Chairman Terry Garrison “called a special meeting of the Vance County Board of Commissioners and the Vance County Water District Board for Monday July 23, 2012 …”. “The purpose of the special meeting [was] to … Enter into closed session to discuss attorney client privileged matters.” Such an announcement should make one wonder what attorney client privileged matters is so important for the two Boards to meet. That important matter was the contract between the City of Henderson and Vance County for water to fill the pipes in the new county wide water project. As with all closed sessions the public is excused from the meeting so the Commissioners are freer to discuss the issues without the public or the media observing. The four members of the general public and one media representative exited the room to await to end of the closed session. While out of ear shot of the Commissioners we four discussed the state of the county water project. The media representative moderated our discussion and also explaining some nuances of commissioner meetings.
The whole county wide water project resumed way back in February 2008, when the Commissioners split the zoning issue from county wide water issue. At the second public meeting (February 2008) on water and the first that I attended I discovered that all the printed material was at least two years old and using data that was two years older. I attended the other public meetings on county wide water in 2008 asking the same questions and never hearing any answer. Questions such as
You say that water will cost $35 -$45 for 5,000 gallons per month, what is the basis for this?
Why must I pay for 5,000 gallons when I only use less than 500 gallons today?
You say it will cost each home owner $1 per foot to lay the line from the road to their home, what is the basis for this? In 2008, I had found not one commercial licensed plumber willing to charge only $1 a foot to lay the line.
1. After about a 30 minute wait the doors to the great Commissioners’ meeting room were re-opened indicating the public was allowed to observe America’s unique form of democratic government in action. Before the Commissioners voted to approve the agreement to buy water from the City we heard the following:
Commissioner Brummitt objected to tap and reservation fees. The dollar amounts were not disclosed to the public, that was discussed apparently in the closed session. Mr. Asycue had no answer to Commissioner Brummitt’s objection.
Commissioner Brummitt asked the estimated number of customers. Commissioner Hester said 600; then he added I want everyone to have water. (In 2008 there were two criteria for the $26 million dollar government loan to fund this project; voters approval and 80% of the residents sign-up for the water. Does 600 customers equal 80% of the whole county?)
Mr. Care said that construction cost are not what were estimated back in 2008 – 2011. He also objects to a statement saying rates are above projections. Adding, “This is the best deal we could get” with the City of Henderson.
Commissioner Brummitt said that based on his calculations customers could expect to pay $59 per month for 5,000 gallons of water. (Only 23.7% above the 2008 high estimate.) Mr. Asycue agreed that Commissioner Brummitt’s calculation was correct; then he added he is looking for 1,400 customers. (In less than 5 minutes the estimated number of customers more than doubled.)
Finally time for the vote, the Commissioners voted 6 ayes and a lone nay from Commissioner Brummitt.
2. Chairman Garrison asked what other items on the agenda. Mr. Asycue reminded the Chairman that the Water Board needed to approve the water agreement. The Chairman smacked his gavel recessing the Commissioners’ meeting then called to order of the Water Board. The Water Board quickly approved the agreement with the same 6 to 1 vote; then adjourned its self resuming the Commissioners’ meeting. Where else but in Vance County would the members of two critical Boards be the same people? It is perfectly legal, just another case of American blind government.
One has to wonder how long it will take County management to change the signup form to show the true monthly cost for water. That is a discussion for another day.
Since these ELECTED board members have never been challenged about these “attorney-client” excuses they’ll continue to do it. And anyone who believes their excuse would buy swamp land.
Bells and whistles should be installed in county and city chambers every time they pull this–.
Prudence, there are good reasons for the commissioners to hold closed session meetings. Here are three good reasons for a closed session personnel matters, contract negotiations, and law suits. My concern with this closed session was the specific contract being reviewed, the Vance County’s purchase of water from the City of Henderson. The City of Henderson is the county seat for Vance County. The City of Henderson is the only vendor of Kerr Lake water for all of North Carolina.
Why was the sale of water by the city (the left hand) to the county (the right hand) such a secret? This is one question among many questions about this whole county wide water project that fails the test of transparency by one or both governments.