The Vance County Board of Commissioners convened as the Vance County Water District Board during their regular meeting on Monday evening to consider several items pertaining to the Vance County water system.
The discussion included consultant Fred Hobbs of Hobbs, Upchurch, & Associates, the firm retained by the county to execute the water system planning and development.
The board first considered rules and regulations developed by Upchurch, Hobbs, and Associates. Hobbs explained to the board that these regulations were developed based on USDA guidelines.
The USDA and Vance County are in the process of finalizing a $1 million grant award towards Phase 1A of the water project.
Hobbs said that the document was reviewed with the county’s Planning & Development committee “line by line”. He noted that the rules are “flexible” and can be changed.
County Manager Jerry Ayscue told members that the rules are required by the USDA and are a necessity.
Commissioner Deborah Brown expressed concern about a passage in the rules that called for notice of disconnection 30 days after written notice of disconnection is sent. She suggested that disconnection take place fifteen days after written notice is provided, citing her reason as not wanting disconnection issues to go into another 30 day cycle.
She noted that the City of Henderson disconnects on a longer cycle, allowing customers potentially to be two months in arrears.
Henderson disconnects 20 days after notice is provided. Customers are automatically charged a $40 reconnection fee without regard to whether or not the disconnection actually takes place.
Brown also indicated that she wants the return check charge increased above the $25 called for in the proposed rules and regulations, noting that the bank may charge the county a greater fee for checks drawn on non-sufficient funds.
Hobbs recommended to the board that the rules be adopted subject to change prior to implementation. The board took his advice and approved the rules unanimously subject to change.
After the vote, Ayscue officially announced that the county has received a $1 million grant from the North Carolina Rural Center for Phase 1A of the water system. He said that the total grant money received for the initial phase of the plan is now $2 million.
“We hope to get more wherever we can find it,” Ayscue said.
The county manager told members that it is “unusual” for the USDA to give funding to a project as “quickly” as it did. He said that the federal department expects the county to “move quickly” to use the money. He stressed a need to get the engineering work started.
The manager told commissioners that there “is a little bit of risk” [in getting the engineering started]. He said that “not everything is finalized”, and that if something “goes amiss” that the county will be charged for whatever work is done.
The potential cost to the county was estimated at approximately $280,000.
Board chair Dan Brummitt asked Ayscue how work could begin without first knowing the number of customers who will sign up for the service.
Hobbs responded that the water lines will be designed based on potential participation. He said that the USDA would pay 100% of that cost. He told members that he hopes that surveying trucks displaying a Vance County Water System logo will spread the message that the water system “is going to happen” and provide incentive for customers to sign up.
When Brummitt asked Ayscue what is not done regarding the grant from the USDA, the manager responded that not all USDA requirements have been met.
Brummitt asked Ayscue if there are any issues about the referendum that was held regarding the water system. Ayscue responded that there is “a question about votes”. Noting that the Vance County Board of Elections has certified the results of the referendum, Ayscue admitted that “there is opposition to the project itself”.
The county manager said that eventually the matter would come before the commissioners.
Hobbs told members that the USDA deemed the referendum “successful”.
The motion to proceed passed unanimously.