City council addresses mall rumors
By Lori Mellinger editor@bullardnews.com

During last week's Bullard City Council meeting, Mayor A.W. Hines addressed the rampant rumors of an outlet mall coming into the city during his report to the council.

"Everyone has heard the rumors, and it's indeed a possibility," Hines said. "(City Manager) Larry Morgan and I have met with the proposed developer."

The city nor the council is ready to make any formal announcements or adjustments yet, however, because, as Hines said, "It's not a deal until it's signed."

Hines said he and Morgan were to meet again with Tennessee developer and insurance company owner William Adair in the next few weeks to see if Adair is both willing and able to complete a project of such magnitude.

"If it happens, it's supposed to be finished within 10-12 months," Hines said. "And it will completely change the face of Bullard."

The city's biggest concern - at this time - goes back to sewer capacity.

"If this happens, the sewage package plant we've intended to build will not be big enough," Hines said. "We'll need much more capacity."

The council will now be forced to decide whether to go on with the plans for the package plant or hold off until Adair commits one way or another.

There's also a distinct possibility that Adair could fund a sewer treatment plant before. He's done so in the past.

According to the news source commercialappeal.com, Direct General Insurance Co. founders and wife Jackie Adair paid for a $5 million waste treatment plant for the city of Piperton, Tenn.

"A centralized sewage system is not an option for the town's more than 1,000 residents who now rely on septic systems. The main infrastructure for the sewer could be installed within 18 months and all new homes would be required to connect to it," Adair said in the article.

According to commercialappeal. com, Adair told city officials "his family hopes to recoup its investment by collecting sewerhookup fees over the next several years. He estimates that the project will cost $5 million."

The proposal for the Tennessee wastewater treatment plant was spurred by the Adairs' plans to transform a ranch into a 3,000-acre, mixed-use development.

The Adairs purchased the land for $28 million.

The insurance company owners turned real estate developers recently sold Direct to a private equity firm as part of a $628.2 million deal.

"It's time for us to move onto another project and this is the right project for us," Adair said in the article.

According to the site, "In order for a 'gigantic' residential and commercial development of its scale to be viable, central sewer is critical, Adair said."

In other business, the council:

!approved the purchase of a hater for the utilities department;

! approved authorizing Morgan to join the Tyler Area Builders Association;

! authorized requesting proposals for codification of city ordinances; and

! approved an ongoing joint election contract with Smith County.