LEBANON, Tenn. (WTVF) — Wilson County Commissioner Jerry McFarland plans to propose a resolution Monday asking for the city of Lebanon to find a site for its new sewer plant within city limits.
Wilson County Commission will vote on the resolution on Monday night.
Around 20 sites are currently under consideration, but the vast majority are outside city limits.
“Wilson County does not want it. We’re going on record saying that tomorrow night,” said Commissioner Jerry McFarland, who represents Wilson County District Five. “We do not want Lebanon’s sewage plant in our county.”
Click here for more information from our previous coverage of Lebanon’s search for a place to put their new sewer plant.
I also interviewed Lebanon Mayor Rick Bell about why the new sewer is needed.
Many of the possible sites for the sewer plant are in McFarland’s district.
Wilson County Mayor Randall Hutto also supports the resolution and keeping the sewer plant within city limits, near the current facility.
“I do believe if they can build it right by the existing sewer plant, there’s not a lot of change in environment,” Hutto said.
Jeff Baines chairs the committee tasked with finding and recommending a site. He said only one site within city limits is currently consider a viable option, where the company Rockwood operates.
“Our committee is going to look hard at that site, it will be talked about tomorrow night,” said Jeff Baines, chair for the Lebanon Wastewater Treatment Plant Site Selection Committee.
The committee is using a scoring system to determine which sites are viable. Neighbor concerns — including potential smells, environmental impact, and property values — will factor into that scoring system, but there are many other factors.
Weeks of pushback from neighbors living near proposed sites have preceded Monday’s vote.
The resolution needs a simple majority to pass. While it likely won’t carry immediate legal weight, McFarland said it could matter if the issue ends up in court with a property owner down the line.
“If we get into litigation, and we may very well do that, it’ll have quite a bit of power. We have gone on record to say, as a county government, as county elected body, that we don’t want that,” McFarland said.
Baines said the site within city limits is at the top of his list, but that’s not a guarantee it will be chosen.
“I think everybody would prefer for the site to be in the city limits, that would just put that issue to rest, but it has to work as a site,” Baines said.
Commissioner McFarland is running to retain his seat on the county commission. I reached out to his opponent Democrat Cody Kroyer for his take on the situation regarding the location of Lebanon’s sewer site, he provided me with the following statement.
“I think that the problems with the sewer are a city issue not a county one and that the sewer plant should be in city limits. It’s not fair for us to bear the burdens of over development, especially when we’re not even connected to the sewer system.”
The site selection committee will meet Monday at 4 p.m. at Lebanon City Hall.
The county commission will be meeting at 7:00 p.m. Monday night at 228 E. Main St. in Lebanon.
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Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
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