Paris, Tenn.–Meeting Tuesday, the Paris Utility Authority (PUA) Board of Directors approved a bid for improvements at the Wastewater Treatment Plant and discussed plans for the upcoming Community Cookout for Public Utilities Week.
This year, the Paris Board of Public Utilities will be hosting a Community Cookout for Public Utilities Week. The event will be held starting at 11 a.m. Tuesday, October 3 in the parking lot behind BPU headquarters.
BPU staff will be grilling hotdogs and everyone will be served a free sack lunch. The BPU’s own Randall French (also known as Rockin’ Randall) and the Ray Lewis Band will be playing live music for everyone to enjoy.
For the Wastewater Treatment Plant improvements, the amounts specified in the bids will be allocated to procure all the essential materials, labor, tools, equipment, and related components required for Phase 2 of the WWTP Electrical Work. This project has been in the planning stages for several months and will make use of the remaining portion of the USDA wastewater loan, along with the last $2 million in grant funding.
The board approved the USDA water loan resolution. In February 2023, the Board approved an engineering agreement allowing them to proceed with the USDA loan application. This project has been in progress for a duration of two years, and the Paris BPU has received approval for a $7.946 million USDA loan.
Action was taken to approve the OHM engineering proposal for the next round of wastewater system rehab. This project will be funded by the American Rescue Plan dollars that Henry Country allotted to Paris BPU.
A motion was approved to declare three items as surplus: two Ford F150’s (2013 & 2014) and a 1998 Case 360 Trencher. These units will be sold on GovDeals website.
In his President’s Report, Terry Wimberley invited the board to attend activities planned for Public Utilities Week. These events include a Community Cookout as well as a Community Food Drive for the local Food Bank.
Wimberley’s employee guest this month was Jeff Baker from the Meter Department. Jeff holds the position of Assistant Pastor at Birds Creek Baptist and has an extensive military background. His journey with the Paris BPU began in June 2019 when he joined as a part-time Right of Way laborer, eventually transitioning into a full-time role in September 2019. Over time, Jeff’s dedication and hard work within the company have brought him to his current position as a Meter Technician since November 2021.
Photo: Josh Wooten mans the grill during the 2021 cookout. Shannon McFarlin photo.