Adding G2 to Vendor List. G2 Utilities of La Grange was recommended by Mueller, the company from which the town purchased its mobile automated meter reading hardware kit to read electronic water meters.
5 0 to add G2 – which specializes in water meter testing, repairs and installation – to the town’s approved vendor list.
RFQ for Annual Audit. Council unanimously approved Tim Jones’ motion to send out a Request for Qualifications to perform the annual audit, which Cannon & Company has performed for the last several years. Accessibility Fees. Stokesdale charges the same accessibility fee – $30.50 – for water meters, whether it is a 3/4-inch, 1-inch, 2-inch or 6-inch meter. Saying those on the low (usage) end of the system carry most of the load, and admitting he was “shooting from the hip,” Tim Jones motioned to increase the fee for a 2-inch meter to $45.75 and the fee for a 6-inch meter to $140. Braswell said making the change wasn’t as easy as it seemed and explained there are four customer classifications, and an industrial water customer pays a higher accessibility fee but the lowest volumetric rate. Before considering a rate change, he encouraged waiting until an official with N.C. Rural Water Association can enter numbers into UNC School of Government’s software. “That way, when we go to the public with it, it would have a very experienced person behind it,” he said. After Gregg agreed, saying having more complete justification backed up with mathematical reasoning would be much better for the town, Tim Jones withdrew his motion. Upgrade equipment. Council unanimously approved Bill Jones’ motion to allocate $500 to purchase a recorder and two new microphones. Braswell said the town needs to modernize the minute-taking process and put the audio recordings on the internet.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS Water System Public Comments. Regarding a proposed regional water authority, John Flynt said an agreement with Oak Ridge, Summerfield and Guilford County might establish rules that could force Stokesdale to update its water system, or even to start over. “One of the reasons we incorporated was to determine our own fate,” he said. “I know Oak Ridge and Summerfield have property taxes, and I just want to make sure we don’t go down that road to where we lose our say.” Flynt also wondered if Stokesdale would be bound by an agreement with the other municipalities if they wanted sewer. Braswell said a 25-minute recording of an interview with Jeff Hughes, director of the Environmental Finance Center at the UNC School of Government, would answer a lot of the questions. The public was encouraged to listen to the interview, which is on a CD at Town Hall.
Braswell said he went to the first meeting to get a wholesale water rate for Stokesdale. “That was my goal, to pursue that from Rockingham County or Forsyth County, wherever that may be,” he said. “They asked me why I was there, and I told them we were told there was the possibility of finished water for a dollar (per 1,000 gallons).” Tim Jones said he didn’t feel he had enough information about a regional water authority, “and the word ‘authority’ is just what it is.” Regarding an authority’s potential powers over Stokesdale, Jones asked, “Would you accept them having powers of eminent domain, the right to impose assessments, mandatory hookups – the usual laundry list of things these authorities usually have?” He also expressed concerns about the authority’s composition. “I see this being a numbers game,” he said. “There’s 5,400 people in Stokesdale and 540,000 in all of Guil-
Braswell also said he understands the $14.5 million set aside in the state budget to create a regional water authority will cover the cost of the feasibility study.
Besides either joining or not joining the authority, he asked if there was a third option. Braswell again suggested listening to the CD. “The four governing bodies have passed the MOU,” he said, “and now it’s time to come to the table to help write the RFQ, help write the RFP (Request for Proposal), help negotiate for Stokesdale what percentage of the $14.5 million can be ours, or if we have to be a part of the authority to get any portion of the $14.5 million.” Bill Jones said he didn’t think more details would be available until the feasibility study is completed. “Part of the feasibility study will be to determine where the cheapest water is, where the simplest way to get the water is, whether it’s even practical,” he said. “From there, you’re going to have to look
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MEET THE COLD WITH CONFIDENCE
The original bill (in which the $14.5 million was allocated) speaks to a regional water authority that would include Rockingham County, Guilford County and some northwest Guilford County municipalities. Rockingham County is not part of the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) that the three northwest Guilford towns and Guilford County recently approved, however, and Braswell said the bill is expected to be amended by Sen. Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, either this month or next. “That’s when you’re going to see the clear division in the $14.5 million,” he said. When Flynt asked about a specific route for the water authority, Bill Jones said he didn’t know that any money was earmarked “to go from point A to point B. I know the money is earmarked to go to Rockingham County and part of it to Guilford County.”
ford County. My guess is we would get one vote on the board, is that right?”
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JAN. 27 - FEB. 2, 2017
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