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Wlaf1450
By Charlotte Underwood
LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- The LaFollette Utility Board approved one tree trimming bid, while tabling the vote on another at its Monday evening meeting.
The board approved tree trimming bids for the Alder Springs Expansion. According to LUB General Manager Regina Kennedy, the tree trimming is needed for “a little less than a mile.”
The utility received six bids, with the highest coming from Townsend Tree Company at $550,969. Midsouth Power was the lowest at $57,900 and was approved by the board. One bid, Darkhorse Companies was “rejected due to a conflict of interest.”
The board also discussed hourly tree trimming bids, which in the end, were postponed at the request of board member Laura Byrge who said she wanted “more time” to go over the bids.
The utility received bids from six companies, with Townsend Tree Company as the highest bidder at $300.07, while Baird Tree Company was the lowest bidder with $168.00.
The current rate the utility is paying is $211.67 hourly, so the low bid will save the utility money, according to LUB General Manager Regina Kennedy.
She also said that “either contract can be terminated early for cause if it is not done to the utility’s specifications.”
Byrge asked to postpone it to the next month to have time for more discussion on it.
In other business, the board approved an Asset Management Plan.
According to Kennedy, these plans are required by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation in order to receive American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.
“Fortunately, we received a grant for the water asset management plan, so it will cover the full cost of this plan, which is $151,970, but it still needs board approval,” Kennedy said, adding that “time was of the essence” as the plan need to be completed by September of 2026. The Utility will be responsible for paying for the Asset Management Plan for the Wastewater side. This will cost $52,300 for waste management Asset plan. LUB will be responsible for paying for this.
“We are required to do this to get the funding,” Kennedy said. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-02/25/2026-6AM)