CUMBERLAND GAP - Meeting Monday evening at city hall, the newly elected members of the Cumberland Gap Board of Aldermen took the oath of office. There are six members on the board. Members Bill McGaffee and Joan Webb were not up for reelection. Taking the oath of office were John Ravnum, George Davis and Jerry Hopson. Those three took their seats while City Attorney Robert Estep explained what the Board of Aldermen could do about seating the sixth member.

Voters in the general election had cast 45 votes each for Annie Parish and Larry Hendricks, creating a tie for the sixth seat.

“The Tennessee Code Annotated specifically directs what to do in a tie vote. The municipal legislative body shall cast the deciding vote for municipal offices or, in the alternative, the legislative body, by resolution may call for a run-off election, between the tied candidates,” Estep told the board. He said it would cost about $5,000 to have another election for the sixth member or the aldermen could cast votes to break the tie.

Mayor John Douglas asked the Aldermen what they wanted to do. It was agreed the Board would take a secret written vote in electing a new Alderman and Estep would count the ballots. When the vote was taken Estep announced that Hendricks won the vote three to two. Hendricks then took the oath of office from Estep and was seated on the Board of Aldermen.

Cumberland Gap has been fighting a budget battle for more than a year. They have not received any tax revenue from the Tea Room or the former Ramada Inn (now University Inn) in a year, as both have been closed. In the past the two entities have supplied the town with tax revenue from the alcohol tax. However, neither has been in business for the past year, giving Cumberland Gap a tax shortfall. Usually the two businesses contribute about $5,000 each in beer tax.

In order to keep the budget balanced, Aldermen have been paying monthly bills in two sections. The largest part coming during the first 15 days and the second, the last 15 days of the month. For December Aldermen borrowed $5,000 from the Money Market Account to pay the bills. That will give them a small excess at the first of next month.

Aldermen will have a budget workshop Monday, December 18, at 6 p.m. at city hall.

Water leaks have dropped from 51 percent to 33 percent, and 40 percent for the year-to-date. Mayor Douglas says water leaks is now a priority and the town is working to fix even more leaks in the system.

Jerry Hopson was appointed as new representative for the County Parks and Recreation Board.

Cumberland Gap city office will be closed from December 25 through January 1 and will reopen January 2, 2007.

The Cumberland Gap Beer Board, which consists of the Board of Aldermen, met immediately following the regular Mayor and Aldermen meeting.

“It has been a year since the Tea Room and Ramada Inn bar has been shut down. That is lost revenue that the town really needs. We need to meet with the owners to see what is going on,” Mayor John Douglas told the Beer Board. It was acknowledged that remodeling was being done on the hotel, which is now owned by Lincoln Memorial University.

“Right now, beer revenue is down $4,586 at this time last year and the sale tax is down around $5,700,” Douglas told the Board.

The Board voted to get the owners of the University Inn and Tea Room together before the Beer Board to discuss their future, as soon as possible.

C.J. Harte is a Correspondent for the Daily News. He can be reached via e-mail at charte@middlesborodailynews.com.