Follow Up from Greg Davis

Editor: I was remiss in publishing the timely responses from our representatives. Here is Greg Davis' follow-up:

Thank you all for your patience. Mary Brockman addressed most of the outstanding questions already. I just want to add a few things. Everyone is distressed that this issue took so long to get moving. Mary called it "uncharted waters" and it certainly is.

As to the easements that many area residents have signed - none have expired yet. Some of them will expire before construction is completed. Those residents will simply be asked to sign a new one. Most of the early signers were big supporters of the sewer idea and most also were temporary easements for construction only. Compared to the other issues, this one could be minor.

Like Commissioner Brockman, I feel this will pass on 3-9-09. First it will go to the Property committee on 2-25-09 at 5:00 PM at the Administrative Center. Then the Budget Committee will hear it on 3-2-09 at 3:30 PM. The Water and Wastewater Committe will also hear it. All of these are public meetings. Still the important one is the 3-9-09 meeting (7:00 PM) where all Commissioners will be present. Jack has suggestted that one person speak for all others interested in the project. Numbers are still important though. The speaker could ask that all present that support the resolution stand for example. As Jack pointed out this is not a public hearng and there is a 15 minute time limit or up to 5 speakers. At some point after the passage of this resolution and Inter-Local Agreement, there is likely a strong need for another public meeting for the neighborhood. This would only be explain the what now? and how much? questions rather than to gather support.

The Grassland sewer project is closer to fruition than at any time over the many years it has been proposed. I know it seems like forever, but it would not have happened without many people supporting it. The County Mayor's office has championed this along with Kristi Earwood the attorney working with the County on this for years. Assuming this passes in March, it still must be bid out and then built. It will still take time.

You and your neighbors kept this idea alive and sold it to others in the area. This was a true grassroots effort that is close to success. Thanks to all.

Greg Davis

Response from Mary Brockman

Mary Brockman was first to respond to Andi Creek. I was slow in posting, sorry for any inconvenience caused by my delay:

Dear Mrs. Creek,

I will be meeting with Mayor Anderson in the morning and signing the resolutions for this project. Here goes:

1) I agree that periodic updates would be helpful to keep everyone in the loop. However, putting together the necessary legal terminology for the inter-local agreement with Franklin along with the accompanying resolutions to approve and fund it has been in the hands of our attorney and simply did not call for community input.

2) The County resolution basically approves an inter-local agreement with the City of Franklin rather than Lynnwood. The Commission will vote on this March 9 at our 7PM meeting. There is a public comment period at the beginning of themeeting if you or others wish to come speak in support of this project. All four of your representatives will sign the resolution and I see no reason that it will not pass with full commission support. Once the agreement is approved, signed, and funding put in place, I believe that the actual work can begin.

3) As far as I know, the signed easements are all still good. But don't quote me.

4) The inter-local agreement between the City and County did not require input from the community. It is a legal document setting forth the terms of each entities responsibilities.

5&6) In the beginning, we were told by legal staff that the County could not pay for individual homeowners to hook up to a sewer and not provide the same or similar service to other neighborhoods thus improving the property value of some and not others. However, Ido believe it is not out of the question to approach it differently and investigate grant money based on the public health issue of the problem. The stimulus bill is an unknown at this point, but the work certainly falls under the heading of "improving infrastructure". So, I will discuss these ideas with Rogers and see if either has legs.

8) There is no question that the neighborhood supporters have done an amazing job of pushing us forward and helping get us to this juncture. Your group came through with help securing signatures at a critical point. We are going to ensure that this project is completed.

9) If the County was in the sewer business like the cities and utilities, this project would have been on line years ago. But, these are complex and unchartered waters for the County. I do believe we have stepped up to be part of the solution. And Mayor Anderson's success with bringing the City of Franklin into the arrangement has been an important change that brings about a better outcome for the future.

I agree wholeheartedly that it has taken too long to get this problem solved. However, it has not been from lack of persistence and commitment on behalf of your local officials.

Positively,

Mary Brockman

An Open Letter to Williamson County Leaders from Andi Creek

Please take a minute to read the following open letter from Andi Creek. Like Andi, please consider writing to our representatives and ask them to take action on the Grassland Sewer Project!

Contact Info District 8

Jack Walton: 373-3346 - jack@jackwalton.com
Greg Davis: 791-7683 - gregd@williamson-tn.org

Contact Info District 9

Mary Brockman: 794-5177 - marymcbrockman@gmail.com
Ernie Williams: 794-9749

____________________

Hello –

I have written to you all before about the septic system issue in Grassland, and you have responded that you are supportive of this project. I realize it may be bothersome to have us contact you multiple times, but we do not hear anything otherwise. Thank you for taking the time to read and respond to this letter of concern.

I have numbered my questions throughout this letter to assist you with your response---you can just number your answers according to the number of the related question. When you reply, please “reply to all” so the core group of residents I have copied here (who helped with the easement signings and follow-ups) can also read your responses.

1) There are several residents who have emailed you all over the past two years of waiting (all copied on this email)--would one of you please volunteer to send us periodic updates on the status project status and when there are meetings that we could attend to show support?

We need your help to push this project forward faster. As you know, we did what the County asked and collected signatures on nearly 70% of the easements before July 1, 2007,---more than required—to move forward with this project.

Nearly two years later, the County finally acquired the rest of the easements and gave up on Lynwood to pursue Franklin’s help, which, thank goodness, they agreed to give last October.

Still, FIVE months after that vote of support by the city of Franklin, I am told by fellow resident Mike Felts that a resolution is to be submitted to the Williamson County Commission on March 9, and that contract talks with the city are ongoing.

2) How long is this going to go on?

3) Do you know that some of the signed easements may be expiring before the end of this year?

4) Will that mean we have to have them signed again? It was very hard to convince some residents in the first place; after waiting more than two years and nothing happening, we may not get some to sign again without more court costs.

5) Are you going to include any residents or ask for our input on the agreement with the city? I do not understand why you do not solicit input from those of us living in the area when there is such a huge impact on us.

6) What kind of searches are you doing for grant money or maybe stimulus money to help us offset costs?

7) Can you point us to resources so that we can apply for assistance? Most of this area is not in a wealthy part of Franklin---$4000 just to have the option to tie on, plus another $10,000 – 15,000 to tie on is not even possible for some residents and an extreme hardship for most---and I am sure with all the delays costs may be even higher now.

Many of us have serious septic issues. I am one of them---there is sewage coming up in the middle of our yard, (the words we got from the city when they came to look was “well, we have never seen anything like this before”—not very comforting). After we residents got the % of easements required signed by July 1, 2007, we were told that work would probably start in Fall of 2007. The sewer project was supposed to take 18 months. That means the project would have now been nearing completion, and residents could be putting thousands of dollars toward tying on and installation of a permanent sewer solution instead of throwing it away on a temporary fix of failing systems.

8) What can we do to help move this forward faster?

9) What steps are you taking as our representatives to push this forward? This is an urgent issue, not just for me, but many residents in this area, and, frankly, for anyone using water from the Harpeth, which continues to be polluted by raw sewage from failing septic systems.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Respectfully,

Andi Creek

302 Stable Road