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Tatum mayor asks Lee County for $50,000 sewer-evaluation grant as commissioners approve several Tatum appropriations
Summary
Tatum Mayor Isabella Salazar requested $50,000 from Lee County toward an updated sewer-system assessment to enable $2M grant applications; commissioners earlier approved smaller appropriations to the town for senior-center and baseball-field improvements during the same meeting.
Isabella Salazar, mayor of Tatum, asked the commission for a $50,000 contribution to fund an updated sewer utility assessment, noting the town's last full assessment was completed in December 2016. She told the commission aging infrastructure has caused backups that affect restaurants, businesses and school restrooms — "If you walk into our restaurants, you can smell our sewer system" — and said the assessment is a required step for competitive state and federal grant applications for roughly $2 million in repair funding.
Salazar said the town has pursued state funding and is taking steps on rates and grant-writer support, but it lacks current engineering data necessary to demonstrate readiness to grantors. Commissioners asked about other funding sources and praised the town for pursuing state funds first; a commissioner also noted Tatum has been proactive in seeking state assistance.
Separately in the same meeting the commission approved two district discretionary appropriations to Tatum: $10,000 for senior-center improvements and $100,000 for baseball-field upgrades. Those motions were seconded and passed. The mayor said the investments will help local youth programming and community events.
Commissioners did not immediately commit to the $50,000 sewer-assessment request at this meeting but discussed options and directed staff to consider funding mechanisms and follow up.
