JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
Kimball’s Board of Mayor & Aldermen (BoMA) have agreed to accept several changes made regarding a written sewer agreement between both the town and South Pittsburg.
During the board’s March city meeting, Mayor Rex Pesnell presented the list of changes made towards the sewer agreement, explaining if approved Kimball would continue to receive its sewer based services from the South Pittsburg Board of Water Works & Sewers for an additional four years. City Attorney William Gouger noted the changes essentially allow both parties to renew the ongoing agreement, as the agreement was last restated back in 2019. The most notable change mentioned is South Pittsburg’s pre-treatment coordinator being required to oversee all pre-treatment operations within Kimball’s sewer system. This change was made in order for the town to remain in compliance with its permitting laws for the sewer, especially under permitted guidelines enacted by the Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation (TDEC).
“My recommendation to Kimball’s benefit would be to approve it with the change, as it being restated and starting now with the four year term,” Gouger said.
Known as the Sewer Service Agreement, the contracted term allows Kimball’s collected sewage to be pumped and treated within South Pittsburg’s sewer treatment plant, located on Willow Avenue. Gouger explained the changes were issued under state permitting through TDEC. A portion of each permit passed by TDEC requires a pre-treatment program to be implemented in order to minimize environmental damages caused by running sewage.
“The permitting authorities come in and audit things like these contracts,” Gouger said. “They look for things and make sure that all that’s included does one of the things to allow this system to be put in.”
After further discussion surrounding the restated contract, all members of Kimball’s BoMA unanimously voted to accept all changes made towards the town’s sewer agreement with South Pittsburg, allowing Kimball’s sewer system to remain interconnected and treated for the next four years with South Pittsburg.