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Wastewater stench permeates downtown

By Scott Beasley | November 14, 2007 |

With all the beautification currently undertaken by Mayor Johnny Piper it seems Clarksville has become almost obsessed with aesthetics. Certainly the Mayor has been under scrutiny from the recent crimes, questionable firings and the trips he has taken, but no one can question his commitment to beautification. It seems to be his political signature.

That being said, the odor exuding from the wastewater treatment plant is atrocious. With so much emphasis on cleaning up the “eyesores” around Clarksville, I think its time to address the odiferous climate of our community as well.

The Christmas lights are beautiful, but their beauty is diminished when one has to inhale a stench that would knock a buzzard off a gut wagon or gag a maggot. Our city leaders need to study and correct this problem, or at least take appropriate measures to investigate what can be done.

Odor absorbing vegetation or chemicals that neutralize the stench need to be evaluated. Our local government needs to address this problem immediately if not sooner. It has been a thorn in the side of this community for as long as I can recall and it is high time something is done about it.

About Scott Beasley

I was born in Charleston, SC. I moved to Tennessee in 1977 and into Clarksville in 1989. I am currently employed by a shipping company and recently got married. I am conservative in most of my political views and I oppose government waste with a passion. I believe in personal responsibility and accountability. As far as my stance on the issues, I am against abortion, against the death penalty, I believe we did the right thing by invading Iraq(but we've made many mistakes since that decision), I believe we are over-taxed by an inefficient government at all levels, and I'm against gay marriage(though I have no problem with homosexuality, I believe it should be called a civil union and they should have all the rights as married couples.) I abhor racism and believe Martin Luther King to be the greatest asset to civil rights this country has ever seen. I believe a person should be viewed by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. I'm a Christian and believe the biggest problem in society today is abortion. I recently graduated from APSU and will now continue my education towards a degree in Political Science.

Web Site: http://www.myspace.com/beazgod

Email: beazgod@msn.com

Sections: Opinion, Politics
Topics: city "beautification", Mayor Johnny Piper, WasteTreatment plant

10 Responses to “Wastewater stench permeates downtown”

1. rockclimber08 Says:
   November 15th, 2007 at 3:27 pm

   Scott you are so right. What the mayor needs to start doing is stop wasting money on bridges that go nowhere( cumberland crosswalk) and on trees and lights and wreaths and all this crap that is not needed. He needs to start spending citizens tax dollars on repairing the roads in clarksville that are in terrible shape. Put more money towards our schools. I go to Central and we are so broken down and out of money that we have to put a tarp up in our school to direct water into our trash cans when it rains because no one wants to spend money on fixing what needs to be fixed. While we are walking through puddles to get to class Piper buying more Christmas lights for the riverwalk. It is just flat out ridiculous that are tax dollars are being spent this way and it needs to end now.

2. David W. Shelton Says:
   November 16th, 2007 at 4:30 am

   Rockclimber: thanks for posting! However much you might dislike some of Mayor Piper’s policies, I think it’s fair to direct some of that frustration to the correct source. You might look to the School Board and the County Commission, since they’re the ones who oversee the funding for the school system. All the City does is write a check for their portion. It’s the County officials who actually control how the money is spent. To me, it’s a little more than disturbing to know that there was an entire laundry list of things that needed to be repaired in local schools, but Montgomery Central is still in dire need of major repairs. I think it’s time for you to pay a visit to the School Board and ask a simple question: WHY hasn’t the roof been fixed?

3. Andrew Shoemaker Says:
   November 17th, 2007 at 12:15 am

   I probably should have done a little research before accusing people of things they have little or no power over. I sounded like an uneducated redneck moron. Its just that iam frustrated at the overall number of incompetent leaders in our country today.

4. Bill Larson Says:
   November 17th, 2007 at 2:52 pm

   We know the feeling. The sad things is there are leaders like this in our City and County as well.

5. Scott Beasley Says:
   November 19th, 2007 at 9:31 am

   Andrew, no you don’t sound like a moron! You actually bring up a very good topic. We have a city and a county government. Fot those of us who live in the county, we pay for all the administrative capacities of that government, but for those who live in the city limits, they have to pay for two. Its high time to consolodate the government. Your complaint regarding the schools is valid and legitimate and I share your frustration with our local government(s). Please do not get frustrated or lose interest for that is very easy to do. I don’t believe for one second that our local leaders are “hellbent” on destroying the community like some want us to believe, but they need a constant and sobering reminder of why they are there and WHO put them there. I think I’ll go for a swim just downstream from the wastewater plant and THEN attend a city council meeting. The next time it rains and the roof leaks at MCHS, why don’t you move your desk and chair directly under the leak. After school, go to the county commission and ask why you have to be subjected to such conditions in your school. Sometimes a wake up call is what is needed to get people to realize the problems.

6. highfader Says:
   December 29th, 2007 at 12:00 am

   Personal responsibility and accountability really? 65

7. Scott Beasley Says:
   December 29th, 2007 at 6:00 pm

   Absolutely, until the TBI investigation is complete, and the trial is over, things will have to remain in a suspended state.

8. highfader Says:
   December 29th, 2007 at 11:00 pm

   Thats all I needed. I’ve left some messages…some nice, some not so nice (in a drunken state-mind you). Thanks for answering. Roll Tide tomorrow!

9. Scott Beasley Says:
   December 30th, 2007 at 6:53 am

   I hear you brother, its a mess right now and the best thing that can be done right now is wait till the storm blows over. I’ll talk to you soon.

10. Turner McCullough Jr. Says:
    May 1st, 2008 at 10:38 am

    The problem of offending odors emanating from our wastewater treatment facility has been a BLIGHT upon this community for DECADES. The city council voted to receive an EPA grant of $33 million dollars to upgrade the facility in the late 1990’s, shortly after moving into the resplendent new Madison Street complex. This federal grant-funded upgrade was suppose to correct the problem responsible for the odors bombarding the community. It also raised our utility rates 33 per cent over the next three years. The question to CGWS and City Hall is, “Why has this situation continued to exist TEN Years after the fact?”

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