Moore County will turn to the Environmental Protection Agency for funding help in building a $37.8 million expansion of the Water Pollution Control Plant.

During a public hearing Monday afternoon, engineer Fred Hobbs told the Board of Commissioners that the county could apply to the EPA's State Revolving Fund for low-interest loans, to be paid back in two annual payments in May and November over coming years. The drawback, however, is an expected rate increase of $12-$13 per customer using 5,000 gallons or more a month.

Hobbs, whose Hobbs, Upchurch & Associates firm is planning the expansion, predicted a completion date in summer 2012. The timetable calls for design work to begin later this month, with submission of the discharge permit application in July, and a bid process in September 2010. Construction would begin soon after.

Under the plan, the existing plant at Addor, with a capacity of 6.7 million gallons daily, would be enlarged and upgraded to 10 million gallons a day. The present plant, completed in 1977, was originally built to serve the needs of Southern Pines, Aberdeen and Pinehurst. Today it also serves Carthage, Pinebluff, and Taylortown as well as Addor and Camp Mackall.

State regulations require sewer plant owners to begin planning for expansion when a plant reaches 80 percent of capacity and to begin construction at 90 percent capacity.

As of last year, the county had made commitments for new development and other uses that would generate 100 percent capacity once carried out, Hobbs reported.

Walter Bull and Elton Turner were the only other persons who spoke during the public hearing. Bull questioned the timing of the expected rate increases, and Turner inquired about the contract rates for Camp Mackall.

In another public hearing, no one signed up to speak on a proposed amendment to the Road Naming and Addressing Ordinance. The amendment is in response to a petition from residents of Victoria Court, who asked the county to change the name to Victoria Way. The street is located in the Cotswold subdivision off Linden Road and is within the Pinehurst extraterritorial jurisdiction.

The board also called three hearings for the 6 p.m. April 20 meeting. The subjects will be proposed text amendments to the zoning ordinance, proposed changes to the flood damage prevention ordinance, and close-out of the fiscal year 2006 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Scattered Site Housing project.

For the CDBG project, the county received a $400,000 federal grant to provide relocation and replacement housing for five low- or moderate-income families.

The commissioners agreed to combine two committees appointed to study transportation needs and make recommendations to the county and to the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT). The motion by Commissioner Tim Lea calls for combining the committees and providing for a total membership of 19, to include representatives of each municipality with the addition of representation from two unincorporated communities, Seven Lakes and Woodlake. Each commissioner would be asked to appoint a member.

County Planning Director Joey Raczkowski had compiled member rosters from two committees, one dating to 2002 and known as the Comprehensive Transportation Committee. That committee held a series of meetings for almost two years and produced a study report prepared with help from Stantec Consulting. However, the report was never adopted by the Board of Commissioners.

In February, the Triangle Area Rural Planning Organization announced that the transportation update had been delayed until the NCDOT Planning Division could designate a more experienced staff member to facility the measure.

Raczkowski recommended that the board combine the two committees, many members having served on both panels, although some have changed jurisdiction. Towns will be asked to appoint alternates to substitute when regular members are unable to participate.

At the recommendation of County Attorney Misty R. Leland, the board voted to amend its Rules of Procedure to incorporate a recent change in public-comment procedures. Leland said this would provide consistency in the procedures.

Leland had also prepared an amendment for the resolution for establishment of policy and procedure for appointments to the county's numerous advisory boards, committees, commissions and councils. The amendment provides that the Board of Commissioners will appoint the chairpersons for the ABC Board, Emergency Services Advisory Committee, Hazardous Materials Planning Committee, Human Resources Appeals Committee, Industrial Facilities and Pollution Control Financing Authority, Planning Board, Recreation and Parks Advisory Board and Board of Equalization and Review. This amendment also received unanimous approval.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at 947-4962 or by e-mail at florence@thepilot.com.