By Bill Grubb

BULLS GAP - Bulls Gap Board of Mayor and Aldermen voted Monday to close the intersection of Sycamore Drive and Highway 11E, although they are not sure how they will do it.
    In May, the board heard from Sycamore Drive resident Nancy Haney who asked the board to close the intersection, making the portion of the residential street from South VFW road to the highway a dead-end street.  The move will not impact a portion of Sycamore Drive that extends from the highway to Lautner Drive.
    Haney said traffic often speeds down the street, coming off the highway, and she also noted the street meets the highway at a sharp angle making it virtually impossible for vehicle to turn left onto the highway.
    Although the board voted to close off the intersection, exactly how and when that will occur has yet to be determined.
    "I think we need to do this, but how do we do it?"  Vice Mayor Pete Shipley inquired.  
    During a brief discussion officials determined in addition to putting "Dead End" signs at the open end, the closed intersection might require reflectors and something to completely restrict access from highway.    
    "It will probably take a guard rail at the highway but who puts up the guard rail?" Alderman Charles Johnson inquired.
    Mayor Robin Horner said he would check with the Tennessee Department of Transportation concerning the guard rail, since the state is responsible for the highway.
    The board also discussed installing fire hydrants in several areas of town not served with hydrants, including the Shadowland Hills subdivision.
    "If we just had three hydrants up there, that would cover everything.  The main thing is who is responsible for paying for them,"  Johnson said.  While the Russellville-Whitesburg Utility District provides water service to the area, Johnson noted they will not foot the bill for the hydrants.
    "I know for a fact having a hydrant nearby will help lower you insurance," Alderman Jimmy Sexton noted.
    The board instructed Johnson to contact utility district officials to determine a cost the procedure for installing the hydrants and to contact the Persia Utility District, which serves customers on the northern end of the city, to see if it is possible to install them in the Goan Drive area.
    The BMA also gave final approval to ordinances amending the current budget and adopting a 2009-10 budget, which maintains the current property tax rate of 72-cents per $100 of assessed property value and includes no increase in sewer rates.
    Officials also discussed changing the  town's policy regulating charitable roadblocks to include a form to be completed by the organization requesting the roadblock.