JCWSA & Monticello Partner Again
A quorum of Jasper County Water & Sewer Authority board members met last Thursday to adopt a memorandum of understanding agreement with the City of Monticello as part of a partnership that would allow both parties a share of possible future water resources.
With a majority vote of six with two abstaining, Mark Walton and Ken McMichael, and one absent, Allen Platt, the authority will once again join forces with the city government regarding water issues. The first agreement, approved in August after several adaptations, provides the authority billing and maintenance services by city personnel.
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The most recently approved agreement spawned from a quest for future water sources, in particular, water that could be provided through wells drilled on land owned by the Claire-Key Partnership. The partnership has granted access for well-water testing to the authority and offered an annual lease of the land in question.
In addition to the MOU, the parties are jointly filing an application for a U.S. Dept. of Agriculture grant in the amount of $500,000 with no stipulations for matching funds.
Authority approval of the MOU Thursday didn’t pass without minor bumps. In his absence at the called meeting, Mr. Platt submitted a letter stating that in his opinion getting more water was not the authority’s most pressing problem and made reference to the county’s service delivery strategy currently under appeal in the State Court of Appeals in Atlanta.
“There is no approved service delivery system in the county. The appeal by Alcovy Shores is not settled. These are pressing matters, obtaining more water is not,” read the email to authority chairman.
Mr. McMichael had concerns about the actual agreement which included vagueness about the allocation of water between the parties and associated costs. He was also concerned about the USDA venture stating that authority members had yet to see the application.
While not being against a joint venture, Mr. Michael voiced concerns with the gray areas. He also had a question regarding the legality of the called meeting saying that the law requires public notification of any meeting at least 24-hours prior to it beginning.
Being new to the authority and to the area, Mr. Walton was concerned about which party would be handling the grant funds if received, noting the city’s past appearances on the news regarding finances.
Following a vote on the MOU, executive director Linda Jordan informed authority members that the land lease being offered from the Claire-Key Partnership was for $5,000 the first year. With the MOU approved, the cost to each party amounts to $2,500 which the authority allocated with a vote Thursday before adjourning.