Local News - September 2002

Commissioners unable to reach water agreement

By ALICE SMITH, LTN Staff Writer

September 6, 2002 - Commission Chairman Jerry Cochrane this week terminated talks between the city and county on the sale of part of the county’s water system, after commissioners failed to reach consensus on the subject.

The decision was announced at Thursday night’s City Council meeting.

Discussion on the city buying the central portion of the county’s water distribution system had been going on for about a year, Mayor Bobby Huitt said.

The sale would have added about 2,500 water customers to the City of Lincolnton, City Manager Jeff Emory said.

In a letter to Huitt, County commissioners Chairman Jerry Cochrane stated that the decision was made because he was unable to get commissioners to reach consensus on the transfer.

Cochrane said: “I apologize to you and your staff for all the time and effort spent on this project. It did and still makes good sense to me, but it did not to all members of our board.”

Emory said that while he respects Cochrane’s decision, he is disappointed, especially since the county originally approached the city about the sale.

“This could have been a good thing for everyone,” Emory said Friday. “It could have been good for the county, good for the city and good for those customers.”

Commissioner Tom Anderson said Friday that time was a factor that played heavily into the termination of the discussion.

Anderson said that a company in the industrial park unexpectedly decided to expand, and that made completion of the water tank that serves the park critical. This tank would have been included in what might have been sold to the city.

The city was not sure when action could be taken on the sale, Anderson said, and the county needed to move ahead rapidly.

Commissioners Larry Craig and Beth Saine, who Cochrane said opposed the sale, could not be reached for comment Friday morning.

Cochrane said Friday that he did not want to move forward on such an important issue without consensus from the board.

“I did not think we should proceed with a split board,” Cochrane said.

Anderson agreed.

“This is too important an issue not to have consensus on the board,” he said.

Cochrane’s letter goes on to say commissioners plan to proceed in getting a new tank in the Buffalo Shoals area to alleviate the pressure problem at the industrial park. Also, the water treatment plant will be expanded from three to six million gallons per day.

Cochrane is optimistic that the county and city can still support one another in water supply and distribution, and suggests jointly appointing a task force of various local officials.

The letter states that the county will welcome proposals from the city on working together to expand the water treatment plant and extending a line from Lake Norman to Lincolnton.

“I think we should do everything we can to try to overcome the operational and political barriers that keep us from having a combined system that would be cost effective, reliable and safe,” the letter reads.

Huitt stated Thursday that it is his intention to continue working with the city water committee to pursue action with the county.

The committee will meet with the county as soon as possible, Huitt said.

© 2001 Lincoln Times-News  

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