The Greeneville Water Commission on Tuesday approved a request to waive its moratorium on providing sewer service outside the city limits of Greeneville.

Claudine Davis made the request for her father's property on Acorn Circle, adjacent to Russell Acres.

Greeneville provides sewer service to the subdivision.

Davis said her father has been cited by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) for groundwater issues related to his failing septic system.

Davis provided drawings of her father's property showing its proximity to the subdivision.

She said she and her father are willing to pay the cost for installing the sewer service.

Commissioner Joe Waggoner voted against the request. He said he wants to give residents an incentive to buy, build and live inside the city and pay city property taxes.

Davis said she respects his decision, but Greeneville has a large untapped capacity, and adding her father to the sewer system would be an opportunity for the Greeneville Water Commission to increase its revenue.

Commissioner Johnny Honeycutt noted that City Attorney Ron Woods' opinion was that approving the request would not be a problem.

The commission delayed action on a similar request from Grace Fellowship, which is building a church just outside the Greeneville city limits on the Baileyton Road.

Doug Carver, interim superintendent, said the church's concern is that its septic system would have to be placed underneath its parking lot.

Carver noted that existing sanitary sewer lines run through the church property.

Waggoner said he drove by the church site on Tuesday morning. The city limits are located across the highway from the church, he noted.

He recommended that the church asked to be annexed by Greeneville before receiving the sewer service, otherwise the commission would be setting a precedent.

"I feel like we've got a moratorium in place, and we need to honor it," Waggoner said.

He noted that the church would not have to pay city property taxes if it is annexed.

Chairman Brandon Hull said the church should consider an annexation request because it would receive city services, like fire protection and garbage pickup.

The commission delayed action until the church elders could meet and vote on the annexation request.

In other action, the Water Commission authorized Chairman Hull to sign a grant application for $578,300 to replace a water line along Newport Highway.

The commission also renewed the Water Department's health insurance provider, Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Carver said BCBS was the lowest of four bidders. Chairman Hull abstained from voting because of a possible conflict of interest.

The commission also voted to give $1,100 to the United Way of Greene County and to give $150 Christmas bonuses to Water Department employees.