Though weather affected the attendance of the meeting, the Dunlap City Commission was in session Thursday, January 7.
The East Valley Water Project is set to continue, awaiting a final decision this month from the Sequatchie County Commission. County Executive Michael Hudson spoke to commissioners at the meeting concerning the joint effort to complete the project.
Hudson explained, if the city will spend their available funds to extend the water lines to the intersection of State Highway 111 and East Valley Road, the county will use their funds from a development grant to extend out toward the Bostontown community and on toward the county line.
Including about $86,000 spent by the city and county each to receive the development grants necessary, approximately $1.1 million will be spent on the project, noted Mayor Dwain Land.
The county executive said he had a verbal commitment from his commission in support of the project if the city would officially vote on beginning the joint effort.
The commission voted to pursue this route of construction and have the city and county attorneys create a Memorandum of Understanding to finalize the agreement.
In other business, Johnny Cordell, a local resident, spoke to commissioners concerning a troublesome residence located on Hilltop Drive. The location, explained Cordell, is in disarray and possibly in violation of zoning laws for the city.
“The problems began when the homeowners started a sawmill,” said Cordell. “They then began junkyard type operations.”
Cordell said, the homeowners in question have since ceased using the mill, but left the logs, which at this point are useless, on the property. Appliances still litter the front of the home, he added.
“This affects the property value of the whole neighborhood,” Cordell pointed out. “It’s no different than going to the bank and taking money out of my bank account.”
Cordell noted, actually there should not be any business in operation due to the residential zone the residence is located in.
Mayor Land said, he and another city employee spoke with the homeowner on several occasions before finally being “run off” of the property.
Additional discussion was tabled, due to homeowners in the neighborhood who planned to attend and speak were absent because of the icy roadways.
Richard Smith represented an undisclosed bank which owns property in the Industrial Park of Dunlap. He brought the commission’s attention to two tracts of land which will be up for sale soon. One piece of land is 3.88 acres, still unlisted, and the other is 4.47 acres, listed at $120,000.
Chief Clint Huth from the Dunlap Police Department reported his officers answered 271 calls for service during the month of December, resulting in 65 arrests and citations.
“December is usually a quiet month for us,” he said.
Assistant Chief Norman Hatfield from the Dunlap Volunteer Fire Department said, he and other volunteers responded to 22 emergency calls during December. Four of the calls were for structure fires, one for a vehicle fire, one alarm, one mutual aid call and 15 “other” calls. Hatfield said, the other calls mainly for downed trees in the road which required removal.
Water adjustments were approved for Shepherd of the Valley Catholic Church and Julia Keener. The church’s adjustment totaled $865.23 and Keener’s was $597.13. The adjustments were unanimously approved.
The next city commission meeting will be held Thursday, February 4 at 6:00 p.m. at Dunlap City Hall.
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