John Coffelt, Editor

The Coffee County Budget and Finance Committee postponed during the Dec. 17 meeting a request for funds for a grant match that would allow a SONAR-type survey of all the county’s roads.

According to a presentation during the meeting, Coffee County Highway Department has qualified for a grant that would study all the county’s roads to determine the road pavement depth, width and all related sign placement for 10 years to be updated every five years.

Chairman of Budget and Finance Tim Morris, who also sits on the Rural Roads and Bridges Committee, said the program would allow the Highway Department better information to determine which roads need repaving.

“It’s an economic thing, because we would have to have the entire road paved,” Morris said. “Because we would know part of it is good. And that would save you money—for (the Highway department) and the taxpayers.”

The name of the grant and the specific total grant fund were not available during the meeting. 

County Mayor Dennis Hunt voiced concerns about spending property tax revenue for a highway project that would be otherwise funded through fuel tax.  

“For clarification,” Hunt said, “All highway repair funds that our highway superintendent has to work with is generated through fuel taxes…”

“Right now, you’re asking Coffee County property taxpayers to help with that,” he said. “I don’t like that Idea.”

Hunt said the state highway allocations for Coffee County were disproportionate to the revenue the county generates in fuel taxes relevant to the number of roads we have.  

Budget and Finance failed to move on the request for the funds.  

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.