Mayor says interstate lights will go in

The city of Coopertown will construct lights at the city’s I-24 exit regardless of who else participates, according to Mayor Danny Crosby.

Originally, Robertson County, Cheatham County, Pleasant View and Coopertown were in talks to work together to bring the project to completion. The project has been in jeopardy following a disagreement that led to Pleasant View Mayor Kerry McCarver’s public withdrawal of support via his newspaper.

Last week, McCarver said Pleasant View would not be involved with any project involving Coopertown while Crosby is mayor. Crosby, however, says McCarver’s position will not stop the project.

“Evidently, Mr. McCarver didn’t understand me last December when I said we are going to put those lights up,” Crosby said.

Robertson County Mayor Howard Bradley says he believes the lights would be a boon to that side of the county by potentially luring businesses to build around the exit, but adds that the county won’t be involved unless all parties are involved.

“I’m sorry it’s that way, because I’d like to see the four governments work together. We’re just not there right now,” Bradley said. “I’m sorry it’s turned into a struggle between Mayor McCarver and Crosby, but I understand where McCarver is coming from.”

The current proposal put forth by the City of Coopertown includes 17 lights of varying sizes to light the Interstate exit at an estimated cost of $549,234. The original plan featured fewer lights and a price tag in the range of $330,000.

The difference in cost has been a major sticking point, but Crosby maintains that the larger project is what the exit requires.

“I’m wanting to do this thing correctly and I’m not going to take no shortcuts and have it come back and bite me in a couple of years,” Crosby said.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation has agreed to cover a portion of the cost, according to a letter sent to the other mayors by Crosby, leaving the four entities with a $92,000 bill to pay if they were to agree to participate.

“TDOT has committed $190,000 in funds to the project based on the original design. The remainder of the cost of the project will be left to the city of Coopertown,” TDOT Spokeswoman Julie Oaks said. “It is their decision whether to seek funding from surrounding cities or to pay the remaining costs themselves.”

“We want (the other governments) to be involved because they will make just as much money as we will from the tax revenue of it,” Crosby said.

Should the other governments continue to withhold support, Crosby says the city has already budgeted the cost.

“We earmarked in our budget to make the year payments on this program and we will stretch the payments over seven to 10 years, whichever is the best way for the city to do this,” Crosby said.

“Very well,” Bradley said. “I wish him the best.”

This project is expected to be let for construction in mid-2008, Oaks said.