Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, March 28, 1993 TAG: 9303260033
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV6 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: New River Valley bureau
DATELINE: WYTHEVILLE LENGTH: Medium
"I can't remember, in fact, a time in the 10 years that I've been in office that this exact circumstance has been presented, where the local government says, `We want the federal funds to build the sewer system,' but the community to be served comes to me directly and says, `We don't want it and we want you to stop it,' " he said.
Wythe County is seeking as big a grant as it can get from the Farmers Home Administration on a $9.1 million sewer project to serve the eastern end of the county, where Interstates 81 and 77 meet and only a lack of utilities seems to be holding up business development.
To get the maximum grant, the county must assure FmHA of as many users for the system as possible. So it is considering an ordinance that would require all residents of Fort Chiswell and Max Meadows close to the proposed line to hook onto it when it is built.
Many of these residents are using private septic systems, and see no reason why they should have to pay to hook onto a system they do not want and pay monthly sewer bills besides. That is especially true of residents who are on fixed incomes.
"I want to find out more about this," Boucher said. He promised the delegation from the area that he would look into the economic consequences for the residents and potential businesses, and see if additional money might be available to help low-income residents using such a line.
Tom DuPuis, chairman of the county Board of Supervisors, said the governing body is waiting to hear from Boucher. Meanwhile, he told citizens attending a board meeting Tuesday night, "I'm available if you want to speak to me individually."
There were so many questions about specific parts of the proposed waste-water ordinance that Supervisor Jack Crosswell suggested that a committee of the citizens get together with him and try to compile a list. Then answers will be sought and presented at a meeting at Fort Chiswell.
The Citizens Coalition for Fair Government, formed in response to the proposed system, suggested to Boucher that businesses and industries that would benefit from the system should be the ones to pay for it.
Boucher said commitments of that kind make it much harder to persuade industries to locate in a given area.
"It just makes it harder to attract the company," he said. "It just comes down to how much of the initial investment you are willing to make to have the economic growth."
He said the local government and citizens must decide whether the investment in a waste-water treatment system would be worth the potential payoff from industry. "I would hesitate to suggest to you what the answer ought to be," he said.
by CNB