CROSSVILLE CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSES PROPOSED MERGER WITH C.P.W.A.
At a Crossville city council work session, council members Dr. Mark Fox, James Mayberry, and Mike Turner discussed a proposed merger between the city’s water and sewer departments and the Cumberland Plateau Water Authority (CPWA), the only agenda item. CPWA General Manager Jeff Dyer presented the proposal and answered questions, with no formal action taken during the hour-long session.
Turner inquired about benefits to taxpayers, CPWA board representation, and debt and liability concerns. Dyer noted that Crossville holds three seats on CPWA’s seven-member board, with a fourth representing the former Catoosa Utility District, now city-operated. He explained that merging would enhance access to grants, prioritized for regional authorities, to address aging infrastructure, regulatory demands, and water supply issues.
Benefits include shared infrastructure, improved service, rate stability, better water quality, and sustainability, while reducing service duplication and promoting economic growth. Employees would gain job stability and professional growth. Dyer emphasized the shared goal of building a sustainable water and sewer system for future generations.
The session can be viewed at https://crossvilletn.granicus.com/player/clip/917.
