News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Fentress County Commission approved an agreement with the city of Jamestown to provide sewer for the future Roane State/TCAT campus.
County Attorney Leslie Ledbetter said Jamestown agreed to provide city sewer despite the fact that the property is just outside city limits. She said an adjoining property already has city sewer, and the extension would not be a huge cost burden.
“The only way this project goes forward and that we don’t have to return or tell the governor ‘Thanks no thanks, we certainly would love to sue your $25 million but…’ Is if there was sewer available,” Ledbetter said. “Because it is such a large scale that a normal septic, even on 30 acres, would never work.”
Ledbetter said the city of Jamestown has requested it is allowed to install as many feet of sewer and other construction as needed to serve the project. She said the plans are still to be determined, but this is something that is needed to continue the progress of the project.
“We have the city’s insurance coverage, we know their bond, they’ve provided this in many other projects, and they also know our requirements as far as road boring which is our primary concern,” Ledbetter said. “Ryan has signed off on this, the planning commission has signed off and voted on this.”
The commission also approved moving forward with the sale of the property to the state for $1. Ledbetter said that the county is currently in the property transfer phase.
“The county is not selling this either for market or above, it is our contribution to the project,” Ledbetter said. “And the state of Tennessee has funded I think $25 million in the governor’s budget for the permanent campus like I said for both TCAT and Roane State. I think the building itself is like $18 million, we have some preliminary drawings.”
