George Gardner of Barge, Waggoner, Sumner and Cannon kicked off the August 11th, 2005 meeting of the Red Boiling Springs City Council by asking for an additional $4959.95 to complete the CDBG and Sabin Springs water projects. He needed the extra money, he said, because the funds from the World Development Grant had not yet been received.

Gardner also asked the Council to finalize negotiations with the city of Lafayette regarding the price of water Red Boiling Springs would have to pay to purchase water from Lafayette. The new water line in construction between Lafayette and Red Boiling Springs requires the purchase from Lafayette of 14,502 gallons of water per day. Gardner explained that Nestle Waters North America, located on Highway 52 in Red Boiling Springs, would buy that amount, but that the water would run through the RBS city water meters, allowing the RBS Water Department to set the rate Nestle would have to pay for the water. "The line is designed," he said, "so that RBS can decide how to use the water. They can use it only for Nestle's water bottling plant, or for the city's other water customers. All water from the line will go through RBS water meters and rates can be applied as needed."

At Gardner's suggestion, the Council voted to form a committee to assess the cost of water and raise RBS water rates accordingly.

County Mayor Donoho attended the August 11th meeting, as did Supervisor of Schools Mike Prock and several members of the Macon County School Board. At issue was the Council's willingness to contribute to the School Board their share of the planned sales tax increase. The increase did not make it through last year's elections, but Mayor Donoho and others hope they will be successful this year in gaining sufficient support to pass the increase. Council members Roark and Russell questioned Prock about some of the School Board's plans for building and improving Macon County's schools. In particular, Roark asked why it was necessary to build a new vocational school in Lafayette when one already exists in Red Boiling Springs. Prock answered Roark by explaining that a new vocational school, updated and modern, would draw a larger audience than the current Tri-County Vocational School. "More students would attend a school in Lafayette," Prock said. "Macon County will come out ahead if we have our own facility," Mayor Donoho said. The Council voted to approve Mayor Donoho's request to contribute to the School Board their share of the tax increase, subject to voters, of course, in November.

In other business, the Council voted to discontinue the RBS Christmas Parade, stating that the City's money would be better spent on a Labor Day Parade, and to put into CD's $100,00.00 from the Utility Fund (water and sewer).

RBS Mayor Kenneth Hollis asked the Council to approve Clarence Ferguson to manage the work on the Lafayette-Red Boiling Springs water line. His request was voted down.

Mayor Hollis informed the Council that he and Danny Dozier met with the attorneys who represent RBS in the lawsuit the state filed against the City and former Mayor Randel Gregory in March, 2005. Hollis said that the state will likely drop the lawsuit because the City has complied with the demands of the lawsuit and met state requirements for water management and operation. "I've got a good feeling," he said, "that the lawsuit isn't going to amount to much."

.