The Crossville City Council approved the updated version of the Urban Growth Boundary during their regular March meeting.

The Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) plan looks at likely areas of future development for the next 20 years around the incorporated areas in the county. The plan is required under state law that was first approved 10 years ago by the state legislature. The process is spelled out in detail and must be occasionally updated. Council members had stressed that just because someone's property is in the UGB, it does not mean they will be annexed into the city limits.

The council approved initial changes in the UGB at a meeting back in October 2009. Those changes were sent on to the county commission. In addition to the county commission, the other county municipalities of Pleasant Hill and Crab Orchard must sign off on the plan.

Areas listed as important to the UGB include the area to the north of Interstate 40 on Highway 127, Bakers Crossroads, South Old Mail Rd., Saw Mill Loop, the west side of Firetower Rd. and Plateau Properties site near Meadow Park Lake. Peavine Road to the Food City store was originally included but was removed by the county planned growth committee.

The council unanimously approved the changes to the UGB that were approved by the county commission. The plan becomes final once Pleasant Hill and Crab Orchard ratify the changes.

The council approved a change order to the water harvesting project based on recommendations made by the contractor that will save the city almost $600,000 on the overall cost of the project. The redesign of part of the installation includes reducing the intake system from two to one pipe and additional changes to dramatically reduce the cost of the project.

Project Engineer Scott Christian with ECE services recommended the council to approve the changes saying he had studied the proposal and agreed with the contractors changes.

Councilman Boyd Wyatt, who has criticized change orders in the past that have increased the cost of city projects, said, “These are the kinds of change orders that I like.”

The changes were approved unanimously by the council.

The council also approved a change order that reduced the cost of the Holiday Hills Dam improvement project by $382,637. The project is now complete and paving will be done as part of the city's annual paving program once the asphalt plants open this spring.

Information was released concerning an investigation into the public works department that was requested by Councilman Jesse Kerley in 2008 over alleged issues of scrap copper wire from the rewinding of grinder pump motors. The investigation has been going since that time and an e-mail from the investigator to city manager Ted Meadows was released at the meeting.

The e-mail from Robert Allen, investigative auditor for the office of the comptroller, said, “We have elected to terminate our investigation...at this time. Although we noted issues of concern during our investigative audit, further investigation does not appear to be a prudent use of limited state resources.”

The e-mail outlines the areas of concern but says they do not warrant issuance of a formal report. The areas include a way to track each grinder pump from purchase to sale to installation.

The e-mail also recommends the free grinder pump policy be clarified and codified as an ordinance. According to Allen, the current policy appears to be open to a number of interpretations and “at least one council member appears to have received a free grinder pump for which he may or may not qualify.”

The e-mail also expressed concern over Les Sherill being in charge of making sure grinder pump installations passed city inspections when he also installed the pumps as part of a side business. The e-mail continued, “At least one of (Sherill's) subordinates felt pressured to pass Sherill's work on an installation that would have otherwise failed.”

Sherill has since retired from the city and none of the report's recommendations were discussed during the meeting.

Several events are in the works by the city marketing and public relations department, including the Senior State Chess Tour and the State Sr. Men's golf tour. In addition, a barbecue event is planned in conjunction with a cruise in. Another cruise in will be part of the Nestle Purina dog challenge.

The council approved placing a three-way stop where Stoneway enters Village Way in the Greenbrier subdivision. The request came from a resident that saw a near accident involving a four-wheeler on a city street that was nearly struck by a car traveling along Village Way.

Because of a small rise that creates a blind intersection, the council approved the installation of the stop signs along with rumble strips at the intersection.

Another request was made by Christian Academy of the Cumberlands to make all of Braun St. 20 Miles per hour. The council considered the request but instead approved installing signs reducing the speed limit to 20 MPH when children are present.

Crossville Mayor J.H. Graham III presented a plaque to Martin Elementary student Adam (A.J.) Price as the student of the month for his representation of fairness.

Two agenda items were deferred including proposed changes to the city's sign ordinance and a request from Ficosa. These items are expected to be taken up at a future meeting.