Bristol Tennessee Strikes Deal To Supply Water To Blountville

BRISTOL, Tenn. – The city strengthened its ties with the Blountville Utility District on Tuesday by unanimously agreeing to double the capacity of water sold to the utility.

Already the city’s largest water customer, the utility will now buy exclusively from the city under a 10-year agreement with another 10-year option.

BUD had been buying about 22,000,000 gallons a month at an annual cost of about $680,000. That revenue helps the city pay for its water treatment plant and other operations.

During the past 12 months, the district has purchased a monthly average of 43,000,000 total gallons from all its suppliers.

"This means an increase of 15 percent to about 22 to 23 percent of all our water sold will go to them," said City Manger Jeff Broughton. "They do everything we do – maintain pipes and lines and provide service – but they do not have the ability to produce water."

The utility’s average cost for per 1,000 gallons has been $2.33. In the first 10-year agreement with the city, it will pay $1.50 per 1,000 gallons. That rate increases over time to $1.60 per 1,000 gallons.

Should BUD sign up for another 10 years, the rate would start at $1.60 per 1,000 gallons, and the city could add up to 1.5 percent to that cost each year until the agreement runs out.

The utility serves customers from Exide Drive in Bristol to Blountville and the Boone Lake area – about 5,200 customers overall.

"While we’re making these kinds of agreements, there are cities across the country going to court over contracts like this," said Councilwoman Margaret Feierabend. "I’m happy we have this relationship."

The City Council also adopted an ordinance Tuesday aimed at reducing pollutants in water discharged at development sites of one or more acres.

The Post-Construction Water Quality Management ordinance requires developers to show city staff they have measures in place to control polluted runoff. Improperly maintained systems could cost property owners from $50 to $5,000 each day.

While the city will monitor developers, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation will be keeping an eye on city officials to achieve a goal of removing 80 percent of "total suspended solids" from post-construction runoff. These solids are basically materials that do not pass though filters.

Officials hope the plan will help keep pollutants out of the Holston River watershed and the city’s primary tributary, Beaver Creek.

The City Council also passed a first reading to amend ordinances pertaining to the tethering of dogs. The changes are aimed at preventing dogs from suffering any unnecessary bodily injury.

"We looked at ordinances all across the country, and we came up with what we thought was a pretty fair compromise," said Jack Hyder, city attorney.

Under the proposed changes, it would be unlawful to tether a dog unless the tether weighs not more than one-eighth of dog’s weight; tether provides 12 feet of movement; tether is equipped with swivel device; a non-choke collar is used; access to food, water, shelter is provided; and dog remains on owner’s property unless consent is given by property owner upon which the tether extends.

The penalty for violating the any of the new codes would be a $50 fine.

In other business, the City Council:

• 
  Tabled a vote to award a $16,080 contract to Snyder Signs of Johnson City, to manufacture and install three city entrance signs that read: "Welcome to Bristol." Mayor David Shumaker and Councilwoman Feierabend objected to the vote when it was revealed the company would retain the copyright of the design – a checkered flag, a banjo and fiddle. Council members likely will take up the issue during their work session later this month.
  


• 
  Approved second reading of a rezoning ordinance for about one acre of land at the site of the former Sears Department store from Light Manufacturing District to Central Business District. The property currently is undeveloped, but a portion fronting State Street will house a new Macado’s Restaurant.
  


• 
  Authorized an application to the Tennessee Department of Transportation for a $250,000 Safe Routes to School Program grant. The money would be used for infrastructure improvements at the new Fairmount Elementary School and for bicycle and pedestrian safety education programs.
  

Tuesday’s meeting was the first to be broadcast live on the city’s Web site, bristoltn.org. Each regular meeting held the first Tuesday of each month can be seen live on the site. Live cable television broadcasts of City Council meetings are expected to begin in the spring on Channel 16.

ggray@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2512