, one of two members of the Board of Directors of the Shelbyville Power, Water & Sewerage System who agreed to serve as a delegation to BCUD's board...

New DRA exec favors caution with escrow fund (07/31/06)
As a five-county panel is about to regain control of what might be seen as a $10.29 million endowment from water customers in the Duck River watershed, the agency's new executive director is advocating caution. "I look at this as a diamond in the rough," says Doug Murphy who's coming from Guntersville, Ala., to start his new job as executive director of the Duck River Agency on Tuesday. "We need to be careful about how we cut it and shape it and take care of it."...

BCUD view on water deal sought (07/28/06)
Two members of Shelbyville's utility board are going to the next meeting of the rural water district based here to officially find out what that panel's position is on a property owner's preference for city water. D.E. "Ed" Crowell of Jackson, his wife and father own 126 acres just north of the city line at Unionville Highway and they'd like to annex the land for sewer service. ...

Bell Buckle adjusts tax rate for growth (07/14/06)
Bell Buckle lowered its tax rate on first reading by eight cents to 21 cents, following action likely to be taken by the county in the same regard. Last week, Property Assessor Ronda Clanton stated that the county's property tax base had grown by more than $532 million. As a result, commissioners might adopt a property tax rate this summer that's lower than the current rate of $2.77 per $100 of assessed value...

Bell Buckle has one year to fix ailing sewer system (06/16/06)
The clock is now ticking for Bell Buckle to correct problems with its sewer system. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation [TDEC] informed environmental engineer Jim Patterson that it had accepted Bell Buckle's Corrective Action Plan [CAP] for the ailing system...

Bell Buckle disputes water test results (06/15/06)
Bell Buckle is disputing some of the results of a recent sanitary survey of its water system, which has resulted in a notice of violation from the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation [TDEC]. The survey was conducted on May 18 and the town received a score of 82 out of 100, putting the system in the "Provisionally Approved" category. Water manager Ronnie Lokey said the town got a score of 89 two years ago...

DRA money might help BCUD (06/14/06)
A couple of stories arose on my news beats within a week of each other and they raise some questions that need to be asked. Both are probably more complicated than they seem, but when viewed together, it would appear that one is the solution to the other...

Infested water forces move (06/13/06)
LONGVIEW -- Public water service couldn't come soon enough for a man living in this north Bedford County community when he realized his well water was infested with insects that threatened to infect his colostomy. Jimmy Flippo, 50, of Trott Road moved in with Mary Ann Dillon, 56, of Pepper Hill Road after they saw "black worm-looking things" in the water. She poured some of them into a jar, screwed on the cap and they grew into bugs with wings...

Duck River Agency seeks to invest $10 million (06/13/06)
Approximately $10 million will be available for investment next month at a rate of return that's greater than what the State of Tennessee can earn for the Duck River Agency, according to officials with that organization with headquarters here. It's because of legislation enacted by the state Legislature after an omission was discovered in the law that created what's officially known as the Tennessee Duck River Development Agency that's led by a five-county, 17-member panel created in conjunction with the construction of Normandy Dam.. ...

Solid Waste lawsuits may be settled (06/13/06)
Settlements totaling nearly a half million dollars may be made in a long standing lawsuit against the county, members of the solid waste authority learned last Thursday. Laidlaw and Batesville Casket were the last two plaintiffs in the case and the matter will have to go before the full county commission for approval. The final settlement to the companies total $482,000, which would go to the two firms if given the green light by the commission...

Retiring Duck River Agency exec looks ahead (06/12/06)
Larry Murdock is busier now that he's retired. It's really just another change in the kind of work he's been doing. "It's all attitude," Murdock said last week during a long conversation about his life and work. Now, his work has the reward of grandchildren visiting and relatives ready to ride horses that, as he puts it, "need riding."...

Replacing power lines without disrupting power (06/07/06)
It happens about once a year and it's been happening this week on three roads in Shelbyville. Old power lines are being replaced with bigger wires to meet the increasing demand for electricity. Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage General Manager David Crowell explained the colorful ropes being strung by a contractor Tuesday from one utility pole to another on Union Street...

Grant to extend BCUD water lines (06/06/06)
Armed with complaints of failing pumps, dirty well water with "black worm-looking things in it," and no water about 225 days a year, Bedford County officials have a federal grant of $340,000 to try to bring water to people who have been requesting it...

Taps approved for scaled-down development (05/19/06)
Bell Buckle's planning commission gave a favorable recommendation Thursday for a water tap request for a possible development that has been scaled down. Adam Hensley of Bob Parks Realty had originally asked for 10 to 15 water taps for a piece of property on Highway 82...

Meredith not retained as BCUD manager (05/19/06)
Bedford County Utility District commissioners on Thursday unanimously voted against keeping the rural water and gas systems' general manager beyond his probationary period. Shortly after the vote last night, Don Meredith, who came to the Shelbyville-based system after having served as Hohenwald's utilities superintendent for about 2 1/2 years, handed his work keys to BCUD President Marty Davis...

It's time again to dump hazardous household waste (05/17/06)
The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's mobile household hazardous waste (HHW) collection service will be in Bedford County on Saturday. The event will take place at the Big Springs Shopping Center in Shelbyville from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m...

Residents, developers want BCUD water (05/15/06)
A continuing parade of Bedford County property owners requesting water service faced the Bedford County Utility District's Board of Directors on Thursday when several substantiated the trend of growth between Shelbyville and Murfreesboro. Most of the requests came from residents who were told they must wait until the rural water utility's budget was set to start July 1. ...

Atmos denies overpricing (04/26/06)
Members of the Tennessee Gas Association were learning how to operate more efficiently Monday when a state research group announced that the biggest private natural gas company in the state has earned too much profit. Atmos Energy Public Affairs Director Denise Manning on Tuesday replied to the Tennessee Regulatory Authority staff allegations by saying, "No. We are charging exactly what the TRA authorized us to charge and we have not increased our rates in 10 years."...

Bell Buckle planners approve tap requests (04/24/06)
Bell Buckle's planning commission made several recommendations concerning a water tap request and a site permit for Webb School. Adam Hensley of Bob Parks Reality made a request for 10 to 15 water taps for a piece of property on Highway 82. The taps would tie into the existing line and would not be affected by a moratorium placed on extending water lines by the town...

Refinancing may benefit BCUD (04/19/06)
Bedford County Utility District is poised ready to refinance about $8 million of debt this week and it could make $1.6 million available to the rural water service. Almost a third of that could become available as soon as the deal is consummated, according to the district's financial adviser, Rick Dulaney of Morgan Keegan & Co., a regional investment firm...

Rural residents want water (04/17/06)
A couple dozen people were asking for water service at last week's meeting of the Bedford County Utility District Board of Commissioners. Some were told their requests would be considered next year while others, like that of the Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church in Wheel, were given some priority...

Wartrace gets water, sewer funding (04/15/06)
The town of Wartrace is being provided with an additional $400,000 in federal funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to upgrade its water and sewer systems, according to an announcement from U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon. The Rural Development funds will be used to cover a cost overrun on the water and sewer project that was started in 2004. The funds include a loan of $300,000 and a grant of $100,000...

Creeks, river segment called 'impaired' (04/07/06)
A number of creeks in Bedford County and several miles of the Duck River are on a list of impaired waters released this week by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation [TDEC]. TDEC released two water quality assessment reports; the 2006 305(b) Report: The Status of Water Quality in Tennessee, which assesses the quality of the state's lakes, streams and wetlands, and the 2006 303(d) List, a compilation of the impaired waters in Tennessee...

Budget issue may affect bill-paying program (04/05/06)
President Bush has authorized increased funding for low income household power bills, but Congressman Bart Gordon says the money is from next year's budget, thereby threatening the program next winter. About 550 households in Bedford County have had energy bills paid through the Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The residents were qualified for help by the South Central Tennessee Human Resource Agency, headquartered in Fayetteville...

Airport awarded grant to replace hangar roof (04/05/06)
The Shelbyville Municipal Airport has received an Aeronautics Grant in the amount of $90,000 that will go toward replacing the roof on a hangar at that facility. The grant is a 50/50 split, according to airport manager Hank Williamson. The new roof will go onto a community hanger that houses 12 aircraft on one end and a jet in the other, he said...

Proper numbering can save lives (and newspapers) (03/31/06)
If your house were on fire, or if a loved one were in cardiac arrest, seconds could mean the difference between tragedy and survival. But emergency department heads say too many of those seconds are being wasted when addresses aren't clearly marked, especially (though not exclusively) in rural areas...

Tracy sponsors cable-related bill (03/21/06)
State Sen. Jim Tracy has introduced a bill in the state legislature that he says will protect consumers by promoting greater competition for cable television services -- but there are still issues to be worked out, and the bill may not get to a vote in the current legislative session...

Bell Buckle seeks sewer funding (03/15/06)
Finding a method of funding for a state mandated sewer rehabilitation project was one of the topics discussed by Bell Buckle's town council Tuesday night. The council approved asking the Tennessee Municipal League [TML] to draw up a reimbursement resolution which would enable the town to spend some of the taxpayers' money on the sewer project. If they need to borrow money through TML, then funds they had spent would be reimbursed under the loan program...

Wells run dry; potential customers ask BCUD for water (03/13/06)
Another delegation of Bedford County residents approached Bedford County Utility District commissioners late last week asking for water service and were told they'd be put on a list to be considered in the spring. In similar developments Thursday: The district's consulting engineer reported a $150,000 cost estimate to get water pipes close to residents near Wartrace where more people sought water service last month; and commissioners told their engineer to write bid specifications for a new water line in northwest Bedford County.. ...

State grant promotes recycling (03/13/06)
Promotional materials for an upcoming household hazardous waste event and transportation for an environmental awareness program for students are the items that a state recycling grant will help pay for, the Bedford County Solid Waste Authority decided Thursday...

Tree surgeons to begin work later this month (03/02/06)
Shelbyville residents will be visited this month by consultants hired by the city's electric service to discuss how a tree pruning business will be trimming limbs near power lines this year. Keeping tree limbs away from power lines helps assure continued electric service during ice storms by avoiding short circuits. Limbs near wires are to be pruned. Trees that are topped grow many new smaller branches. The utility is abandoning that practice...

Increase proposed in 9-1-1 tariff (02/16/06)
Bedford County Emergency Communications District (E-911) board is proposing an increase in the 9-1-1 tariff charged on land-line telephone bills, and hopes to use the proceeds to take some of the funding burden for its services off the county. The rate increase request was discussed during the board's regular monthly meeting Wednesday night...

Bell Buckle faces hard choices for sewer upgrade (02/16/06)
The time to make hard decisions regarding how to pay for a state mandated sewer upgrade is a topic Bell Buckle will have to face within the next few months. That's what the town council heard Tuesday from Jim Patterson, environmental engineer from St. John Engineering of Manchester, who has been assisting the small community with fixing its ailing wastewater system...

Solid waste grant accepted -- at lower amount (02/14/06)
The Bedford County Solid Waste Authority approved accepting a state recycling grant and the county's solid waste coordinator explained why the figure is much lower than reported last month. Coordinator Linda Gay Ervin told the authority about the miscommunication surrounding the nature of the rebate and that an amount of $600,000, not $500,000, was actually to be split between the 11 counties, leaving Bedford County with $19,824...

Union Ridge residents want water line (02/11/06)
Two dozen people want Bedford County Utility District to extend water service to their homes, a request that comes after asking Wartrace for help since the mid-1980s. "Four granddaughters come to my house to take a shower," says Nickie Woods of Cleveland Road, south of Union Ridge Road and between Wartrace and the Coffee County line...

Union Ridge residents want water lines (02/11/06)
Two dozen people want Bedford County Utility District to extend water service to their homes, a request that comes after asking Wartrace for help since the mid-1980s. "Four granddaughters come to my house to take a shower," says Nickie Woods of Cleveland Road, south of Union Ridge Road and between Wartrace and the Coffee County line...

Careful use prevents transformer explosion (01/28/06)
An electric transformer explosion is being prevented by leaders of Shelbyville's public utility with deliberate steps for safety and continuity of power service. Early last year, high readings of combustible gas were found at one of the two city substations that draw electricity from the Tennessee Valley Authority's power grid, system manager David Crowell has reported...

City water and sewer rates may rise (01/26/06)
Extensive rain this week affected Normandy Dam operations and prompted a brief exchange between the chairman and manager of Shelbyville Power, Water and Sewerage that foreshadows spending up to $20 million and utility rate hikes. Doubling the capacity of the city's sewage treatment plant is to be funded with loans totaling $15-20 million from Tennessee's revolving loan program which now has rates lower than municipal bonds. Water and sewer rates will have to go up to pay off the debt...

Wartrace feels water leak's impact (01/21/06)
There was too much and not enough water for Wartrace area residents last week after heavy rains caused a water line crossing Garrison Creek to develop a leak, rendering it useless. As a result, the entire Wartrace water system was impacted, including some outages for customers near Bugscuffle Road and low pressure for others...

Bedford gets $440K in TVA funds (01/17/06)
Bedford County and its local governments recieved $440,410 in Tennessee Valley Authority tax equivalent payments in 2005, according to a TVA news release. Statewide, more than $218.2 million was paid by TVA. "TVA's tax equivalent payments benefit local communities that use the funds for schools, roads and other important programs and services," said TVA board chair Bill Baxter. ...

New Year's closings announced (12/29/05)
A variety of local agencies and offices will close this weekend for the New Year's holiday. Here are some schedules of broad interest: Bedford County Courthouse and courthouse annex offices will close Saturday (where applicable) and Monday....

Water theft claim disputed (12/16/05)
A Warner Bridge Road resident has been accused of stealing water from Bedford County Utility District, so his water service was cut off, but the man says he believes the offense may have been committed by a tenant. The case against Sam France Minner, 64, was called Wednesday in Bedford County General Sessions Court by Judge Charles Rich who continued the matter until Feb. 1, according to Haley Fults, a public defender assigned to Minner's case...

BCUD water sales subsidize gas service (12/12/05)
As Bedford County Utility District officials are trying to increase natural gas sales, the utility's water sales have been helping fund gas services. How much the water service has been helping the fuel system is revealed by BCUD's annual audit, a report released late last week after the utility's regular monthly meeting...

Jones elected to BCUD board (12/05/05)
Two out of every three customers of the Bedford County Utility District voting Saturday elected an AEDC contractor's employee as their new utility commissioner. John Jones, 57, of Normandy Road was elected with 94 votes to succeed Commissioner Julian Troupe, 86, who decided against seeking re-election after serving water customers for 35 years...

BCUD election Saturday (12/02/05)
Dozens, if not hundreds of Bedford County Utility District customers will be voting Saturday in the county courthouse as two men are candidates to succeed a utility commissioner who's served 35 years. Ron Hatmaker, 55, of U.S. Highway 41A South, and John Jones, 57, of Normandy Road, were nominated Nov. 5 to succeed BCUD Commissioner Julian Troupe who's announced his retirement. Troupe nominated Hatmaker...

Money meant for power pays for water, sewer (11/26/05)
A Shelbyville man has been getting his water and sewer bill paid through a federal program designed to help people pay their winter heating and summer cooling bills. And he wants that to stop, so David Crowell, general manager of Shelbyville Power, Water & Sewerage System, has re-examined the situation and has come to the conclusion that to satisfy a customer, the utility bill can be separated...

Gordon says heating bills could be crisis (11/26/05)
Higher heating fuel prices resulting from Hurricane Katrina's interruption of the petroleum supply could become a matter of life or death, U.S. Rep. Bart Gordon said recently. "The Department of Energy estimates that the cost of natural gas will go up 50-70 percent this winter, which will be a hardship on households even in the south," Gordon said late last week...

BCUD hires Meredith (11/23/05)
The Bedford County Utility District Board of Commissioners made it official on Tuesday afternoon with a unanimous vote to hire Hohenwald's utilities superintendent as the district's new general manager. Such a decision was foreshadowed last Thursday night when the BCUD Personnel Committee met and unanimously voted to recommend Don Meredith, 59, of Centerville who's been running Hohenwald's utilities for 2 1/2 years...

Potential BCUD manager likes area (11/21/05)
Hohenwald's utilities superintendent is being recommended by Bedford County Utility District's Personnel Committee to be the general manager of the system that provides natural gas and water service in rural Bedford County. Don Meredith, 59, of Centerville in Hickman County, is scheduled to meet with BCUD commissioners Tuesday afternoon for discussions that, given all accounts, would appear to be leading to his employment here and probable move to Bedford County...

Railroad grants include $200K for Bedford County (11/19/05)
Gov. Phil Bredesen announced Friday that the state will provide $12 million in short line railroad improvement grants to counties across Tennessee, including $153,479 for track improvements and $49,694 for bridge improvements in Bedford County. "The short line railroads make efficient rail freight service available to many Tennessee communities," said Bredesen in a news release. ...