JCWSA Laying Water Lines
After more than a year of waiting and anticipating a court decision concerning the service delivery strategy in the county, Jasper County Water & Sewer Authority members are eager to resume laying water pipe again.
And resume they will when a pre-bid conference for construction firms regarding the Jackson Lake Road extension project convenes April 25 at 1:30 p.m. in the Courthouse. Bids are to be submitted prior to May 2 when they will be opened at 2 p.m., also in the Courthouse.
The extension project is a continuation of the original USDA project completed more than a year ago. Excess grant funds from that project will be utilized to complete the extension of water lines on Jackson Lake Road.
Along the same lines of pipe, authority members agreed Tuesday to enter into a contract with Partners Three, LLC, developers of Edison Bluff Subdivision, for water service to the Jackson Lake Road development. Within the contract the developer agrees to pay all costs up front for laying the lines with reimbursements from the authority submitted when meters are connected in the 58 lot subdivision.
In response to a service delivery strategy meeting called two weeks ago involving JCSWA, Alcovy Shores, Turtle Cove, and the cities of Shady Dale and Monticello, Brack Pound suggested Tuesday that the authority draft a response that it was not interested in changing the service delivery area.
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County manager Greg Williams, who was present at the authority’s regular meeting, said that the commission had approved the current service delivery strategy at Monday’s county commission meeting by a vote of 4-1.
Mr. Williams also said that the called meeting of county water providers was the action of commissioner Greg Johnson, not the entire commission.
Authority member Mark Walton said he was overwhelmed by the turf war with the water services in the county. In reiterating a statement made by Bill Hughes during the called meeting, Mr. Walton said that the authority existed to serve the county residents.
Mr. Pound was given authorization to respond to Mr. Johnson.
That wasn’t the only response authorized by the authority in reply to actions of a county commissioner. Chairman Tom Brazil drafted a letter that was read and edited by fellow board members. The letter addressed three primary comments made by commission chairman Jack Bernard regarding the functions of the JCWSA.
In new business, authority members created a subcommittee to research drawing up a contract for executive director Linda Jordan.
Board appointments for June were discussed with Mr. Brazil and Don Kelly seeking reappointment and Bill Hughes opting out of a reappointment. Greg Holder was submitted as a replacement nominee.
March water statistics included the purchase of 600,000 gallons of which $560,000 were sold, according to the system operators report. That report included Mr. Brazil’s attendance at a small systems water forum in McRae, a water & soil conservation luncheon, meeting with county Economic Development Authority director.
The March financial report reflected an increase in the general fund primarily because of the addition of nine new customers.
The May 2 meeting was rescheduled for May 9 at 6 p.m. in the Bank of Monticello Annex.