Michael Bobbitt: Notes from the Peanut Gallery (Water Committee Meeting March 30th, 2015)

The Water Committee meets on the Monday before the monthly Water Board (Board of Commissioners) Meeting. The results of the committee’s meetings are reported to the both boards during their regular monthly meetings. The agenda for this meeting included three topics:

• Review of Monthly Construction and Operations Report – Phase 1A, 2A & 2B

• Resolution of Support for Kerr Lake Regional Water System’s Interbasin Transfer Request

• Water Pricing Discussion (Envirolink to lead discussion) This topic was the meat of the meeting.

Resolution of Support for Kerr Lake Regional Water System’s Interbasin Transfer Request:

Reading of the resolution we learn the US Corp of Engineers will allow the Kerr Lake Regional Water System to increase the annual average gallons of water transferred from Kerr Lake to the Roanoke and Tar-Pamlico River basins to 14.2 million gallons of water per day from the current 10 million gallons per day. Vance County’s water system buys water from the regional water system through the City of Henderson. The increase in the amount of water transferred “is projected to meet the Kerr Lake Regional Water System’s needs through 2045”. The committee approved the resolution so expect the Water Board to do likewise.

Review of Monthly Construction and Operations Report – Phase 1A, 2A & 2B

The Operations Report reveals that only 390 property owners are actually buying water. Another 625 are required to pay the monthly $30 fee and are not buying any water. A total of 1,085 property owners are “committed to the water system” of which 61% have no intention for buying the water. This lack of customer support in the private sector would be alarming. According to Mr. McMillan construction of the last 5 miles of pipe in Phase 1A is on schedule. When completed 25 more paying customers will have county water or basically 5 house per mile instead of the 14 customers per mile required to make the system self sustaining. Construction of the last 5 miles of pipe in Phase 2 has been delayed until another new construction firm can be contracted for the work. The construction report was verbal and not written.

Water Pricing Discussion (Envirolink to lead discussion)

Envirolink started this discussion presenting a Water Rate Worksheet (page 6 of the agenda). After a brief discussion Commissioner Brummitt suggested a change to Envirolink’s recommendations. Commissioner Brummitt suggested spiting Block 1 users into two groups. Customers using between 1,000 – 3,000 gallons per month and customers using 3,000 to 6,000 gallons per month. After some thirty minutes of often tense discussion the committee agreed to continue to refine the rate structure and present a final structure during the budget review meeting. During the committee’s discussion of the pricing, Jesse Stem asked if he could ask a question. Mr. Stem and Lawrence Brame have been attending the committee and the Water Board meetings for nearly a year representing themselves and speaking for many others about the unfairness of decisions made by the commissioners. Mr. Stem said paying $30 a month for ever is unfair. Commissioner Garrison’s heard Mr. Stem and suggested the $30 a month fee expire after 40 years or coincidently when the $27 million load is paid. Commissioner Taylor agreed with Commissioner Garrison although Commissioner Brummitt expressed concern about administering such a plan.

The committee had request Mr. Jordan to ascertain the tax value of the properties in the water district. “According to the tax office the value [of the water district parts of the county] is $1,313,644,506.” This value is important because property taxes will be increase in the water district parts of the county unless property owners buy county water. Excluded from the water districts are parts of Middleburg Township, all of Watkins Township and the City of Henderson and three of the city’s extra territorial jurisdictions. (Refer to the map on page 9 of the agenda) Included in the Water District is the Kittrell Township even though their water district is independent of the county’s. Messer’s Stem and Brame have clearly voiced their objection to the bait and switch monthly fee. Will the property owners in the Kittrell Township passively pay for a water system they totally rejected?

You may download the full documents from the committee meeting here: 20150330_vc_water