THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 22, 1994 TAG: 9406220467
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY ANNE SAITA, CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: 940622 LENGTH: CURRITUCK
The new authority's sole purpose will be to own the county water system's transmission lines, which will be leased back to the county and still be maintained by the Currituck water department.
{REST} The five-member board voted unanimously for the authority in order to avoid paying up to $2 million to relocate water lines once widening of N.C. 168 begins next year.
Authority members include current commissioners and the county manager.
County attorney William H. Romm Jr. said that under state law, the North Carolina Department of Transportation must pay for water line relocations if the lines are owned by an authority.
If the county had kept ownership, about 2,800 water system customers from Moyock to Grandy would have seen their monthly bills jump to $69 for 10 years in order to finance the project.
``So it's a significant impact,'' County Manager Bill Richardson said.
Because the authority owns only the transmission system, Currituck County may still sell general revenue bonds to pay for water system expansions, Richardson said.
Several years ago, the county floated $9 million in bonds to construct a countywide water system, based in Maple. However, funding ran short and another $1 million bond referendum was rejected by voters.
Future savings from authority-owned lines are expected when other thoroughfares, particularly U.S. 158 between the Camden County line and Barco, are expanded.
Commissioners Monday called the new authority a common sense measure.
``Of course, I'm sure if someone out there finds out we just saved taxpayers a million to a million-and-a-half dollars, there'll be someone out there ready to spend it,'' joked Commissioner Ernie Bowden, prompting several chuckles from the board and citizens. by CNB