Blue Springs Way Road Maintenance Report

From: Tom West, Cindy Miller, and Joe Mansy
To: Homeowners and Property Owners on Blue Springs Way or using Blue Springs Way to access property on Margaret Hollow Way, Little Cub Way, and Golden Pond Way.

Re: Blue Springs Way Maintenance and County Takeover Progress

Road Maintenance Cost Update as of September 2010

The contributions of home and property owners for the recent improvements to Blue Springs Way are greatly appreciated by everyone. A $5000 deficit remains for the most recent improvement efforts. More than half of property owners have yet to contribute. We hope this letter and information will encourage those who benefit from these efforts -but have not yet contributed- to step up and share the burden.

In 2008 and 2009 heavy rains and high usage took a toll on the road. Large potholes and erosion made traveling the lower portions especially in the second quarter mile slow and difficult. During the summer of 2009 Joe Mansy undertook an improvement project. More than 14 truckloads of shale were brought from his property and used to create a road bed with proper drainage. Two culverts were placed. Five loads of gravel were used to surface the road. Subsequently the road surface has been graded with a tractor and box. This work cost $5000. Tim and Sharmon Czahor, Cindy Miller, Steve and Rebecca Nash, Bob and Clydena Starnes, and Tom and Shirley West contributed the requested $450 per home or a total of $2250. Joe Mansy paid the balance and also contributed a culvert and an additional load of gravel this year.

The steeper third and fourth quarter mile of the road also suffered extreme erosion. The ditch had not been maintained and water washed out a portion of the road bed and caused a small landslide. During the winter and spring of 2010 Cindy Miller undertook an additional $19,000 improvement project on this section. This included extensive bulldozer work to improve the grade and drainage. New culverts were placed and at least 24 loads of gravel put down.

Mostly the same individuals contributed to these efforts, but our June letter requesting financial support in paying these costs did result in additional contributors. Contributors were Cindy Miller $4000, Ernest Huff $500, Chad Schenk $500, Tom West $2000, Paul Nash $2000, Bob Starnes $2000, Allan Roark $2000, Tim Czahor $1000. A deficit of about $5000 still remains. Everyone is grateful to those who did contribute. We are hopeful that those who have not will participate in paying for these repairs. The anticipated more permanent solution of Sevier County assuming road maintenance would require an additional investment by homeowners.

Below is a list of 25 owners whose property is known to be accessed by Blue Springs Way. A letter was mailed to nineteen of these owners in June 2010. A copy can be viewed at www.bluespringsway.org. We believe most received this request for the road upkeep. We received contributions from the nine owners mentioned above. This totaled $14,000.00, which leaves a balance of $5005.00.

The addresses listed below are primarily from the Sevier County Tax Assessor’s Office. If you know that yours or any other of these addresses is incorrect, please let us know, so that we can update the list. It is important that all property owners are kept informed concerning the ongoing costs of accessing our homes and land and making sure owners, guests and workers all can reach our properties easily and safely. Our success is directly related to our ability to effectively communicate with everyone concerning this process.

Possibility of Sevier County Taking Over Blue Springs Way

On Wednesday, September 8, 2010, Cindy Miller, Joe Mansy, Tom West, Earl McCarter, and Earl’s brother met with Jonas Smelcer, Sevier County Road Superintendent, and Second District County Commissioner, Ben Clabo, to present a petition signed by 95 people, requesting that Sevier County assume responsibility for Blue Springs Way. You may view a copy of the petition at www.bluespringsway.org.

After lengthy discussions on the existing (20 foot) right of way not meeting width requirements on the first 1200 to 1500 feet of this road, Mr. Smelcer proposed a solution. The right of way would be deeded to Sevier County and a variance for the width obtained. If the respective landowners deed the existing publicly used right of way to Sevier County, it would then be possible for Ben Clabo to request a variance for the width, clearing the way for the County to maintain this road.

If such a variance were approved, Sevier County would also require the users of the road to pay (to Sevier County) the initial cost to have the road chip-and-sealed. After that, maintenance costs would be borne by the County. The cost to property owners was quoted at $2000 per one tenth of a mile or $20,000 per mile. To chip and seal up to where the existing gravel meets the blacktop on the steep hill would cost about $22,000, as it is about 1.1 miles. The County will not assume the roads in subdivisions. Additionally, any work beyond the length of the old original Blue Springs Road (estimated to be 1300 or 1400 feet) may require the 50 foot right of way, some of which requires landowner permission, which we presently do not have.

A 2008 quote for paving the entire 1.1 miles to the blacktop section was in excess of $70,000.00, in which case the community would still be responsible for future maintenance. The cost of making this a County road, which thereafter would be maintained by the County, is a bargain compared to continuing to trying to keep it passable with landowner funds.

Mr. Smelcer claimed that the cost of our contributions for the initial cost of this road would be tax deductible. He also said that no work would be done until after the first of 2011.

In summary, while it is not a certainty that Blue Springs Way will be taken over and maintained by Sevier County, we have a possibility that did not exist until we generated a petition and met with County authorities. We feel that it is imperative to act swiftly and concertedly in order to take advantage of the opportunity to create safer and less costly access to our property.

We are hopeful that all property owners will be willing to contribute to the costs of converting Blue Springs Way to a County Road and have Sevier County assume its maintenance. If everyone were to participate the costs per owner will be reasonable. Please indicate your commitment to participate by mail to Cindy Miller P.O. Box 5377, Sevierville TN 37864 or via email to admin@bluespringsway.org. The window of opportunity with the County may be fleeting, so please respond as soon as possible. You may post your comments on our blog www.bluespringsway.org. If we collect your email address, we will send you email updates regarding our progress and report on commitments to making Blue Springs Way a County Road.

If you have not yet contributed to Cindy Miller’s recent road maintenance project, please recognize the value of her efforts and share this burden. Send your contribution as soon as possible to: Cindy Miller P.O. Box 5377. Sevierville TN 37864. If you have already contributed, thank you. You have the satisfaction of knowing that you have assumed your part in maintaining the road on which you or your guests will travel more safely and with less wear on vehicles.

LIST OF PROPERTY OWNERS

Terrance and Jeannie Barret
11328 Camden Loop Way
Windermere, Fl 34736

Ronald Cameron
3212 Cameron Way
Sevierville, TN 37862

Lisa Cromer/Tracy Joyce Newborn – Lot 6
471 Howard Jones Rd.
Defuniak Springs, Fl. 32433

Tim and Sharmon Czahor – 2963 Little Cub Way
137A Taylor Bridge Rd SW
Calhoun, Georgia 30701

Tommy Drinnen
3106 Blue Springs Way
Sevierville, TN 37862

Rick and Jody Garrity – RBG Development UC
P.O. Box 6224
Sevierville, TN 37864

Steven and Michelle Grenier – Moose Tracks 2752 Blue Springs Way
17925 31st Rd N
Loxahatchee, Ohio 33470

Charles Guarneri – Lot 10 2739 Blue Springs Way
320 Forest Bend Drive
Mt. Juliet, TN 37122

Nick and Laurie Haley – Puttin on the Ritz Little Cub Way Lot 15
2441-Q Old Fort Pkwy #111
Murfreesboro, TN 37128

Ernest Huff
2902 Wears Valley Road
Sevierville, TN 37862

Ralph and Berta Lundberg – 3660 Margaret Hollow Way (Mail has been returned to this address)
1943 Igou Pl Dr.
Chattanooga, TN 37421

Joe Mansy
PO Box 336
Pigeon Forge, TN 37868

Earl McCarter
3062 Blue Springs Way
Sevierville, TN 37862

Cindy Miller
P.O. Box 5377
Sevierville TN 37864

Gerald & Karen Miller
3202 Wears Valley Road
Sevierville, TN 37862

Paul and Rebecca Nash – Margaret Hollow Way
16609 Hutchison Rd.
Odessa, Fl 33556

Vicky Orr
Mountain Land Investment LLC
3264 Wears Valley Road
Sevierville, TN 37862

Diane Ritter/Jerrold Birbal – Above and Beyond 2953 Little Cub Way
1535 Old Beech Ct.
Dayton, OH 45458

Allan and Patricia Roark
14315 Birchwood Pike
Birchwood TN 37308

Linda Scheele – Lot 20
20110 Mawrano Bay Dr.
Boyton Beach, Fl 33435

Chad Schenk – Cabin Fever 3702 Margaret Hollow Way
1210 Inglenook Place
Cincinnati, Ohio 45208

Mary Lou Shinlever
3011 Hatcher Mtn. Rd.
Sevierville, TN 37862

Bob Starnes and Clydene Buckner- Mountain Aire
2756 Ashton Circle
Hamilton, Ohio 45011

Tom and Shirley West
2811 Meadow Stream
Ft. Wayne, IN 46825

Gordon Whitmore
3049 Blue Springs Way
Sevierville, TN 37862