Crossville Voters to Decide on Major Utility Merger in November

The Crossville City Council, in regular session on Tuesday, approved a resolution placing an infrastructure referendum on the November ballot. Voters will decide whether to grant the council authority to transfer the city’s water and sewer utility assets, specifically properties at Meadow Park Lake, to the Cumberland Plateau Water Authority (CPWA). Under the city charter, a referendum is required before disposing of municipal utility real property. City officials say a “yes” vote does not automatically trigger a merger, but gives council members the legal option to proceed. Crossville Mayor RJ Crawford supports a merger saying that creating additional water sources or increasing capacity is too costly for city residents alone, stating that spreading the debt of necessary upgrades across a larger regional user base is financially necessary.