Bedford commissioners send wastewater-authority proposal back to committee after months of public concern

The Bedford County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to send a resolution seeking a private act to create a Bedford County Wastewater Authority back to the Courthouse and Property Committee for further study, after hours of public comment and commissioner debate.

The resolution, identified in the meeting packet as Resolution 25-14, would ask the Tennessee General Assembly for permission to create an authority that the draft language says could plan, acquire, operate and finance wastewater systems. Concerns raised by residents and several commissioners centered on the document’s broad powers, potential eminent domain authority and lack of specifics about need, costs and geographic scope.

Supporters in the room said the measure is intended as an early step so the county could set stricter standards than the state for certain types of decentralized wastewater (often called STEP systems) and have a tool to manage growth. Chris White, the county planning director, said:…