Friday, December 6, 2002

Melear wants out of South Fulton WASA

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com

Next Monday's Fairburn City Council meeting could be a showdown over the South Fulton Regional Water and Sewerage Authority.

Late last month, City Councilman Harvey Melear balked at being part of the group.

"I don't want to pay for Palmetto's and Union City's sewer," he said.

Melear said he never remembered meeting about regional sewer issues and didn't think Fairburn taxpayers should have to shoulder the costs of something that could have a bigger impact on the other authority members in the organization.

Both city administrator Jim Williams and town attorney Brad Sears explained that Fairburn taxpayers would only have to pay for the percentage of sewerage treatment the town actually used.

Sears also explained taxpayers would only have to pony up extra money if revenues from the sewerage did not meet the costs of the system and the town chose not to raise sewerage rates.

He also added that fairburn would only be responsible for its portion of the costs, and would not be liable for any of Palmetto's and Union City's costs.

The City Council will decide whether to sign an operations agreement with the authority during Monday night's 7:30 p.m. meeting.