I-24 lighting project moves forward
BY RANDY MOOMAW • THE ASHLAND CITY TIMES • APRIL 22, 2009
PLEASANT VIEW — Interested parties from Cheatham and Robertson counties met Monday to check on the progress of the Interstate 24 lighting project at Exit 24.
Pleasant View, Cheatham County, Coopertown and Robertson County have been working on the project for the past few years.
Pleasant View Mayor Kerry McCarver, Coopertown Mayor Sam Childs and Robertson County Mayor Howard Bradley attended Monday’s meeting.
James Fenton, Cheatham County’s economic and community development director, represented County Mayor Bill Orange, who was unable to attend the meeting.
Fenton said the project was clear to move forward with a contract for the engineering study set to arrive in Pleasant View this week.
Fenton added that Coopertown was not liable for funds from a previous study and design that called for high mast lighting at the exit.
Childs said Coopertown’s budget had been reviewed and the town was on board as long as its share of the costs was no more than $50,000.
Fenton said it should be less than that.
Childs said he tried to get funding for the lighting project through federal stimulus money that was made available to the state.
“They denied the request saying that the project is not shovel ready,” Childs said.
Childs added that he submitted the original design that included the high-mast lighting and wanted to know if the other parties would support that project should it gain approval.
McCarver expressed concerns that maintenance and energy costs may be higher and there might be further delays with a change in the project since the new plan is moving forward.
Childs’ plea for support fell short and he concurred that he did not want any further delays.
Fenton pointed out that the surveying done from the previous design that Coopertown had funded will be used in the new plan.
“Once the engineering study is completed, we will have a clear sense of where we stand in terms of costs and completion of the project,” Fenton said, estimating that it should take roughly 10-12 months to complete.
TDOT is funding one half of the project with the other half to be equally divided between Pleasant View, Coopertown, Cheatham County and Robertson County.

At Last !!! Another one of Danny Crosby's projects will be finished. Just shows you can't keep a good idea down.

And all it took was a majority vote.

Some people keep having selective memory. The kind where they have a vision of history that just isn't so.

Therefore, I especially liked the part where they changed the idea back to the one that the other agencies liked which caused Crosby to blow a fuse. That resulted in them shrugging off Danny's project because he was INVOLDED, you silly spongie. So, I and many, many others feel like it was a good idea UNTIL Danny got involved and wanted to go with 100' monster lights in the air that cost a ton of money to maintain. His idea stunk when something less gawdy and more efficient was what was really needed. Low budget lighting that made people on I 24 feel safe enough to pull off here.

What about some lights in the subdivisions?

How do we do that without a property tax? Answer that and I am all for it.

What about a City income tax?
1 or 2 percent for everyone living and or working here would raise a lot of money. No one would much notice 1 or 2 percent, I spend more than that on beer & cigarettes each month. It would only be fair to exempt seniors on social security like myself but the rest could pay. We voted out the interstate tickets, lets step up to the plate and make up for it with an income tax. We could put up street lights in the subdivisions, pave the roads, and do what ever else is needed. We can make it without a property tax! Don't raise the local tax on cigarettes, I am just about to the point now I will be looking at fields with tobacco to pick my own. BP I know I can count on you for support.

If I were to catch you in a field stealing on of my buddies tobbaco crop I would have something of mine supporting you to the ground in a prone postition. If that was the support you were looking to receive? Your turning out to be whiner without a cause. Your worried about lights, then pony up for them. Since when do governments get so caught up in the need to be lighting private neighborhoods? I thought you people has associations in those subdivisions. Have a bake sale for goodness sake and raise money to put those solar ones in. THAT would be a smart plan.

OK, fair enough, I'll save you a dozen brownies then.