Whitwell sewer extension approved

JASPER, Tenn. — A sewer project in Whitwell, Tenn., can move forward thanks to a sizable financial commitment from Marion County leaders.

At the April meeting of the Marion County Commission, County Mayor David Jackson said Whitwell was granted a $163,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant in 2014 to build a sewer line to the Valley View Industrial Park.

“At the time, the city of Whitwell is the one that applied for the grant,” he said. “Somewhere along the line, they found out that the sewer line actually belonged to the town of Jasper. So, the grant [was] moved to the town of Jasper.”

Jasper is in “good financial shape” in the areas where the grant is concerned, Jackson said, so the United States Department of Agriculture couldn’t award it the grant money.

After local and county leaders met with federal officials, the USDA agreed to supply $50,000 for the project.

With the grant money, a $21,000 commitment from Whitwell, $20,000 from a local business, $21,000 from Jasper, and $30,000 from the county, the project was still about $34,000 short of the funds needed for completion.

“To make this happen, we need 34,000 more dollars,” Jackson told the board. “We have over $2.2 million in an [county] infrastructure fund.”

Commissioner Don Adkins, who is the chairman of the board’s finance committee, said options were discussed at a recent committee meeting.

He said funding the sewer line would “open up” the property for future development.

About 30 acres at the industrial park would become available for “immediate use,” Adkins said, plus some additional vacant property in the area.

“It would be the recommendation from the finance committee to move forward with up to $34,000 grant money for funds to complete this project,” he said.

Commission Chairman Gene Hargis said Marion’s infrastructure fund was set up to fund projects like this around the county.

“That’s what that money is for,” he said.

The board voted unanimously to supply the remaining money to complete the sewer line extension.

Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryanlewis34@gmail.com.