Friday, October 11, 2002

WASA's plans for resevoir hits snag

By JANET MCGREGOR
snippets@bellsouth.net

The South Fulton Municipal Water and Sewage Authority appeared headed for a break-up prior to Tuesday night's meeting. The Authority was formed in April 2000 by the cities of Fairburn, Palmetto and Union City to address sewage and water issues for the tri-city area.

Plans have been in the works to build a reservoir and treatment plant to service the three municipalities under the umbrella of the Authority.

Recently however, in preparing initial documentation to initiate the bond application process for the water reservoir, differing views the three cities held regarding the scope of the authority came to light.

Fairburn is constructing a wastewater treatment plant. Fairburn wants to retain ownership of their own system and, according to Mayor Betty Hannah, joined the authority with that intention. Maintaining ownership of the wastewater treatment plant would allow Fairburn to sell services to others entities. Fairburn has already negotiated one agreement, with Tyrone in Fayette County, for sewage.

Palmetto and Union City understood that all three cities would sell their infrastructure to the authority and the authority in turn would provide water and sewer services to the cities.

The difference in perceptions had threatened to fracture the relationship between the three cities. Fairburn was asked to reconsider their stance on the issue at previous meetings.

When Fairburn chose to stand firm on their position, Union City and Palmetto took the issue back to their respective councils for review.

On Tuesday, Hannah closed the door on the issue, "We went into this thing [the Authority] intending to maintain our own system we stood by that. I hope to work this out."

Union City Mayor Ralph Moore summed up the reaction of his council, "We are very disappointed with the reaction [of Fairburn], but nonetheless members of the council wanted to explore other options."

Union City, with the concurrence of Palmetto's representatives, opted to consider becoming a wholesale customer of the authority.

If all members of the authority ultimately agree with the change, each city would purchase water from the authority as a wholesale customer. They would then sell it to their residents.

In purchasing water in this manner, each city would be required to have their own staff and system to manage water customers. Under the terms Union City and Palmetto had hoped the authority would operate, there would have been one central system and staff.

The authority voted to have a proposed intergovernmental agreement drafted by the group's attorneys. There will be a called meeting on October 29 in Fairburn to review the agreement.

Authority member Steve Coffee gave notice of his resignation. He is moving out of the authority's area into Tyrone in Fayette County.