County commissioners at their noon meeting Tuesday voted to continue with the development of the project in conjunction with plans being considered by Ellerbe.
Laying the financial groundwork, commissioners voted to appoint fellow commissioners Peggy Covington and Paul Wilson Jr. along with County Manager Jim Haynes and Rick Sago, county director of economic development and deputy county manager, to represent the board on the Golden LEAF Steering Committee where they will lobby that Golden LEAF funds available to the county be put into such infrastructure projects to prepare for economic growth.
A “Wastewater Regionalization Initiative, Ellerbe - Richmond County - Rockingham” was presented at the meeting by Municipal Engineering Service Company which is estimated the cost at over $4 million.
Ellerbe has been exploring improvements to its lagoon sewage treatment facility, but the engineering report said the state encouraged the town to stop that planning and explore the possibility of the plan with the county and Rockingham.
During her presentation to commissioners, Amy Ratliff of Municipal Engineering revealed that the North Carolina Department of Transportation already has in the design phase a plan to put into place a limited, controlled access along 3.7 miles of U.S. 220 to begin in 2018 with construction in 2021.
She said this means the county might want to consider running the sewer line along Sandy Ridge Church Road at one point instead of along U.S. 220 because when DOT installs access service roads, the county might have to pay to relocate sewer lines.
DOT plans to put interchanges at the U.S. 200 Bypass of Ellerbe, Dockery Road and Billy Covington Road.
County plan
Chairman Kenneth Robinette said the sewer project was talked about at last year’s budget retreat as part of the county’s five-year plan.
With the commission’s approval to move ahead, “today we have initiated it,” he said.
Commissioner Thad Ussery gave his vote of approval over a speaker phone set up in the room. He was home recovering from a medical procedure and attending the meeting by phone. Such a vote is legal according to N.C. Council of Governments, Haynes said.
Robinette said the sewer line would enable further development along U.S. 220. There is the potential, Ratliff said, of service provided some 3,000 to 4,000 feet on either side of the line.
She said Ellerbe wants to move ahead with the project. The Clean Water Management Trust Fund has set aside funds for the town to conduct studies.
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Commissioners approved a six-month reduction in the interest rate of a Revolving Loan Fund loan to Elektran from 6 percent to 3.25 percent to help offset the increased costs associated with expansion of its product line and staff.
The RLF does not involve county tax money, but the commissioners have to approve actions by the board which governs it.
Commissioner John Garner asked if temporarily granting the lower rate might present a problem with others involved with the RLF asking for a reduction in rate also.
Sago said it was possible if they presented similar circumstances as the reason.
The move does not set a new precedent, Haynes said, because adjustments were make for Elektran once before.
Sago said Elektran has never missed any arranged payments on its loan.
Commissioner Pam Dillman said the fund could always consider circumstances for such requests one at a time.
Robinette said the fund was created to help industries, and payments revolve back into the fund for making other loans. “It is no cost to the county,” he said.
There are some 25 high-skilled employees at Elektran, he said.
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In response to an inquiry by Dillman, it was learned that Richmond Interagency Transportation has a long distance number for services at (877) 364-4441.
She asked commissioners to consider holding community meetings in places of the county such as Mangum, Norman, and Hoffman which are the farthest from many county services.
She said too often some people in far reaches of the county feel apart from the rest of the county.
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Other items at the commission meeting included:
n Commissioners approved a resolution in support of the continuation of the Criminal Justice Partnership Program in Richmond County to be sent to state officials.
n Sheriff Dale Furr’s Office reported that during February, 295 citations were issued, 14 driving while impaired arrests were made, 60 speeding tickets issued, 171 felony charges and 393 misdemeanor charges were made, and two fugitives were caught. Other activities were also listed.
n A $500,000 crisis need grant from the Rural Center has been approved for the Fox area water line.
n The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources has issued a certificate for the county to proceed with the Fox Road, N.C. 177 and Ponderosa Drive water line installation.
n Sago said Progress Energy may have a groundbreaking event soon in connection with the installation of its new electric-generating installation near the site of its present plant off Airport Road south of Hamlet.
n Sago said SRB Holdings may open in mid-May. Anyone wanting work there should apply at the N.C. Employment Security Commission Office in Rockingham. It will be necessary to have a Career Readiness Certificate to work there, which requires taking three tests. Hiring will begin in April.
n Those individuals or contractors seeking work at Fort Bragg, Sago said, should go online at www.buildbragg.com.
n Contact reporter Tom MacCallum at 997-3111, ext. 15; e-mail tmaccallum@yourdailyjournal.com.
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