Coalmont has bought 1347 acres in Grundy County with federal RTP funds for a OHV Park. This land is at the northern end of the Coppingers cove trail and includes the area known as Flat Rock.
Currently the City is waiting for the State to approve the $528,000 RTP construction grant, this is a 80/20% cost share grant, much of the cost share will be covered by volunteers labor. We anticipate this will happen in the next 60 days or so. Until the grant is approved and contract signed by Mayor we cannot spend or commit to spend any money. The trailhead plans include about 4 acres of gravel, a Windrock style bathhouse,a visitor center, a vehicle wash station which will be paid for with grant funds. The grant will not pay for a pavilion or RV hook ups, so STLCA has committed to provide $14,000 for materials to build a 40’ x 80’ pavilion to be put up by Volunters. Also STLCA has committed $4000 towards RV hook ups , this is where the profits from GSMTR are going.
Once the grant is approved we will need to contract Engineering and survey services and get a State NPDES permit ( required for any project that disturbes over an acre), we expect this will take another 60 days, then we can bring in the heavy equipment and start work..
That said, we are working on some projects that don’t require committing state funds, that I need help with:
Need to get Southerns 5 ton dump truck ready, it came to my house winter of 2007 to be repaired and returned to Tellico but as we all know the US Forest Circus closed Tellico. So the truck needs a little mechanical work from setting, brakes ,power steering leak ,shut off cable frozen up etc.. And it needs to be painted..
Second is running the old and many overgrown trails and logging/rock harvesting roads with a GPS and then connecting them for loop trails, this is a project not suited to you daily driver wagon, we will be pushing through brush in some areas and turning around in tight dead ends.
Third project is verifying ptoprty lines, we have done some but need help with the rest. Most of this is foot work, walking lines looking for markers.
I am available during the week and weekends every other week.
Currently the City is waiting for the State to approve the $528,000 RTP construction grant, this is a 80/20% cost share grant, much of the cost share will be covered by volunteers labor. We anticipate this will happen in the next 60 days or so. Until the grant is approved and contract signed by Mayor we cannot spend or commit to spend any money. The trailhead plans include about 4 acres of gravel, a Windrock style bathhouse,a visitor center, a vehicle wash station which will be paid for with grant funds. The grant will not pay for a pavilion or RV hook ups, so STLCA has committed to provide $14,000 for materials to build a 40’ x 80’ pavilion to be put up by Volunters. Also STLCA has committed $4000 towards RV hook ups , this is where the profits from GSMTR are going.
Once the grant is approved we will need to contract Engineering and survey services and get a State NPDES permit ( required for any project that disturbes over an acre), we expect this will take another 60 days, then we can bring in the heavy equipment and start work..
That said, we are working on some projects that don’t require committing state funds, that I need help with:
Need to get Southerns 5 ton dump truck ready, it came to my house winter of 2007 to be repaired and returned to Tellico but as we all know the US Forest Circus closed Tellico. So the truck needs a little mechanical work from setting, brakes ,power steering leak ,shut off cable frozen up etc.. And it needs to be painted..
Second is running the old and many overgrown trails and logging/rock harvesting roads with a GPS and then connecting them for loop trails, this is a project not suited to you daily driver wagon, we will be pushing through brush in some areas and turning around in tight dead ends.
Third project is verifying ptoprty lines, we have done some but need help with the rest. Most of this is foot work, walking lines looking for markers.
I am available during the week and weekends every other week.