| State House takes up Barrett Bill again |
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By: MICHELLE WILLARD, Post Editor
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Posted: Wednesday, June 2, 2010 3:37 pm
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An amendment to overrule the Tennessee Department of Transportation in favor of a local manufacturer advanced through the Tennessee House of Representatives Budget subcommittee in a late night session Tuesday.
The House Budget Subcommittee approved an amendment to an omnibus bill that orders the Tennessee Department of Transportation to extend Miller Lane and give Rutherford County control of the interstate right of way.
“The state of Tennessee shall hold legal title to the property, but is authorized and empowered to assign the actual custody and control of the property to Rutherford County,” the amendment said. The piece of land in contention is located next to Ronnie Barrett’s Barrett Firearms. He has sued and lobbied to have the road widened to reach a factory expansion.
Should the House Budget Subcommittee finish other outstanding business today, the House Finance Committee could vote on the amendment as early as Wednesday night.
Earlier this legislative session, the Senate Finance Committee voted to advance a similar bill that would grant Barrett the right-of-way needed to widen and extend Miller Lane to his factory expansion.
A companion bill in the state House has stalled after the Federal Highway Administration warned the state may lose highway funding of more than $762 million if the transfer of property is approved.
TDOT Spokeswoman Julie Oaks said the department asked the FHA earlier this year if the legislation would violate any federal transportation rules.
“They said, ‘this legislation seems to be in conflict with the core concepts of our program’,” Oaks read from a letter to TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely.
In 2009, Barrett filed suit against Rutherford County and the Tennessee Department of Transportation, alleging TDOT’s refusal to widen Miller Lane near Epps Mill Road has cost the company.
In 2004, Barrett Firearms received a $40 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to produce the company’s .50-caliber rifles for U.S. military snipers in Iraq.
The company’s current 20,000 square foot facility and 60 employees were unable to complete the contract without a 48,000 square foot expansion and the addition of 50 employees.
Barrett said he proposed extending the Rutherford County road at the company’s expense. The extension required TDOT to move a fence adjacent to I-24.
After Barrett completed the 48,000-square foot plant expansion for $4.1 million of Barrett Firearms, TDOT allegedly changed its position on the extension of Miller Lane.
Oaks said TDOT worked with Barrett to devise a plan to extend a roadway to the factory through the State Industrial Access Program, but an agreement couldn’t be reached on a route for the road.
In order to access land for the plant expansion, Barrett proposed extending Miller Lane, next to Interstate 24. In the lawsuit Barrett alleges TDOT agreed to the plans, but, the department allegedly reversed its position after an initial assessment from TDOT engineers found storm water issues and fears of possible flooding.
Michelle Willard can be contacted at 615-869-0816 or mwillard@murfreesboropost.com. |
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