Help may be on the way for McKenzie in the form of a
CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) which could
provide up to $500,000 for sewer rehabilitation. In
other business, prompted by council members Darra
Adkins and Willie Huffman, the council approved
unanimously to set Halloween hours for Saturday,
October 30, from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. rather than the
actual date, which falls on Sunday.
Ken Thorne, director of regional planning, and grant
writer Doris Owens, both of the Northwest Tennessee
Development District through which the grant
application is processed, were on hand Thursday,
October 14 for a public hearing during the regular
meeting of the McKenzie Board of Mayor and Council.
The hearing was to give citizens an opportunity to
voice opinions on the type of application submitted,
which Owens stated could be water or sewer (i.e
facilities, repair or line extension), housing or
community liveability (fire trucks and the like.)
Although a handful of citizens were in attendance at
the meeting, only Larry Webb, a member of the Planning
Commission, spoke up, asking how intensive the project
would be if the city made application for assistance
with sewer rehabilitation. Winchester anticipated the
project might entail the relining of existing pipes
and increasing the dimension of pipes in some areas as
well as clearing out encroaching roots. He stated some
areas of the city experience overflows from
infiltrated sewer pipes during heavy rains.
Owens advised the city would hire the services of an
engineer to make final determination in how to proceed
with the project, and said the city's matching portion
was unknown until Monday following a workshop in which
particulars would be discussed.
With no dissenting opinions presented, it was agreed
to proceed with application for sewer repairs.
Owen advised 51% of the beneficiaries of the project
must meet low to moderate income guidelines,
necessitating a city-wide survey. Questionnaires had
been mailed to citizens of which 600 had been returned
as of Thursday.
She acknowledged some citizens would be hesitant to
complete the form, which requests information
regarding household income, but said it is not
necessary to submit exact income; rather, respondents
may check the box corresponding to the household's
interval of income. She further assured those present
that NWTDD employees, not city employees, would tally
the results. "We don't even know the people in
McKenzie," she said.
Citizens who do not respond to the mail survey will be
visited personally. Owens urged citizens to respond,
stating, "This is going to help the community."
FENCE BIDS
The McKenzie Recreation Park on Como Road received a
reprieve when council members approved the low bid of
Quality Fence in Milan to construct a safety fence
between the park and Shomaker Lumber Company. The
fence was dictated by the lumber company's insurance
company after a youth was injured while climbing on a
mulch pile. Because of the proximity of the lumber
company's property, a portion of which for years has
been maintained as part of the park grounds, the
council recently approved the cost of fence
construction in exchange for an acre of ground that
will create a buffer between the two properties.
The fence will cost $10,812.50, some $3,675 less
expensive than previous bids which were rejected by
the council September 9, when Allstar Fence and Supply
Co. in Paris bid the job at $13,675 and Weakley County
Fence Co. in Sharon bid $17,000.
In the second go round, Allstar upped its bid to
$14,475 while Weakley County Fence Company reiterated
its bid of $17,000. Other bidders were GLM Industries
of McKenzie with a bid of $13,980 and Volunteer Fence
Co. of Jackson with a bid of $12,765.
AIR PACK SPECS REAP SOLE BID
A local provider of fire fighting equipment became the
sole bidder for four air pack units with spare
cylinders solicited by the McKenzie Fire Department. G
& C Supply Co. in Atwood won the contract with a bid
of $11,500 while five other companies abstained from
bidding with most or all citing they were outside the
MSA territory assignment. MSA stands for Mine Safety
Appliances Company, which produces a variety of
products geared to many industries including
firefighting.
Tom Shaw, vice president of G & C Supply Company, on
Friday explained the bid requested the air packs be "MSA
or approved equivalent" and suggested the companies
simply chose not to explore other brands.
Concerning the designation of specific sales
territories, he stated that, since the equipment is a
personal protective device, "It's not something you
let any old Joe come in and sell." The company selling
the equipment must be certified in making repairs and
prepared to train firefighters in the use of the
equipment.
Adkins stated the Fire Department had hoped to procure
the equipment with grant monies, however, the
application had not been approved. Stating the
department desperately needed the equipment in order
to protect firefighters who, she said, "don't just
fight (fires) from the outside," Adkins requested
permission to purchase the units from the department's
$16,000 capital outlay budget. The purchase was
approved by unanimous consent of the council.
Also approved was the city's participation in the TML
Risk Management Pool "Safety Partners" Loss Control
Matching Grant program which, Winchester advised,
would reimburse one half the costs of employee safety
equipment. The city anticipates the purchase of six
safety vests for use by members of the Police
Department.
INDUSTRIAL ACCESS HIGHWAY PROPOSED
The council approved a resolution to make application
to the Tennessee Department of Transportation for
assistance in the construction of an industrial access
road that would run along the current paved area in
front of Republic Builders and continue around the
Three Star Co. next door, in order to ease traffic
going into the plant and employees who currently exit
the plant on Como Road. Winchester advised the city
would bear no cost for the project.
The resolution indicates the Industrial Highway Act of
1959 authorizes TDOT to contract with local
governments for the construction and maintenance of
industrial highways to provide access to industrial
areas and to facilitate the development and expansion
of industry within the state.
It further states the "subject companies are currently
in production with possible plans to expand in the
city of McKenzie" and that "an industrial access road
to serve the plant is necessary and vital to the
successful completion of this project and the future
economic well-being of this area."
In other matters the council:
Presented six resolutions to teams and individuals who
distinguished themselves in representing their schools
and the city of McKenzie in state and national
trapshooting competitions (see related article);
* Approved the payment of bills in the amount of
$92,419.07 including: Tennessee Asphalt Co.:
$62,736.28; Barker Brothers Waste Co.: $17,725.61;
Midway Materials (sidewalk project): $4,752.85;
Carroll County Electric Co. (ten metal poles for
Liberty Lane): $3,611.18; Tennessee Bureau of
Investigation (quarterly fee): $1, 730; McKenzie Lions
Club (Christmas parade): $1,000; and Office Products
Inc.: $863.15;
* Heard Councilmember Jerry Arthur report the paving
of Main Street and Forrest Avenue is complete and that
repairs to the drainage system behind Midway Materials
is nearly finished, evidenced by the fact that no
flooding occurred during recent rains; and,
* Heard Adkins question whether the city might take
supportive measures for members of the McKenzie
National Guard unit that had been rumored to be
pending orders for overseas duty. Among her
suggestions was the display of yellow ribbons.
"We're thankful to be able to lay down at night and
have that freedom and they're making it possible for
us to continue to have that freedom," she said.
Winchester advised the city was in communication with
the American Legion and VFW in planning events related
to any deployment of the troops.
Adkins also reported that the previous week was Fire
Prevention Week during which Chief Brian Tucker and
Assistant Chief Roger Christian spoke on fire safety
with McKenzie Elementary School children in grades
K-3. She said Tucker was recently honored as Region 4
Trainer of the Year. Region 4 covers most of West
Tennessee, she stated. The district employs over 40
instructors, said Tucker later. He advised Captain
Kathy Clark with the Carroll County Rescue Squad is
coordinator over training in the three-county area of
Region 4 which includes Carroll County. In addition to
Tucker, Christian and Marty Bullington are also local
trainers, serving all of Carroll County.
"We go where we're called," said Tucker, who said
their farthest site in which they have conducted
training is Covington.
