TEPPCO Partners, LP announced plans to construct a new refined product terminal in Clarksville along the Cumberland River. Two local businessmen apparently are engaged in this development. Normally one is inclined to celebrate such high dollar economic investment in the community.

This project is part of a three terminal initiative which will cost approximately $75 million. However, it must be noted that the given location is just several brief miles above the city’s water intake facility, our only water intake point on the Cumberland. As such, it poses a serious potential hazard to our drinking water supply.

TEPPCO’s press release states that the Clarksville facility, along with another to be constructed in Clifton and a third to be located at a site yet to be determined, “represent the continued successful implementation of our strategy to develop a network of refined products distribution facilities along inland waterways in the southeastern United States.” All three sites, only two will be here in Tennessee, are touted as ventures “that will supply markets in Western Tennessee.” Also, “Combined the three new terminals are expected to have 800,000 barrels of storage capacity for gasoline, diesel, and biofuels and offer improved trucking logistics with supply provided by barge transportation.” “The initiative is projected to be completed during the first quarter of 2010.”

The Clarksville site is located southeast of Queens Bluff off of the Martin Luther King Parkway extension, or 41-A Bypass. That this roadway serves as a major entry route to our city from I-24 is a double-edged sword in this situation. From the terminal operation’s viewpoint, this must be seen as a major incentive. However from the attractiveness aesthetic of overall economic development and tourism attraction, having incoming guests driving by a fuel storage terminal complex in the midst of residential and commercial hubs can’t be seen as a major inducement for any forward-thinking city. After all, I-24’s Exit 11 is a major thoroughfare into our city. Additionally, one must ask what impact this will have on vehicular traffic on this roadway? It is already rated as a heavily traveled roadway with congestion problems, traffic accident hot-spots and maintenance deficiencies.

Clarksville’s water intake facility on Queens Bluff which is located just downriver from the proposed fuel terminal location.

It is yet to be seen what kind of corporate citizenship TEPPCO Partners LP intends to bestow on our community. For everyone’s benefit, we hope this first foray bears a more desirable and tasty fruit. Thus far, it has only stirred up a unsettled stomach.

The State of Tennessee has sued to remove Danny J. Crosby as the Mayor of Coopertown, Tennessee.

Many Clarksville, Tennessee residents have learned the hard way about this sleepy little town of 3,176 residents. The town operates several infamous speed traps on Interstate 24, U.S. 431, and State highway 49. The city’s police budget has nearly tripled, from $155,880 during the last year to $451,550 this fiscal year. The town budget plans on between $400,000 and $800,000 in traffic court revenues, comprising over one third of the city budget. This percentage is much higher than that of many larger U.S. cities.

Mayor Crosby is accused of misusing the city’s power, disgracing the office of the mayor, and multiple violations of the public trust including:

• Running a speed trap
• Ordering police to profile out of town residents, Hispanics, and US Military Personnel from Fort Campbell who would be less likely to contest the tickets
• Racism and fostering an atmosphere of racial intolerance
• Violating the civil rights of state residents
• Planting false evidence
• Ordering unlawful arrests of his political enemies
• Violating the state open-meeting laws
• Violating child labor laws
• Threatening and intimidating local citizens

Coopertown is located 25 miles north of Nashville and 20 miles south of Clarksville on Interstate 24 in Robertson County Tennessee. Coopertown encompasses nearly 25 square miles.The City of Coopertown has no property tax. Local services are paid for by funds raised from sales taxes and traffic fines. The city offers 24 hour a day police protection, road maintenance, and building and codes enforcement. Fire service is contracted out to Pleasant View Volunteer Fire Department.

In January 2006 the Coopertown PD had 11 full time and one part time officer. They have eight police vehicles assigned to the department. It was also stated that they patrol I-24 4 miles on the east bound lanes, and one mile westbound.

Tennessee State Representatives have acknowledged that speed traps are a serious problem in Tennessee. Legislation has been proposed, which would require that safety be the only reason for reducing speed limits, prohibit towns from annexing land to gain jurisdiction over interstate highways, and ban local law enforcement officers from from policing the interstates. They understand that police speed traps damage the image of Tennessee held by tourists, and annoy commuters.