Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 115, No. 13	March 26, 2008

Water war?
Meade and Breckinridge officials tangle over waterline extension

By LARRY SEE JR.
Messenger Staff

Plans have been temporarily stalled for a Meade County waterline extension, which was expected to enter 2.7 miles into neighboring Breckinridge County.

The Meade County Water District board discussed the issue, which arose earlier during a casual conversation at a recent state conference. The conversation was between another engineer and water district field supervisor Tim Osborne.

Water district general manager Joe Bartley, according to the February meeting minutes, said Osborne discovered the city of Hardinsburg had an overlapping project ready to start.

Meade County officials have been working for several months to put finishing touches on a United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development grant.

Bartley said Rural Development officials are ready to approve the request, but are waiting until this issue is resolved.

“Rural Development really doesn’t want to get into the middle of this,” Bartley said.

Under the terms, the county qualifies for a grant which is 45 percent of whatever the project cost. For example, for every million dollars the project costs, $450,000 would come as a grant and the remaining $550,000 could be borrowed at a very low interest rate through rural development.

The project, following federal approval, would allow for the installation of waterlines along KY 228 near Wolf Creek and service other affected areas in the county’s western section.

It was then the plans became derailed.

“The city of Hardinsburg protested this through Breckinridge County that we were entering into their county,” Bartley said. Breckinridge County doesn’t have a water district, instead relying on the city to supply water through a contract arrangement with a private supplier, Veolia.

Bartley said officials only wanted to extend their lines 2.7 miles to make a system loop, preventing the likelihood of having to cleanse the water regularly.

Bartley said when he originally talked to the Hardinsburg mayor in August, he was told the extension wouldn’t be a problem, but something happened in the interim.

“But now it’s a problem,” he said. “I explained to him the board voted to do a 20-year plan and we hired an engineering firm to help us. One of the proposals is the possibility of purchasing water in the later years if water was needed. One of the possibilities was to buy it from the city of Hardinsburg.”

Apparently, according to Bartley, the 20-year plan emerged into a fact Meade County officials were looking at buying water immediately, which wasn’t the case.

“That has never been the issue,” he said. “It was always in the future.”

Bartley said he and Meade County Judge Executive Harry Craycroft met with Breckinridge County Judge Executive Ray Powers regarding the issue. He expects the matter to be settled following the Court’s March 24 meeting. Breckinridge officials indicated Meade and city officials were expected to address the matter during the session.

Bartley hopes after the Court’s resolution adoption, the matter can be settled. There is still a threat of a city lawsuit, however.

“We have met with Rural Development and the coordinator said he was ready to move,” Bartley said. “This is holding us up. I hope Breckinridge County doesn’t change their mind.”

Meade County Magistrate Randall Hardesty, who was at the district meeting, didn’t think Breckinridge officials would change their minds. He added both state legislators approved of the extension.

“Meade County has an advantage from an engineering standpoint,” Bartley said.

In a worst case scenario, Bartley said, the county would have to dead end the lines at the county line.

“I don’t want this to be a battle between the two counties, otherwise we might lose the whole project,” he said. “The bottom line is the project needs to be carried out.”

Bartley said the project might have to be re-engineered to reflect changes, causing further delays.

“The bottom line is we need to get these people water,” he said, referring to both Meade County and the 21 residents in Breckinridge who would benefit.

“We have done it like it should be done and should go on with it until we’re shown otherwise,” board chairman Doug Cornett said. Basham was absent because of a family emergency. The tie resulted in a failed motion.

“My no vote is because I believe KRS is very firm,” said Redmon. “If we don’t accommodate Fort Knox, we’re going to pay for it.” She further asked who was going to get paid to do the rewrite of the comprehensive plan.

“I agree with Sonja,” said Garverich. “There needs to be some different language.”

Following the failure of this motion, Flaherty attempted another, inserting language into the plan which encourages disclosure to prospective purchases of the proximity to Fort Knox. Garverich indicated he would like to table the issue and revise the language. “The word buffer is offensive,” he said.

When Gibson called for a motion, Garverich moved to disavow the vote “because I think it was done out of sequence,” he said. “We can’t remove it without something to replace it.”

A comment from the audience recommended passing the tough decision on to Fiscal Court, essentially returning it to them with no changes.

“It’s going to be sent back,” said Magistrate Steve Wardrip.

Flaherty again proposed a motion to delete the current resolution and replace the language encouraging disclosure. Garverich seconded for discussion. Redmon asked Hill if that language would put the county in compliance. Hill stated she should ask the county attorney if this legally complies. Flaherty withdrew his motion, and he and Gibson reiterated they have to be in compliance with the law.

The commission eventually agreed their best course of action would be to send the plan back to Fiscal Court as is with the hope Fiscal Court would send it back with language that would be acceptable to all parties and in compliance with statute.

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