Council votes to buy land for new city hall

By Eddie West Staff Writer

Purchase of a tract of land along the Carthage Bypass, intended for a new Carthage city hall, has been approved.

With a tie-breaking vote from the town’s mayor, the Carthage City Council approved a motion to purchase seven acres of land at $700,000, intended for the project.

Purchase of the land is subject to various contingencies including approval of the construction project by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the city’s planning commission.

During a special called meeting Tuesday night (March 18), the council first voted down a proposal to purchase three acres on Sonny Hill Lane for $525,000. The property is located behind the building which houses the Smith County Chamber of Commerce and had been considered by the council during recent meetings.

Next, the council voted to suspend Robert’s Rules of Order to discuss the seven acre tract of land referred to as the Stallings property.

The property is located  on the east side of the Carthage Bypass between the back side of Walmart and open farmland used for raising cattle and tended by the Maxwell family. The tract of land is located off Breezy Lane which is a road constructed when the Carthage Bypass was built by the state several years ago.

During the discussion of the property, Councilman Sam Petty noted the tract of land was actually 6.24 acres and also suggested there would be room to construct a new wastewater treatment plant at the site by adding another acre.

Also, Councilman Petty noted any plans to purchase the property should be subject to approval of government agencies such as FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“We don’t want to buy the property and have them turn us down,” Petty commented.

Also, during the discussion, Mayor Steve Babcock added the Tennessee Department of Transportation has agreed to allow the city to build an access road to the bypass, if needed.

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