JRSA remains curious about county’s spending plans

A meeting has been held, but leaders of Oconee’s Joint Regional Sewer Authority remain curious about county government’s plans for the sale of bonds that could generate up to $25 million dollars – at least a part of which could be applied to sewer work.  From what Brian Ramey, the JRSA board chairman, told his board yesterday county government is playing it close to the vest about what it has in mind.  However, by something said by Glenn Hart, the District Five councilman, leads to Ramey to believe the county does have a plan to spend the money but, as Ramey put it, “They didn’t share that with us.  They are not ready to do that yet.”  A second rub involving the JRSA, currently a separate body politic, and county government is whether the county should have a seat on the JRSA board of commissioners.  Ramey said that in the meeting, Chris Bentley of the government service agency South Carolina “A-COG”, explained why that’s not possible right now – a reference to the legislation that created the JRSA.  But Ramey said, “The county is welcome to come to our meetings at any time” and the JRSA is willing to award the county a non-voting seat on the board that would entitle a county representative to a seat during both open and executive session meetings.