A plea by the JRSA to Oconee government

Anxious commissioners of the Joint Regional Sewer Authority want better communication about county government’s plans for a $25 million bond issue and how the sewer spending part of it will affect their service obligations.  Amanda Brock, county administrator, told a JRSA committee meeting last week that priority one is sewer expansion to Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative property envisioned for an industry park in the vicinity of I-85 exit 4 corridor.  However, at yesterday’s meeting of the full JRSA board, commissioners decried what they feel is a lack of communication with the county council.  As Westminster’s Kevin Bronson said:  “Everybody wants to know.  Where is it going to go?” — referring to sewer work the county has in mind.  From the audience, county planning commissioner Teresa Spicer said the council has yet to vote on exactly how and where to apply the proceeds from the bond sale.  Yesterday’s meeting began with three members of southern Oconee’s agriculture community telling the commissioners that they view piped sewer as an intrusion and threat to their livelihoods.  As farmer Tim Donald put it, the county is trying to position itself to attract economic development to a part of the county that already has an industry:  agriculture.  For about one hour, the commissioners engaged in a free-wheeling discussion that featured their attorney, Larry Brandt, giving his opinion about legal considerations in the mechanics of accepting service requests, such as that which would be likely as the result of the county’s bond issue for sewer work.