While the Clinch River could pose a flooding threat to Clinton, officials say it isn’t likely.
Brice Kidwell, director of the Anderson County Emergency Management Agency, said Clinton has a 3.67, or “low,” risk rating from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
He credited the Tennessee Valley Authority for maintaining safe water levels at Norris Dam and regulating the Clinch River’s flow.
“There is always the potential for the Clinch River to become overwhelmed in the event of excessive rainfall, such as the amount our neighbors in East Tennessee experienced last fall,” Kidwell said.
“Localized flooding is a more-common occurrence in low-lying areas, and those areas are noted within our Hazard Mitigation Plan, which was [last] updated in 2022 and is updated every five years.”
Scott Brooks with TVA public relations said most of Clinton’s flooding issues stem from creeks and streams that TVA does not regulate. He said Norris Dam has averted $89 million in potential flood damages.
This sign near the beginning of East Norris Road just off Andersonville Highway tells about the sewer rehabilitation project that began Monday. - G. Chambers Williams III
Hurst Excavating LLC. of Knoxville began work Monday (July 14) on its $851,455 contract from the city of Norris for the first phase of sewer-line upgrades, which in this first phase will affect mostly East Norris Road.
The project includes replacing older lines to help reduce the influx of stormwater runoff that overwhelms the city’s sewage-treatment plant following significant rainfall.
The work is expected to cause some traffic disruptions, mainly on East Norris Road, as the lines are uncovered.
The contractor has tentatively scheduled a shutdown of East Norris Road from Dogwood to Pine roads for either July 22 or 23, from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m., said Tony Wilkerson, superintendent of the Norris Utility Department.
The contract, approved April 14 by the council, will cover about 25% of the sanitary-sewer system, City Manager Adam Ledford said.
“These are the areas most in need of repair or replacement to reduce load levels at the sewer plant,” he said.
The city of Clinton plans to close Market Street this week and several following weeks to all vehicles.
The road will be closed Monday until Friday. On Friday at 3 p.m. it will reopen for each weekend, staying open on Saturday and Sunday.
Taylor Cullison, special event coordinator for the city, said the closure will speed along renovation work in the area which includes water, sewer, sidewalk and landscaping improvements.
“This will be a weekly schedule for the foreseeable future,” she said. She did not have any information on a completion date.
Downtown stores will remain open during these closures.
“Please make sure that you keep shopping!” Cullison said. “Many businesses have back doors for people to utilize; just look for the signage that is down there!”
City Manager Roger Houck told the City Council on June 23 that issues with water lines had caused delays.
By a measure passed on first reading Monday night, Norris residents will pay a state-certified property tax rate of 88.5 cents per $100 evaluation for fiscal year 2026, retroactive to July 1.
It’s designed to hold the gross tax collection amount from last year despite a countywide property reassessment this year that raised assessed values significantly.
The City Council approved the new rate unanimously during its regular meeting Monday, and will hold a special meeting at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, July 22, to finalize the rate in time for city staff to begin mailing out tax bills to property owners as scheduled.
City Manager Adam Ledford said the new rate was provided by the state Board of Equalization.
This deteriorating asphalt sidewalk along the Norris Commons in front of Norris Middle School and the Lions Club Pavilion will soon be removed and replaced, but with a move closer to the school to get it away from the trees. - G. Chambers Williams III
Norris plans to move and replace the distressed sidewalk in front of Norris Middle School, and was told by school officials during Monday’s council meeting that the city will be given an easement by the school board to allow the work to be done on school property.
The council has been considering and debating what to do about the deteriorating sidewalk for the past 12 years, and for several years even had a $100,000 state grant available to help pay for their rehabilitation.
But too many bureaucratic restrictions and requirements – which council members said were changed frequently over the years – led the council to relinquish the grant and proceed on its own to come up with a plan and funding for rehabilitation of the sidewalk.
Middle school Principal Rob Cummings and Anderson County Board of Education member Dail Cantrell both told the council Monday night that the school board would grant the easement.
But they stopped short of offering to school board funds to help pay the cost of the sidewalk replacement, which Mayor Chris Mitchell said would be “under $100,000.”
