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MURFREESBORO – There are areas within Murfreesboro with stormwater drainage issues. The Town Council took action at their regular meeting here on Aug. 24 to address those problems.

In a unanimous vote, the council passed a resolution stating their intention to apply for grant and/or loan assistance from the state for three stormwater projects.

Mayor Pro-Tem Berna Stephens, who presided over Wednesday’s meeting because the mayor was unable to attend, stated that the application would be for a stormwater asset inventory assessment (AIA) study, stormwater construction on Fourth Street, and stormwater construction for infrastructure failure.

Town Administrator Carolyn Brown told the Council that engineers would be onsite Aug. 25 to inspect the issues and gather more information. She noted that their visit will include inspecting an ongoing drainage issue affecting an area stretching from High Street through the ACE Hardware property and then across Main Street to properties there as well.

Council member David Brown motioned to accept the resolution, and James Futrell provided the second.

Brown confirmed to the News Herald this week that the engineer did visit on Aug. 25 and received photos and information needed for the time being. She said they expect to submit the grant applications, which are due at the end of September, in a timely manner.

Stormwater drainage issues in town were also discussed earlier in the Aug. 24 meeting during public comments. Susan White, who lives on High Street, spoke about the drainage causing damage on her property. She urged the council to work to fix the problem, noting several times when the issue has been brought up before.

Jamie Johnson from ACE Hardware also spoke briefly about the same problem causing erosion at his business. He called it a “significant issue” but that they could work together to fix it.

The town of Murfreesboro has been successful in past attempts to secure funding similar AIA grants for the water and sewer system. The grants are distributed through the NC Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Infrastructure.

As recently as May, the council approved a resolution to accept $150,000 to conduct an assessment of the town’s water system, including mapping water lines and identifying problems in the system. Last year, the town received the results of a previous sewer assessment covering 11,400 ft. of pipe within town. The results of the sewer assessment helped the town receive a zero-percent interest loan from NCDEQ to cover some of the sewer rehabilitation costs.

Contractors dealing with supply chain issues, however, have slowed down progress on the work.