In a move that could shape the future of water access across Sumner County, the County Commission has approved a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the City of Gallatin tied to a $12 million state grant. But while the green light was given, it came with a few caveats that could complicate how - and when - that money gets used.
The grant is part of a broader regional water infrastructure project that’s already underway, bringing together Gallatin, Portland, Westmoreland, and the Castalian Springs-Bethpage Water District. The goal?
Build 23 miles of new water lines and deliver up to 3 million gallons of water per day to areas of the county that have long struggled with reliable access. It’s a big swing, and one designed to address both current needs and long-term resilience.
But the road to approval wasn’t without friction.
Commissioner Tim Jones raised a pointed question: is this the same project the Commission rejected back in 2023?
“We tried to limit the amount of growth they could have on it,” Jones said. “Then they decided to go at it their own way… The Commission stopped it because we wanted only current residents to benefit from this and not have them use this for future growth.”
That tension - between infrastructure expansion and concerns about unchecked development - was a recurring theme throughout the discussion.
Commissioner Matthew Shoaf acknowledged those concerns but emphasized the need to keep the broader picture in focus.
“I was fine with the restrictions,” Shoaf said. “At this point, this project is going.
There are things I don’t like about this. But sometimes you’ve got to think out in front of you.”
Shoaf also made it clear that turning down the MOA wouldn’t just be a symbolic move - it could cost the county and participating cities $12 million in grant funding that’s already been earmarked. With the project slated for completion in 2026, that kind of financial hit would be tough to recover from.
Under the terms of the agreement, Sumner County will act as a passthrough for the state grant, with Gallatin handling the actual spending. That setup raised a few eyebrows, including from Commissioner Jeremy Mansfield, who questioned the urgency behind approving the MOA before the end of the year.
“I don’t see anything that says the funding is at risk if we don’t pass this in December,” Mansfield said. He also asked why Gallatin didn’t seek the state funding directly, rather than channeling it through the county.
Mansfield proposed an amendment requiring participating cities to impose a five-year moratorium on annexing unincorporated land for residential development - a move aimed at curbing growth in areas where infrastructure expansion could otherwise invite rapid development. Commissioner Jones backed the idea, saying, “We could pass this and they would be forced to limit growth.”
But not everyone was on board with using water access as a bargaining chip.
“Leveraging people’s drinking water to achieve anything is, I think, the wrong thing to do,” said Commissioner Wes Wynne.
Still, the amendment passed by a 13-4 vote. Another amendment - requiring Gallatin to reimburse the county for reappraisal fees before any grant funds are disbursed - also passed by the same margin. With those conditions in place, the MOA was ultimately approved in a 17-0 unanimous vote.
Gallatin Mayor Paige Brown didn’t mince words in responding to the debate.
“This is money that the state granted for Portland,” Brown said in a statement. “Gallatin is the lead on the project as the water is coming from our system. What is happening with this collaborative project is something we should all be proud of… It’s so disappointing that some continue to use it to try to take away city authority.”
Brown also addressed the reappraisal fee issue, noting that cities were charged unexpectedly and without prior discussion. She said there’s still disagreement between county and city technical advisory services over what the proper fee should be - and that Gallatin isn’t the only city in that position. Hendersonville, for instance, recently paid its fee in order to receive a large county grant.
At the heart of this story is a balancing act: how to expand critical infrastructure without opening the floodgates to unplanned growth. The Commission’s decision to approve the MOA - with strings attached - reflects that ongoing push-and-pull between development, governance, and the practical needs of residents. The water is coming, but the politics around it are far from settled.