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By Charlotte Underwood
LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- Members of the LaFollette Utility Board (LUB) discussed waterline extension bids for phase one of the joint project on Monday evening at its November workshop. However, the bid numbers provided were for “information purposes only†and no action was taken on the bids yet as the board is still waiting on updates on SRF funding and approval.
Bids were not yet awarded as they have a 90-day hold on it, according to LUB General Manager Regina Kennedy, who said the utility board “did not want to muddy the water on it until the SRF funding is approved.â€
The phase one projects include 3,600 ft. on Norman Road, 4,600 ft. on Flat Hollow Road, 2,000 ft. on Flat Land Lane, 1,986 ft. on Arthur Circle, 3,100 ft. on Flatwoods Road, and 2,900 ft. on Bark Lane.
The county identified phase one priorities, and the commission approved it based on the recommendation of the water line committee earlier in the year.
The original agreement between LUB and the county was made in 2022 for 50-50 sharing in funding for the project at $3 million each; the additional $1.2 million dollars contributed by the county brought the total up to $7.2 million for phase one. Whatever is not spent on phase one, could roll over to phase two.
These ARPA funds which are coming from the Federal Government “need to be spent by September of 2026,” according to LUB Board member Jay Willoughby.
Engineering plans were submitted to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and approved. The plans were also approved by the State Revolving Fund, which now has to approve submitted bids before LUB can approve it.
In other business, the only action item approved during Monday’s LUB meeting, which took place immediately following the workshop, was a resolution authorizing the City of LaFollette Board of Public Utilities to participate in the Public Entity Partnership (PEP) Cyber Security Matching Grant program. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-11/26/2024-6AM)