By Joel Spears
Features Editor

ROGERSVILLE - Local and state dignitaries gathered at Surgoinsville Town Hall on Monday to celebrate the acceptance of more than $2 million in grant funds that will begin the first steps toward having sewer service there.
    Mayor Johnny Greer told the crowd that it has taken three years, since he began his term as mayor, to get to this point.
    Greer said, "The board and I immediately started talking about getting a sewer line into  Surgoinsville. It has taken a lot of people to get where we're at. ... Now, here we are three years into it and we've at least got enough money to start a sewer system."
    Along with local and state officials, the entire congressional delegation had a role of some kind in achieving the final result.
    The mayor pointed out in his comments that Senator Lamar Alexander had helped secure the initial $450,000 funding, as well as Congressman Phil Roe, who Greer commended for his personal involvement in helping to obtain the necessary funds.
    He also acknowledged Senator Bob Corker for his role in the project.
    State Rep. Mike Harrison and State Sen. Mike Faulk were also commended.
    "You've made my first year in office successful by being here today," Roe commented regarding the success of the project. "I understood that this community had to have sewer service," he said, noting the benefits of a sewer system in relationship to business growth.  If you can get businesses to come in, you can keep people's taxes low."
    Total funding for the project included a $530,000 loan from the USDA Rural Development program, to be paid by the Town of Surgoinsville over the next 40 years; a $1,300,000 USDA Rural Development Grant; a $500,000 Community Development Block Grant; a $500,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission; and $485,000 in EPA special appropriations.
    Because the initial goal of the installation will be to provide wastewater treatment service at Surgoinsville Elementary and Middle schools, Hawkins County School System will also share $200,000 of the costs. The new line will replace a failing package plant used by both schools.  
    Total funding for the project amounted to $3,515,000.
    While previous efforts have been made to obtain sewer service in Surgoinsville, this is the first successful attempt to receive funding for any related project.
    Currently Surgoinsville is the only municipality in Hawkins County without sewer service. Rather than construct its own treatment facility, the town will tap onto a regional treatment plant operated by the City of Church Hill that already provides service as far west as Phipps Bend Industrial District.
    Once construction on the extension begins, a trunk line will be constructed from Phipps Bend through Surgoinsville and end at the schools.
    Surgoinsville received word two months ago it had been rewarded the funds.  This was the first funding to the town from USDA Rural Dev., however, Rural Development has funded past projects through Surgoinsville Utility District that provides water to the town.