Dear Louisville Resident,
Many of you have asked about the failed sewer project created to support the small businesses and a few residential areas in Louisville. The plan was to give access to less than 300 properties. This project was created by the expansion of sewer services from the Maryville Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant (Federally funded) to Smith & Wesson as part of Project Eagle. In support of Louisville, Blount County pursued and was awarded a grant of $2.2 million to extend sewer lines from the wet well located at the Smith & Wesson facility to businesses on Louisville and Topside Roads. South Blount Utility District was to install those sewer lines during the extensive road construction project. After extending lines to the new industrial development on Proffitt Springs Road and other new housing developments such as those on Topside Road, Maryville Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant determined they no longer had capacity for the Town of Louisville project. They currently provide services for Maryville, Alcoa, and Knox Chapman Utility District and this maxed out capacity must limit their future development as well.
Despite our disappointment with the loss of this project and the extensive road project, our community remains strong and resilient. The 2.2 million dollars will be used to upgrade water lines. We are coming together to find other solutions and support each other during this transitional period. We can overcome these struggles and move forward to a better solution for traffic flow and sewer treatment in the middle of a small-town residential and small business area if we work together.
ACTIONS TAKEN BY TOWN OFFICIALS AND CONCERNED CITIZENS
The Louisville Board of Mayor and Alderman passed a resolution on April 9, 2024, to oppose the TDOT project to widen Louisville Road and create a concrete median at the intersection Topside Road.
Hundreds of Louisvillians have completed TDOT comment cards to voice concerns about the project. Thank you to each of you!
Local businesses have written letters of concern and asked for support from the Blount County Chamber of Commerce, Blount County Government, and State Government. Town officials have contacted local and state representatives asking for a resolution.
Two local news channels, WVLT Channel 8 and WATE Channel 6, plus The Daily Times have reached out to the town and reported on our efforts. Please reach out to them and let them know you appreciate the coverage and want them to continue to cover this issue.
Many supportive posts and comments have been made on social media. Keep them up! Be sure to tag Blount County Commission, our county representatives, TDOT, WATE Channel 6, WBIR Channel 10, WVLT Channel 8 and Smith & Wesson in your posts.
ACTIONS MOVING FORWARD
Change is inevitable. However, we do not have to just accept the decisions others are making for us, especially if they are detrimental to our quality of life. It takes all of us working together to keep our small-town spirit alive and protect our town’s equities. I believe fostering a sense of community and neighborliness is crucial for the well-being of all collective members of our town and county at large.
In the coming weeks, I will be meeting with TDOT representatives, state representatives, and local representatives to discuss town concerns. These concerns include loss of personal property, limited business access, limited post office access, environmental impact, noise pollution, multimodal improvements, wastewater and water projects, and pedestrian safety.
We will be posting updates to the Town of Louisville Facebook and Instagram accounts and to our Town of Louisville app available on Apple and Android.
In the end, we are concerned about the county’s long-term plans for Louisville. We can either be an industrial zone or a town committed to its citizens and maintaining its beauty. My hope is that we can come to the best solution possible to move forward to a bright future for Louisville, Smith & Wesson, and Blount County.