Warren County has a potential to receive grant money for convenience centers, but Morrison’s TDEC violations may affect it.

At the county Health and Welfare Committee meeting Tuesday night, Sanitation Department director Josh Roberts said TDEC inspections are coming up and told the committee state grants for convenience centers are also opening up. 

“State grants are opening this week for convenience center upgrades,” said Roberts. “As you know we are looking at building a convenience center with the relocation of the ones in Morrison and Smartt Station and this could potentially help us with the center. We don’t know the details at this point.” 

TDEC inspections could heavily affect the potential of the county getting a grant. 

“TDEC inspections for our convenience centers are coming up this month. They do quarterly inspections and we hope we get through that because our grant money depends on that,” said Roberts. “We are prepared for the inspections and we are keeping everything clean.”

Roberts says he knows the Morrison site will not pass inspection due to its TDEC violation. The only way to fix the leakage is to dig a septic tank and since the county does not own the property, the site they have to relocate to correct the violation. 

“Will that affect the grant money?” asked Commissioner Kasey Owens.

“We don’t know that yet. When this grant opens if it comes down to every convenience center in Warren County having to be in compliance with TDEC if that is in the writing in that grant then it will affect us and we won’t get it,” said Roberts.

More will be known about the grant in the coming weeks.