By Leah Justice

leah.justice@tryondailybulletin.com

The Polk County Board of Commissioners is expected to receive bids later this month on what some are calling the “water line to nowhere,” extending services from Sunny View School to the Polk/Rutherford County line.

Commissioners approved by a 4-1 vote on Jan. 25 to seek bids on the project.

Resident Sky Conard also referred to the water line project during citizen comments in the county’s Monday, Feb. 8 meeting.

Conard was speaking this week about needed repairs to the Turner Shoals Dam at Lake Adger when she mentioned the proposed water line extension.

“The majority voted to spend millions of taxpayer’s money on water lines to nowhere,” Conard said, “yet cries poor when it’s overtime to spend the paltry $200,000 to do dam repair work already scheduled by county engineer David Odom. One of these projects is of great public safety/resource concern and the other is certainly not.”

During the county’s Jan. 25 meeting, Odom told commissioners his original goal was to present a recommendation to issue a change order to Steppe Construction for the construction of a water line from Sunny View School to the county line. Odom said it has been determined that a change order is not an appropriate way to move forward so he recommended the county go through a formal bid process. Odom said he would return for the county’s second meeting in February (Feb. 22) with bids.

Commissioner Ray Gasperson, who voted against seeking bids for the Sunny View School to county line extension, questioned the need for the extension. The original proposed change order to have Steppe Construction construct the extension to the county line was for $515,000, according to the county’s packet of information for the Jan. 25 meeting. Steppe Construction completed an extension from the Mill Spring crossroads to Sunny View School last year for an original contract of $1,567,340. After some change orders, included for unexpected costs and a pump station ($300,000), the final costs of that water line was $1,981,736, according to figures from the proposed change order. If the county had approved the change order and allowed Steppe Construction to complete the extension to the county line, the total project budget ordinance from Hwy. 108 to the county line to Steppe Construction would have totaled $2,499,976, according to the figures.

Gasperson said he spoke to Lake Lure Town Manager Chris Braund to ask if the town was interested in connecting with Polk County for water services. Gasperson told commissioners Lake Lure does not have any current demands for businesses or residents on that end and that Lake Lure’s water line does not go to the county line but ½ mile to one mile from where the county’s water line would end.

Following the Jan. 25 meeting, Gasperson also called the extension, “the water line to nowhere.”

“Braund and I agree that the water line being proposed from Sunny View School to the Polk/Rutherford County line is the water line to nowhere,” Gasperson said.

Gasperson asked Odom on Jan. 25 how many potential customers would be available on the new section of water line. Odom said he did not have a count for how many customers would be available but will bring that number for commissioners when he presents the bids later in February.

Also during the Jan. 25 meeting, resident Pat Salomon mentioned recent water line extensions and costs while speaking of what she said was a pressing need to repair the dam to protect the lake and downstream residents.

Salomon said dam repairs could have been taken care of if sufficient funds had been set aside by the county since the purchase of the lake.

“Instead, the board majority continues to spend money on installing water lines to supporters and to places where there is little need or demand,” Salomon told commissioners on Jan. 25.

Salomon said every taxpayer in the county is paying an indirect tax to run water lines that cannot justify the expense. She said the next line is to run up Hwy 9 to the county line at Lake Lure.

“This would make sense if Lake Lure wanted to buy water from us, but they don’t,” said Salomon.

She urged the commission majority to take on their responsibility to repair the dam and put a hold on more water lines.

During the county’s Feb. 8 meeting, commissioners did not discuss the proposed water line to the county line, but commissioner Keith Holbert said during commissioner comments that he’s been questioned about the county’s reasons for the water line extension to Sunny View.

Holbert mentioned that at one time the county had two schools (Polk Central and Sunny View) that used wells for water and what folks don’t realize is outside testing agencies had to be paid to test that water and it got rather expensive. Holbert also said another reason for the water line extension to Sunny View was there was a water tank that was starting to leak.

The Bulletin sent an email to commissioner chairman Tom Pack last week asking for reasons the county wants to extend the water line from Sunny View to the county line. Pack did not respond. The Bulletin also asked Pack and Holbert following the Monday, Feb. 8 meeting for their reasons for running the water line, with each saying they had no response.

Commissioners meet again on Monday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. when they are scheduled to review bids on the water line extension to the county line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Polk plans what some call “the water line to nowhere”

By Leah Justice

leah.justice@tryondailybulletin.com

The Polk County Board of Commissioners is expected to receive bids later this month on what some are calling the “water line to nowhere,” extending services from Sunny View School to the Polk/Rutherford County line.

Commissioners approved by a 4-1 vote on Jan. 25 to seek bids on the project.

Resident Sky Conard also referred to the water line project during citizen comments in the county’s Monday, Feb. 8 meeting.

Conard was speaking this week about needed repairs to the Turner Shoals Dam at Lake Adger when she mentioned the proposed water line extension.

“The majority voted to spend millions of taxpayer’s money on water lines to nowhere,” Conard said, “yet cries poor when it’s overtime to spend the paltry $200,000 to do dam repair work already scheduled by county engineer David Odom. One of these projects is of great public safety/resource concern and the other is certainly not.”

During the county’s Jan. 25 meeting, Odom told commissioners his original goal was to present a recommendation to issue a change order to Steppe Construction for the construction of a water line from Sunny View School to the county line. Odom said it has been determined that a change order is not an appropriate way to move forward so he recommended the county go through a formal bid process. Odom said he would return for the county’s second meeting in February (Feb. 23) with bids.

Commissioner Ray Gasperson, who voted against seeking bids for the Sunny View School to county line extension, questioned the need for the extension. The original proposed change order to have Steppe Construction construct the extension to the county line was for $515,000, according to the county’s packet of information for the Jan. 25 meeting. Steppe Construction completed an extension from the Mill Spring crossroads to Sunny View School last year for an original contract of $1,567,340. After some change orders, included for unexpected costs and a pump station ($300,000), the final costs of that water line was $1,981,736, according to figures from the proposed change order. If the county had approved the change order and allowed Steppe Construction to complete the extension to the county line, the total project budget ordinance from Hwy. 108 to the county line to Steppe Construction would have totaled $2,499,976, according to the figures.

Gasperson said he spoke to Lake Lure Town Manager Chris Braund to ask if the town was interested in connecting with Polk County for water services. Gasperson told commissioners Lake Lure does not have any current demands for businesses or residents on that end and that Lake Lure’s water line does not go to the county line but ½ mile to one mile from where the county’s water line would end.

Following the Jan. 25 meeting, Gasperson also called the extension, “the water line to nowhere.”

“Braund and I agree that the water line being proposed from Sunny View School to the Polk/Rutherford County line is the water line to nowhere,” Gasperson said.

Gasperson asked Odom on Jan. 25 how many potential customers would be available on the new section of water line. Odom said he did not have a count for how many customers would be available but will bring that number for commissioners when he presents the bids later in February.

Also during the Jan. 25 meeting, resident Pat Salomon mentioned recent water line extensions and costs while speaking of what she said was a pressing need to repair the dam to protect the lake and downstream residents.

Salomon said dam repairs could have been taken care of if sufficient funds had been set aside by the county since the purchase of the lake.

“Instead, the board majority continues to spend money on installing water lines to supporters and to places where there is little need or demand,” Salomon told commissioners on Jan. 25.

Salomon said every taxpayer in the county is paying an indirect tax to run water lines that cannot justify the expense. She said the next line is to run up Hwy 9 to the county line at Lake Lure.

“This would make sense if Lake Lure wanted to buy water from us, but they don’t,” said Salomon.

She urged the commission majority to take on their responsibility to repair the dam and put a hold on more water lines.

During the county’s Feb. 8 meeting, commissioners did not discuss the proposed water line to the county line, but commissioner Keith Holbert said during commissioner comments that he’s been questioned about the county’s reasons for the water line extension to Sunny View.

Holbert mentioned that at one time the county had two schools (Polk Central and Sunny View) that used wells for water and what folks don’t realize is outside testing agencies had to be paid to test that water and it got rather expensive. Holbert also said another reason for the water line extension to Sunny View was there was a water tank that was starting to leak.

The Bulletin sent an email to commissioner chairman Tom Pack last week asking for reasons the county wants to extend the water line from Sunny View to the county line. Pack did not respond. The Bulletin also asked Pack and Holbert following the Monday, Feb. 8 meeting for their reasons for running the water line, with each saying they had no response.

Commissioners meet again on Monday, Feb. 23 at 7 p.m. when they are scheduled to review bids on the water line extension to the county line.