CUMBERLAND GAP, Tenn. - The town of Cumberland Gap is keeping its options open in regards to a proposed regional wastewater treatment plant. The proposal was discussed at a special called meeting Monday night.

The city of Harrogate is backing the regional plant, which would serve Harrogate, Cumberland Gap and Lincoln Memorial University (LMU).

Cumberland Gap Mayor John Douglas said during Monday's meeting that he felt the state would never permit such a facility because it would be draining into the Powell River.

"Gary McGill and I have conveyed to the state that we are going to stay on course where we're at right now," said Douglas. "We will continue to improve our treatment plant and wastewater facilities. It's our best interest right now."

McGill said that in his opinion, the town of Cumberland Gap has a solution to its waste water treatment problem. He went on by saying the town had the money in place to implement that solution.

McGill also reminded Mayor Douglas and the board members that the town is under a director's order from the state to proceed on a schedule with the town's treatment plant repairs. Those funds were awarded by Rural Development last year with a grant that exceeded one million dollars.

"The state called me about two weeks ago - they had gotten an isolated call regarding this issue and asked about it," said McGill. "I told them what little I knew about it and of course, they said it would be impossible to get it permitted."

McGill said he doesn't see a problem going to meetings, listening and keeping and open mind - just as long as there is no long term commitment. He said a project of the size Harrogate is talking about would take years to implement.

"We (town) do not have years," he said.

Mayor Douglas said regardless, they are going to keep their obligation to take care of their waste water treatment plant.

"Later down the road, if we can find a different alternative to handle our waste water treatment, save time and money, then we'll look at it," said Douglas. "But right now, we have to focus on what we first set out to do."

Municipal management consultant Ron Darden made a presentation to the board regarding the idea of a regional plant. He confirmed that discharge can not empty into the Powell River directly but there are other tributaries that could be acceptable for discharging the waste.

Darden said Pete Debusk was going to meet with Tennessee governor Phil Bredesen and ask for ten million dollars in funding for the facility to be developed in the area.

"What I'm recommending is that you all support the regional concept," said Darden.

Darden explained that Harrogate's board of Mayor and Aldermen agreed to support the idea in a special called meeting just hours prior to the Gap's meeting.

He said that by supporting the regional concept, it doesn't require the town has to join any authority, but instead, means if the authority is put in place and the project gets under way, the town would have the option to participate.

Aldermen Bill McGafee and John Adams said that their main concern was watching the rates of such a system.

McGafee reminded the board of a few months ago when the town was looking at joining the Claiborne County Utilities District and abandoning the Gap's treatment plant. If the town had done that, monthly sewer bills would have topped more than $84 average per household.

"We've got a lot of old people in Cumberland Gap that are on fixed incomes," said McGafee. "We've got to watch our rates."

Another item Darben asked the board about was the proposal that the town retain its current engineer to complete what work the town has going on within in the system, as long as they are operating their system. He said that when Harrogate gets ready to launch the plant and plans, they can select an engineer for the project.

Darben said at some point, if an authority forms, they would appoint an engineer for the project. Harrogate would also be abiding by the same proposal.

The board, under Tennessee law, would be made up of five members of the appointing city (in this case, Harrogate) and cities that join would get one vote or one member, which is appointed by the Mayor with approval of the city council.

"The need for this is because we do not want the confusion of which engineer is going to do what," said Darben.

The board decided to go along with the engineer proposal but because they are not committed, only open-minded to the idea, the second proposal is not effective.

The Board of Mayor and Aldermen will meet Monday, Sept. 12 for their regular session, which is pushed back a week due to the Labor Day holiday.