Friday, November 7, 2003

Fairburn sign on to water agreement

By LINDSAY BIANCHI
Special to The Citizen

We don't think twice about turning on the tap to take a shower or to hose down the driveway, but we might think more than a few times if we had to face the decisions that the Fairburn City Council met with at their October 27 meeting.

Charles Corbin, program manager for the South Fulton Water and Sewer Authority gave a lengthy presentation outlining in detail the factors that make up their plan to wean themselves from the City of Atlanta's water supply and become self sufficient. With rates set to triple in the city from the average $60 per month to $172 per month, the time to find a solution was at hand.

Part of the authority’s proposal entailed purchasing Palmetto's 138 acre water treatment plant and reservoir to be deconstructed after the new facility is in operation on the Bear Creek site. The assets amount to $1.68 million, which is to be divided three ways between the authority’s three cities. Based on the amount of water used by each city, Fairburn would receive 28 percent, Palmetto would receive 18 percent and Union City 54 percent of the proceeds.

Councilman Harvey Melear questioned the purchase saying, "We're bailing out Palmetto. They're in a bind."

In conjunction with the authority's plans, an agreement made June 7, 2000 with Fulton County by the City of Fairburn was extended another year. The original agreement to complete a 1 million gallon per day sewage treatment plant by March 8, 2005 was extended to March 8, 2006. The new deadline will give the city more time to construct its own treatment facility.

Around 9 p.m., the council took a fifteen minute recess and reconvened to discuss the sale of $40 million in bonds which will fund the project. With sales beginning next week, the council made several stipulations before agreeing unanimously to approve the funding of the Bear Creek Reservoir.

It was made clear that the bond funds were to be used only for water supply purposes and not wastewater purposes. The Authority would pay Palmetto no more than $2,173,200 for the purchase of water and wastewater facilities. Palmetto was also required to receive permits from the Corps of Engineers, the Georgia EPD and the DOT to relocate Ga. Highway 70.

It was also stated that Fairburn and Union City would not be liable for any penalties or fines incurred by the city of Palmetto due to the operation of its water treatment facility.

Mayor Ralph Moore, land agent for the Authority summed up his view of the proposal saying, "I want historians to look back and say 'Job well done.'" Moore admitted that these were "difficult decisions" but was heartfelt in his desire to "create a trinity that Fulton County and Atlanta cannot touch."