Senoia's bid to purchase Southern Mills' treatment plan for the city sewer system has hit a snag that could result in having the city start from square one.

At Monday night's council meeting, the city haggled over a variance that runs through neighboring Winpak's property.

Winpak has offered to swap the property for a piece of city property and pay up to $25,000 to move the force main that runs through its property.

The snag is that Winpak also wants the city to donate a seven-tenths-acre tract to the company. The city maintains that parcel is necessary for future spray field application uses.

Southern Mills' Ken Collins asked the council to consider what a bargain they were getting in making a decision on the easement.

“The fair market value is $1.67 million and we're selling it to you for $750,000,” he said.

Collins said Southern Mills was getting a nice tax break on the deal, but said the tax reduction would only occur if the deal is completed by March 15.

After that day, the company could lose up to $50,000 in tax breaks and could be forced to start renegotiating the contract with the city, he said.

Mayor Joan Trammell said that part of the original contract called for Southern Mills to contribute up to $12,000 to move the main, but Collins said he couldn't commit to that.

“We're just about tapped out. We've spent $5,000 in legal fees to have this contract drawn up,” he said.

After Collins spoke, Trammell made her feelings known.

“We are not going to do anything that's not in the best interest of this city. If we have to start over again, we will,” she said.

Trammell was angry that the easement showed up right before the contract was to be signed.

“I must have asked that question a thousand times,” she said.

There's no written record of the easement, but apparently there was a verbal agreement between the previous owner of Winpak and Southern Mills.

Just in case an agreement can be worked out by all parties, the council voted to allow the mayor to sign the purchase contract and close the deal.

Back to News Home Page | Back to the top of the page