Talks of what will be Bert Loupe Bridge began in 2018

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- In around 15 minutes, the LaFollette City Council completed all discussions and voting on this month’s agenda.

TOP PHOTO: WLAF’s Charlie Hutson shares a photo of preparation work that began with City of La Follette Public Works Crews in February for the new Bert Loupe Bridge.

The citizens of LaFollette voted to permit liquor stores in the city at the November 2024 election. Tuesday afternoon, Ordinance 2025-01 had a first reading. The ordinance amends Title 8 of the City of LaFollette Municipal Code by establishing liquor regulations and amending beer regulations. The liquor stores will follow some of the same regulations as the beer regulations. The city will have two liquor stores, one on the east end of LaFollette and one on the west end of LaFollette. The ordinance will have two readings.

The bid from Twin K Construction for the Dossett Road Bridge (Bert Loupe Bridge) in the amount of $4,098,583 was approved. The cost of the project is to be split 50/50 with the county. The bridge, to span a railroad track, replaces a bridge that collapsed in the 1970s, and it was never replaced until talks of replacing it began in 2018. The new bridge will once again connect Dossett Road with Memorial Drive and Tommy C. Stiner Airfield.

In police department business, two items were approved beginning with the hiring of Robert Cobb as a full-time patrolman effective March 8, 2025. Next was amending the LaFollette Police Department policy regarding grant funded overtime for traffic highway safety officers (THSO).

The recreation department had one item on the agenda, the hiring of Danny Benge as a full-time laborer effective March 8, 2025, was approved.

Two beer permits were approved for Weigel’s Store, Inc. 2403 and GPM Southeast LLC (Bread Box). (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-03/05/2025-6AM)

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