County commission clarifies position on PSD funding

Wednesday April 15, 2009
County commission clarifies position on PSD funding
Geoff Hamill
Staff Writer

The Pocahontas County Commission voted to clarify its position on funding for the Pocahontas County Public Service District (PSD) at a special meeting on Friday.

The commission voted 2-1 to send a letter to Region IV of the Infrastructure and Jobs Development Council (IJDC), requesting continued funding for the transfer of Snowshoe’s sewage plants to the PSD.

The commission previously sent a letter to the IJDC, dated March 3, that requested the IJDC “provide no further funding to the Pocahontas County PSD at this time.”

The commission wanted to clarify that the previous letter was not intended to stop funding of the transfer of Snowshoe’s plants to the PSD, only funding for the proposed $25 million sewage plant on Snowshoe Drive.

Commissioners Martin Saffer and David Fleming both oppose the proposed plant and are attempting to block the project by intervening with the IJDC.

Commissioner Reta Griffith voted against sending the clarification letter to the IJDC because she does not support blocking funds for the new sewage treatment plant. Griffith was attending a conference out-of-state when Saffer and Fleming voted to send the first letter.

Griffith said she would have voted against sending that letter and is greatly concerned about the consequences of blocking the project.

The commission also discussed sending a letter to the IJDC, restating its position on the proposed sewage plant project.

PSD plant manager Rick Barkley and Lloyd Coleman, manager of Snowshoe Water and Sewer, discussed the matter with the commission at Friday’s meeting.

Barkley and Coleman told the commission that the PSD board had done everything that was asked of them and had developed a good compromise solution to the area’s sewage problem.

Griffith agreed that the PSD had done an adequate job in finding a solution, but Fleming and Saffer maintained that the PSD had failed to find an appropriate solution.

Saffer said he thought the PSD needed new board members.

“New people equals different ideas that will be acceptable,” he said. “The current PSD and Thrasher engineers are not in sync with the wishes of the people.”

Fleming said the economy has worsened since the project was conceived and that the $25 million cost would increase rates to an unacceptable level.

“What I really need to see happening, from the Pocahontas County Public Service District, is an entire rethinking of how they’re going to, more economically, for less than $25 million, solve the problem at hand,” he said.

Coleman said reducing the project cost would also reduce protection of the environment. The proposed plant incorporates state-of-the-art membrane biological reactor technology and chillers to cool discharge water to stream temperature and protect stream habitats.

“Part of the cost is driven by environmental protection,” he said. “So to reduce the cost of that plant means you’re going to have to eliminate some of the technology that’s been put into it – not put in to satisfy state regulation – but put in to satisfy environmental groups.”

Fleming said he supports formation of a separate public service district for Snowshoe.

“Because the DEP and PSC [Public Service Commission] said the area, Snowshoe and Slaty Fork, should look at a regional solution, I think the best thing to do is have a public service district that is represented by people in that area,” he said. “New thinking will come up with new ideas.”

Barkley said re-starting the project would effectively throw away money invested in the current project.

“Three engineers have already been involved with this project,” he said. What if new engineers came up with the same plan?”

Coleman advised the commission to consult with the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) before blocking the project. He pointed out that Snowshoe and the PSD are operating under a compliance order, which requires the parties to make progress towards a “regional solution” to the area’s waste water problem.

“My immediate concern is compliance with the order,” he said.

“If the commission stops this project, will the county commission pay the fines levied on the PSD?” Barkley asked.

“We’re not at that bridge yet. That sounds like a threat.” Saffer responded.

The commission agreed to invite the DEP to a meeting prior to the next meeting of the IJDC on April 28. Fleming plans to attend that meeting to represent the commission if Pocahontas County projects are on the agenda.

The commission tabled sending a follow-up letter to the IJDC until they had the opportunity to discuss the compliance order with DEP officials.