Weaverville – An expansion of the Weaverville Water Treatment plant has been put on hold indefinitely at Monday night’s (Jan. 24) regular monthly meeting of the town council.
The recommendation came from the Water System Committee, which held a special meeting with Water Plant Supervisor Trent Duncan and Public Works Director Dale Pannell.
“We had a lot of discussion in the last two meetings about regionalization. What does that mean,” began Vice Mayor Jeff McKenna. “I think from our point-of-view…the important thing is we want to distinguish between regional partnerships and demand, and regional structure. We are fully focused on who are partners in the region that we can work with on collaborative water strategies, who are the customers who are going to buy this from us in the future and where are they.”
Based on the committee’s findings, they recommended a resolution that first maintains the current water facilities. It needs about $3 million in updates for generators and storage tanks, The town entered into talks with neighboring jurisdictions and other stakeholders over the next six to nine months to determine the feasibility of a regional approach to the water issue.
Plan on Hold
McKenna explained that the last part of the resolution is to continue to meet water requests both inside and outside the town’s limits on a case-by-case basis while setting the expansion of the water plant on hold.
Councilwoman Catherine Cordell asked if there was an alternative to the generators. Duncan said no. Asked how about using propane instead of gas or diesel, Duncan said propane was more problematic and would not recommend it. She also wanted to add a six to nine months limit on the delay of the water plant expansion, but no one else backed that proposal, and the board voted the original resolution in with only Cordell voting no (see complete resolution on page 6).
Consent Agenda and More
Earlier in the meeting, Weaverville Town Manager Selena Coffey explained the items on the consent agenda before the board voted on it. It included minutes from two other meetings, the monthly tax report, budget amendments for the Public Wi-Fi project, Police, Fire and the Community Center. A resolution for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, Personnel Policy amendments and a resolution approving donation of surplus personal property from the police department to a South Carolina Police Department. The consent agenda passed.
During Coffey’s manager’s report, it came to light that some had complaints about the noise of last year’s Fourth of July fireworks display. Coffey asked if it should be altered. Councilwoman Michele Wood said that several people near her home five blocks away from where the display took place also complained to her. Jackson, McKenna and Nagle suggested it was such a short period of time that they keep the status quo, but recommend it to the people complaining alternatives such as hearing protection during the event.
The council also heard about the proposed recreation complex plan and were asked directly for the Phase II of the Community Center at Dottie Sherrill Knoll. Councilman Doug Jackson said the design is a good use of various recreational usages. Cordell noted that bathroom facilities were needed. McKenna thought there would be more demand for pickleball courts than tennis courts. He favored leaving an open area and watching how the needs for different areas progressed.
The town’s COVID-19 vaccination surcharges/incentives plan has resulted in an increase in vaccination in the town’s staff to 76.7 percent, up from the 62 percent reported in December. The town directed Coffey to keep the incentive and surcharge of $60 per pay period for those who are not vaccinated. Coffey asked the council actually vote on the issue, but the council did not, leaving it as a conscience and not as an actual vote.
The council also moved to restart the Economic Development Advisory Committee, with Bill Barnes leading the effort.
A request for water at a 24-acre Ollie Weaver Road project outside the town limits was withdrawn from the evening agenda before the meeting began. The council also heard reports from the planning (see sidebar page 6) and finance departments before dismissing the meeting for the night.
Complete resolution about water plant expansion
TOWN OF WEAVERVILLE
RESOLUTION CONCERNING THE TOWN’S WATER SYSTEM
WHEREAS, the Town owns and operates a water system that includes a water treatment plant that was completed in 1997 and has a permitted design capacity which allows the withdrawal of up to 1.5 million gallons of raw water per day from the Ivy River;
WHEREAS, the plant is in need of some improvements in order to address water supply resiliency, redundancy, and safety concerns (“water supply resiliency improvements”), including the following; a new generator at the WTP, a new generator at the raw water intake, backwash pumps, a new high service pump station, a new clearwell, and conversion from chlorine gas to sodium hypochlorite; and
WHEREAS, preliminary engineering reports secured by the Town indicate that there will likely be a need to expand the water production capacity in the Town’s water treatment plant in the next ten years in order to accommodate expected growth in the area;
WHEREAS, the Ivy River is a regional natural resource and there appears to be interest among the Town’s neighboring jurisdictions and other stakeholders to have formal discussions concerning the feasibility of cooperative agreements that will allow a broader regional approach to the supply of water in and around the Town of Weaverville;
WHEREAS, while it is not prudent to delay the water supply resiliency improvements, there is sufficient current capacity in the water treatment plant to delay a decision on that project pending the outcomes of the regional water discussions;
Now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED by the Weaverville Town Council as follows:
1. The Mayor and Town Manager are directed to contact neighboring jurisdictions and stakeholders to gauge interest in participating in conversations concerning the feasibility of cooperative agreements that will allow a broader regional approach to the public supply of water in and around the Town of Weaverville. Governmental jurisdictions and stakeholders to invite to those conservations include, but are not limited to: Buncombe County, Marshall, Mars Hill, Madison County, Friends of the Ivy, Madison and Buncombe County Soil & Water Conservation District, Land-of-Sky Regional Council and North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. Once interest is determined, an inter local regional water committee can be formed with representation from all interested parties.
2. Town Council action on the expansion of its Ivy River Water Treatment Plant is delayed while regional water discussions are occurring.
3. Town Council has agreed to approach water allocation requests pertaining to properties outside of the Town’s limits very conservatively until a decision is made on the expansion of the water treatment plant and while regional water discussions are occurring.
4. Staff is directed to proceed with the water supply resiliency improvements by determining cost estimates, attempting to secure grant and/or loan financing for the improvements, developing a financing plan, and to proceed with all necessary engineering, permitting, and bidding, and all other tasks necessary to have these needed improvements under contract as soon as practicable.
5. The Mayor and staff are directed to provide regular updates to Town Council on the regional water conservation and the water supply resiliency improvements.