History
The Tennessee General Assembly created the Tennessee Duck River Development Agency in 1965 as a comprehensive regional development agency. Its broad powers include the “control and development of the water resources” of those portions of the Duck River Watershed lying in Bedford, Coffee, Hickman, Marshall and Maury Counties. Any county or municipality in the Duck River Basin or any governmental entity from which flows any tributary stream of the river, or any county adjoining the river basin may become a sponsoring and participating entity. In 1998, the DRA Board of Directors adopted the following mission statement: “To develop, protect, and sustain a clean and dependable Water Resource for all citizens of the Duck River region.”
The Agency is governed by a twelve member board of directors appointed by the governor; one citizen from each of the five participating counties (Coffee, Bedford, Marshall, Maury & Hickman). There are two county mayors and two city/town mayors serving in the participating area. Two citizens who reside anywhere in the state of Tennessee serve as at-large positions on the board along with a member of the governor’s staff. The Agency is managed by an Executive Director and a Director of Finance. The Executive Director is in charge of and responsible for the day to day general operations of the Agency’s business and work load, ubject to the board of directors’ oversight. The Executive Director formulates plans of work which is used in cooperation with the Director of Finance to develop and annual budget. These annual budgets and work plans are the administrative guide by which the Executive Director operates and manages the business and work of the Agency. The Director of Finance is responsible to the Board of Directors for the day to day financial operations of the Agency. The Director of Finance performs those duties in such a manner as to ensure the financial integrity of the Agency. Seven area water systems contribute five cents per one thousand gallons of water sold into a trust that provides funding for water supply and water quality projects as well as operating expenses for the Agency. Over $11 million resulting from these contributions have been set aside for water supply infrastructure projects in the Duck River Region.In November 1999 the DRA/Water Systems partnership was further strengthened with the establishment of the Duck River Agency Technical Advisory Committee (“DRATAC”), which is comprised of the water system managers. DRATAC provides advice, guidance and assistance to the DRA Board and has been a key to the success of the Agency. The Agency sponsored the formation of the Duck River Watershed Water Resources Council (WRC) in May 2002. The WRC is a voluntary group, comprised of all of the federal, state and local agencies and private organizations working on water supply quantity and quality issues in the watershed. Its purpose is to foster cooperation and coordination of the member’s activities as they attempt to fulfill their missions relating to ground and surface water resources.
The Agency is governed by a twelve member board of directors appointed by the governor; one citizen from each of the five participating counties (Coffee, Bedford, Marshall, Maury & Hickman). There are two county mayors and two city/town mayors serving in the participating area. Two citizens who reside anywhere in the state of Tennessee serve as at-large positions on the board along with a member of the governor’s staff. The Agency is managed by an Executive Director and a Director of Finance. The Executive Director is in charge of and responsible for the day to day general operations of the Agency’s business and work load, ubject to the board of directors’ oversight. The Executive Director formulates plans of work which is used in cooperation with the Director of Finance to develop and annual budget. These annual budgets and work plans are the administrative guide by which the Executive Director operates and manages the business and work of the Agency. The Director of Finance is responsible to the Board of Directors for the day to day financial operations of the Agency. The Director of Finance performs those duties in such a manner as to ensure the financial integrity of the Agency. Seven area water systems contribute five cents per one thousand gallons of water sold into a trust that provides funding for water supply and water quality projects as well as operating expenses for the Agency. Over $11 million resulting from these contributions have been set aside for water supply infrastructure projects in the Duck River Region.In November 1999 the DRA/Water Systems partnership was further strengthened with the establishment of the Duck River Agency Technical Advisory Committee (“DRATAC”), which is comprised of the water system managers. DRATAC provides advice, guidance and assistance to the DRA Board and has been a key to the success of the Agency. The Agency sponsored the formation of the Duck River Watershed Water Resources Council (WRC) in May 2002. The WRC is a voluntary group, comprised of all of the federal, state and local agencies and private organizations working on water supply quantity and quality issues in the watershed. Its purpose is to foster cooperation and coordination of the member’s activities as they attempt to fulfill their missions relating to ground and surface water resources.