News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The City of Baxter hopes to receive grant funding to help serve the future Portobello facility.
Mayor John Martin said the city would use the money to build new infrastructure for the ceramic tile manufacturer.
“It’s for a new 12-inch waterline and the expansion of our sewer to Portobello,” Martin said. “Also, for upgrading some lines that we have to work on to service Portobello.”
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted to apply for an Appalachian Regional Commission Grant during last week’s meeting. The board also submitted an application for an Economic Community Development Grant.
Martin said both agencies should award the grants by the first of the year.
“Portobello is going to break ground in the spring, so we’re trying to get ahead of the curve,” Martin said. “We’re ready to go with that project if we get approval on it. We feel pretty secure on both of those (grants).”
“We’ve met with both agencies and we laid out everything that incurs, as far as with the water extension and the sewer,” Martin said. “Both agencies were excited about the Portobello project and being able to help us on that.”
Portobello will build its U.S. headquarters and a production facility at the old Tennessee Motor Speedway site.
