Robbins Offers Its Own Terms on Water
- Print print this page
- Discuss 19 comments, Blog about
Advertisement
Robbins will include all town water facilities in a new North West Moore Water District if other conditions meet with approval by the county commissioners.
The town board agreed on terms during its June meeting Thursday night.
The county’s offer included assumption by the North West Moore Water District (NWMD) of $316,334 in town debt on the water plant and another $927,555 debt on the wastewater treatment plant. NWMD would also take over the Charles B. Brooks reservoir, the town’s water intake and impoundment structures, tanks, pipes and associated equipment.
For its part, Moore County would transfer tanks, pipes and equipment from the county system serving the Seven Lakes area to NWMD and would operate the new district.
Robbins Commissioner Lynn Loy stressed that this counteroffer represents the town’s wishes and is subject to further refining negotiation.
“They’ve told us what they want,” Loy said. “Now we are telling them what we want.”
One potential sticking point is the composition of NMWD’s governing board.
In the county proposal, that board simply consists of the members of the Moore County Board of Commis-sioners, the same setup used for the East Moore Water District board. Robbins wants an independent authority governed by a board made up of representatives from within the area served.
Robbins would need “direct voting representation” on the NMWD board, town commissioners said. Their response is a consensus reached without objection but is nonbinding and unofficial until voted on in an open meeting and approved by majority vote.
NMWD would have to take the town’s entire system and its operation, both water and sewer, not just water alone.
“We could not sell the water and not sell the sewer,” Commissioner Hal “Rocky” Davis said. “It (sewer) could not sustain itself.”
Most wastewater treatment systems across the state run losses that are made up by income from water customers, said Davis, who is director of public works for Carthage.
Absent a lease or loan deal, any water or sewer facilities and land actually transferred from the town to NMWD or the county would have to be paid for “at fair market value” rather than “appraised value” or “tax value.”
While the reservoir and surrounding land might attract a hefty price, there could be little or no demand for the long-closed water plant or the modernized sewer plant. How much some investor would pay to buy both systems together is hard to figure, so “fair market value” would be left to negotiation, the board agreed.
Board members were worried by a conversation Commissioner Claire A. Barrow reported having with Nick Picerno, chairman of the county board of commissioners, about an apparent trespass on posted land at the reservoir.
“He told me it was his dream to dam up Bear Creek and build a reservoir four to five times as big,” Barrow said.
She said Picerno had stopped by her store, Middleton Mercantile, after going up to the reservoir with Bryan and Kenneth Allen.
Bryan Allen lives just out of town on a hill overlooking Brooks Reservoir. He and his brother had each spoken during a recent public hearing on the NMWD proposal. Board members, checking the minutes, noted that Kenneth Allen was reported saying “if approved by the state, even more water could be backed up in that area due to the outlay of the land.”
The board has been very interested in protecting and developing recreational use of the creeks and the growing network of Foothills Outdoors hiking trails in the Robbins area. Those concerns are reflected in a number of points in the town’s proposal.
“Development of reservoir property shall not negatively impact or flood any existing Robbins municipal property or town residential properties,” the counteroffer says. “Development of reservoir property shall not alter the existing flow of Cabin Creek or Bear Creek. Bear Creek trail access and use shall be retained in perpetuity.”
A police firing range presently set up on a section of flat land between the reservoir and creek would also have to be retained in perpetuity, according to the town’s proposal.
Some of the trails cross privately held land by agreement with owners. Town property abuts the Standard Mineral Co. Cabin Creek runs through that property. A Norfolk and Western right-of-way currently leased to Aberdeen, Carolina and Western Railway crosses Bear Creek to run between the reservoir and creek.
Board members worried about ceding control of the town’s ability to provide water and sewer services to any outside authority that would then determine how much water would be available in Robbins and how much the town could promise potential industries.
“Economic growth and development depend on them,” Davis said. “Towns that give up their water and sewer services forfeit the economic ability to grow.”
He said he has been checking out the cost of drilling wells for water supply and setting up new micro-processing systems as an alternative to joining NMWD.
“We could put in 500,000-gallon pre-treatment and two 125,000-gallons-a-day processing stations,” Davis said.
He said that would cost about $2 million to $2.5 million.
Commissioner Terri Holt worried the town would be in debt to the limit if it borrowed that much. Town Manager George Hayfield said Robbins had more than enough borrowing ability under state limits.
“We have about $4 million in borrowing ability,” he said, taking into account present debt. “We could do it.”
Joey Boswell liked the idea of Robbins remaining self-sufficient and independent.
“We can supply water for our community, and keep our resources,” Boswell said.
Contact John Chappell at jfchappell@gmail.com.
More like this story
Advertisement
Comments
Zoey 1 year, 11 months ago
I wonder why Florence G. didn't write the article? So much for keeping your nose clean, huh, Flo? Now, it's Trespassing!!!!
clodfelter37 1 year, 11 months ago
John Chappell usually writes anything concerning Robbins
difflook 1 year, 11 months ago
Apparent TRESPASS?? do you mean by the Chairman of the County Commissioners? Who Apparently wanted to talk to the adjoining landowners? Mighty stern word for someone you are trying to make a deal with? Was that actually SAID by a Robbins official? Or an insert by the writer? As to the proposed wells, if Robbins rates wont sustain and pay the debt service now, with their high rates, how could you pay what you owe now, PLUS pay an additional payment on another $2 to $2.5 million??
ncsnafu1 1 year, 11 months ago
The gap between what Robbins countered with and what the MC Commissioners initially proposed is wide enough to swallow the Grand Canyon with room to spare. It's one thing to counter an offer in any negotiation, however, the counter offer should bear some degree of reasonableness which the Robbins offer does not assuming article accuracy.
The Robbins offer does nothing but waste time and appears to contain unnecessary language in reaction to a comment attributed to the Commissioner Chairman.
Robbins needs to ask itself: Would they agree to the terms they've just presented the MC Commissioners if the shoes were reversed?? I think not.
Zoey 1 year, 11 months ago
Let's call this deal 'stagnant water', because it sure isn't going anywhere....Except South! (pun intended)
Robbins - I commend your actions towards preserving and controlling "your" resources. County - Find your agenda driven water somewhere else....
TinMan 1 year, 11 months ago
Agreed!! Robbins should hold on to it's resources.
kst101 1 year, 11 months ago
Robbins has the ability to make a deal with Asheboro and maintain a connection with Montgomery County so what more do they need? The current deal with Montgomery County is not a good one for Robbins due to bad deals by a former town manager and commissioners but it could be corrected by meeting with Montgomery Co. The reservoir is the biggest asset Robbins has so why give it away? Lease the reservoir for $1 per year but maintain control is the way to go. If the County takes complete control Robbins will be forgotten.
difflook 1 year, 11 months ago
Making a water connection deal with Asheboro? Is the nearest connection in Seagrove? So you would rather be getting water from another County than deal with your own? According to documents from Montgomery County Robbins pays what the towns there do, and since Robbins water plant is not operating, I guess any deal is good, since you have NO OTHER WATER supply. Reservoir is useless unless you have customers to sell the water to, Robbins should offer the county the entire operation as Comm Davis said, at a price, not a gift!
kst101 1 year, 11 months ago
Asheboro does have a connection somewhere near the northern part of the County(sorry I can't remember exactly where) according to the fire chief and commissioners. I honestly don't know if this is the best option but it is an option. It is good to see the town commissioners desire to have some control over the deal with the County rather than just give it away. Staying with Montgomery County is ok with me but the original deal was made without a commitment from Perdue and we were stuck with buying water we could not use when Perdue went away. I wonder if the town does get out of the water business if they will lower the high tax rate?
Zoey 1 year, 11 months ago
"since you have NO OTHER WATER supply"
Ummm, can you tell me where the proposed new district's supply is without Robbins?.It's also useless to have a clientele without a supply, wouldn't you think? Asheboro would be the most logical source of water. Then the originally proposed district (not the expanded version) might actually see some water lines in the future...
MooreNorth 1 year, 11 months ago
Simply amazing. People might want to look at pipe sizes and flow rates before they comment, but then it probably doesn't matter any more. I knew the buzzards were hangin around for some reason.
recondo 1 year, 11 months ago
Ask Vass about the Screwing it recieved from the County concerning their deal with water and sewer. Robbins if at all possible you should remain your own entity for as long as possible. county commissioners wishes be Damed
kst101 1 year, 11 months ago
Town Commissioners please go to Vass ASAP! Don't make any quick decisions and study all the options.
difflook 1 year, 11 months ago
Going to Vass for? Was whatever done by the current County Adminstration? Seems from reading the past Pilot articles, that Robbins is in a unique position because it has a huge debt on its waste water plant with no industry to pay for its use, therefore pushing that debt on to its citizens? and its only current source of water is to be dependent on another County, who, according to published reports is experencing its own financial dilemna, as to the wells proposed, from $2 to $2.5 million wouldnt that add to the current debt, and have to raise rates even more? Reviewing rates from a NC Rural Center report reveals Robbins rates are very high now, so with Moore County the only possible buyer at the moment, would it not seem advisable to get down to business with them? If not, continue on with Montgomery County with unknown outcome, or do those wells, and add higher rates to pay?????
TinMan 1 year, 11 months ago
So your suggesting that Robbins sell out just to get out of debt? Then what? If Robbins gives up it's only resource today, what would future leaders and citizens say about the current leardership decisions tomorrow? One of many roles of government is to protect the future for our children, not sell it out.
difflook 1 year, 11 months ago
saying that from reading Pilot they have been trying to hook up a deal with Moore County for years and if they could get a few Million out of the water and wastewater ,providing cash assets for many things they probably need and yes to get out of a debt that is evidently troublesome to pay for the town and its citizens and to still be able to provide water and wastewater to its citizens, and to open it up for others to use, As it is now, the resevoir is not being used, the old waterplant stands idle, so, as time goes on, it would seem that its value would dimish.
kst101 1 year, 11 months ago
The value of available water via the Bear Creek and Brooks reservoir will never dimish, it will only get more valuable. Why do you think the County wants it? I agree with TinMan.
FaithinUSA 1 year, 11 months ago
all they want the water for is to water their lawns.......