Knoxville to File Storm Water Suit Against Knox County

The same day Knox County, Tenn., lost a case against a Knoxville newspaper and citizens' group, representatives announced the possibility of another major lawsuit.

Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam wrote in a letter to Knox County commissioners Tuesday that the city and county have been unable to agree on storm water policies. Haslam said that the county has failed to follow through on its promise to make its storm water policy stricter under the urban growth plan agreement.

In August, just before county commissioners were scheduled to vote on a policy aimed at aligning county and city storm water standards, Commissioner Greg "Lumpy" Lambert proposed amendments he said were intended to provide flexibility. The commission approved the amendments.

Haslam's letter said the lawsuit would not put the city and county "at war;" he expressed a desire to collaborate in the future. "After more than two years of trying to work it out," he wrote, "we are forced to ask a court to resolve this dispute."

Knox County Mayor Mike Ragsdale responded in writing, "While I respect your sentiments and those of the city council, I hope you will consider an alternative prior to filing a lawsuit." The letter goes on to propose that an arbitration committee be formed to review contested storm water policy elements. The committee would comprise three commissioners (Ragsdale named Commissioners Scott Moore, Tony Norman and Mike Hammond), three city council members and representatives from respective engineering departments.

Source: WBIR.com