BRISTOL, Tenn. – A lack of funding could delay or kill a long-prescribed downtown flood abatement program.
Mayors of both Bristols said Tuesday this might be the wrong time for the cities to commit substantial spending on a four-part, $6.4 million plan developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Their comments came at the conclusion of a 90-minute joint work session between the two councils, where no votes were taken.
During that meeting, Bristol Tennessee City Manager Jeff Broughton described details of a 2004 federal study that recommends four major steps to reduce the potential impact of flooding on the Twin City’s downtown area. But the project’s price tag – up from $4 million five years ago – proved problematic.
“This is a worthwhile project,” Bristol Virginia Mayor Jim Rector said. “But we don’t have the money and I don’t see how we’re going to have the money anytime soon, unless the council wants to borrow it. And I don’t see that happening.”
Project phases include opening up a portion of the Beaver Creek channel near the former Sears building on the Tennessee side, modifying the dam at Sugar Hollow Park in Virginia, widening the Beaver Creek channel near the former Regency Inn site in Tennessee and removing a bridge along Eighth Street in Tennessee.The proposed work is designed to reduce – not eliminate – the potential impact of major “10-year and 100-year flood events,” Broughton said.
The last major flood in downtown Bristol occurred in October 1977, when Beaver Creek was 4.2 feet out of its banks at Moore Street – causing about $3 million damage on the Virginia side of State Street, Broughton said. Tennessee damage estimates were unavailable.
Under the plan, the federal government would pay for 65 percent of the costs, with the cities responsible for the balance.
About five years ago, both councils mutually agreed to split those costs evenly.
The corps has about $1.84 million in its current budget to complete the first phase, which includes work near the former Sears building and engineering changes at the dam, Broughton said.
Each city would be asked to provide about $451,000 to complete that portion of the work, Broughton said, adding that his city has the money in the bank.
Rector said the first phase total is nearly double the $250,000 amount his city has set aside each year for the work, predicting Bristol Virginia leaders need to complete their fiscal 2010-11 budget before considering any additional expenditures.
“I’m not going to speak for the City Council,” Bristol Tennessee Mayor Fred Testa said after the work session. “But as a business person, this may be the wrong time to spend that kind of money. Everybody is struggling. Everybody is cutting back or holding off spending and I don’t think this is any different.”
If local funds were available, work on the project could begin as soon as this fall and likely be completed in six months, Broughton said.
“Our intention was to give all 10 of you the same foundation,” Broughton said. “I know you’ll want to digest and talk about it and our council will want to do the same at some point.”
dmcgee@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2532
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