Highway commissioner tells his side of the Graybeal Road ditch story

Highway commissioner tells his side of the Graybeal Road ditch... (Added: March 15, 2010)

Highway Commissioner Pope says if he had known private contractors were working on the water line on Graybeal Road in Bluff City, his crews would never have dug the ditch. (more)

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Highway commissioner tells his side of the Graybeal Road ditch story

Pope says his Highway Department has helped community developers for years, and if that is not part of their responsibilities, the commission needs to make a ruling.

By: Dana Wachter | TriCities.com
Published: March 15, 2010

Blountville, Tenn. -- Sullivan County community members voiced their opinions at the Commission meeting Monday morning, about the county's involvement with Bluff City's Graybeal Road construction.
For the past two weeks, the Highway Department has been questioned as to whether it violated state law by digging a ditch for a water line.
Monday, Highway Commissioner Allan Pope told the commission that he told developer, Reed Booher, that if Bluff City would put in a water line, his crews would widen Graybeal Road and dig a ditch for the water line.
Bluff City declined the offer, and told Booher to hire private contractors. Pope says his department was never told Booher sought private contractors, and his crews dug for the water line. Pope says they filled the ditch when they learned Bluff City declined.
"The ditch was filled in for two reasons," said Pope. "If a private contractor was going to do the work, he can dig his own ditch. Also, it's an OSHA violation to leave an open ditch open over the weekend. I extended this offer, as a courtesy to Bluff City."
Pope says his department has always done its best to help local developers, whether by widening roads, or digging ditches.
"There never was an attempt to circumvent anything," said Pope. "We never never attempted to defraud anybody, waste the taxpayer's money. We try as hard as we can and we operate on a shoe string; I'm here to tell you."
Pope says if the commission thinks that is wrong, they need to change the rules, and his department will follow.
Sullivan County's Ethics Committee meets for a special meeting about this situation next week, March 23, at 7:30 a.m.