Moore County’s attitude toward interjurisdictional cooperation on water issues continues to seem, for want of a better term, all wet.

By arbitrarily refusing to fork over a few bucks for their modest share of a regional water study, our county commissioners are once again behaving in dismayingly petty, vindictive and shortsighted fashion.

Yes, everyone knows there have been plenty of ­disputes, failures, resentments, suspicions, disagreements, complications, changed minds and maybe even perceived betrayals over the years. But at what point do we decide to let bygones be bygones and put petty spite aside? When does our county join hands with the other entities in jointly and constructively ­addressing what may well be the most pressing issue facing us all?

The Wagram treatment facilities on the Lumber River in Scotland County may hold out great potential as a potential source of water for Moore County. Or they may not. The thorough and much-vaunted McGill study commissioned by Moore County a few years ago, which has served as a central source document for much of the discussion that has followed, included among its recommendations that the county take a look at the Wagram plant. Now’s our chance, and we’re blowing it?

Taking Marbles and Going Home

Granted, when the Moore County Board of Commissioners voted several months ago to participate in efforts by the Lumber River Council of Governments (COG) to secure a $78,000 grant for a Wagram study, it specified that it was doing so only on the understanding that no county funding would be required.

But times change. Grant money has been getting harder to find in the current economic atmosphere. The Lumber River COG tried hard to get a no-strings grant, but managed only to obtain a promise of $39,000 from the N.C. Rural Center — but one that required an even match to reach the desired $78,000 total.

The COG offered to provide $22,375, or 57 percent of the match, and came up with a formula to distribute the burden of raising the rest of the dribbles as equitably as possible among the counties and towns involved. Scotland, Robeson and Moore were asked to come up with $2,500 each. Larger municipalities like Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Laurinburg were hit up for $1,575 each. Aberdeen, Maxton, Red Springs and Pinebluff are in for $700. Even Campbell Soup, which has plants in Robeson, has coughed up $1,600.

But Moore County has dug in its heels and refused to pay its $2,500, which is a measly amount within the context of an $85 million budget. The only explanation county officials offer is that a deal’s a deal, though that sounds like the kind of justification offered by someone looking for an excuse to take his marbles and go home.

Passing the Hat Privately

Moore’s commissioners say that they never made a commitment to pony up any money, but none of the other towns or counties made such a commitment either. Instead, they’re being good sports and making voluntary adjustments to adapt to unexpected circumstances and contribute to the common good. That should be our attitude as well. This situation calls for making a gesture of good will, not the back of a hand.

Now, embarrassingly, state Sen. Jamie Boles and other supporters of the study are having to pass the hat among private sources, under the auspices of the Moore County Chamber of Commerce, to try to come up with our share.

As Boles points out, there’s a growing statewide trend toward regionalization of utilities. Moore and neighboring counties have an opportunity to put themselves on the ground floor in that movement. Instead, we’re dragging our heels in a selfish fit of pique? Unbelievable.