THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, July 16, 1996 TAG: 9607160250
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY CATHERINE KOZAK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: 79 lines
An agreement more than two years in the making between the water departments of Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills and Dare County was approved Monday by the Dare County Board of Commissioners.
If town officials also sign the document, control of water production will become the sole responsibility of the county and the towns will agree to lease their respective water wells to the county for $1 a year. The agreement will also provide guarantees for the quality, quantity and price of clean, safe, potable drinking water for the three governments.
Officials said customers will notice little change despite the difficulty of coming up with an agreement.
``This was not an easy task,'' said Commissioner Douglas Langford, who was appointed by the board to help each of the governments set water rates. ``It turned out to be very complicated . . . and very confusing with three written agreements and many verbal agreements.''
Langford said the parties quickly decided to ``clear the table off'' and work toward producing a mutually fair agreement. Specific water issues that the document addressed, Langford said, included ownership, quality, quantity, price and use of well fields.
``I believe it is very fair and comprehensive and will provide security of the water supply,'' Langford said. ``We wanted to construct an agreement that would survive our terms and provide a structure for the water relationship between the three governments for the next 40 years.
``It's a very significant document. It settles a lot of questions that have been a constant source of friction between the three governments.''
The water distribution system will remain the same, Langford said. ``Nothing will change for the customers,'' he said.
Facilities affected by the proposed plan are the reverse osmosis plant in Kill Devil Hills, the Skyco water production plant and the Fresh Pond water production plant in Nags Head, plus all associated equipment. Nags Head will maintain ownership of and responsibility for Fresh Pond and sell its water only to the county.
County Finance Director David Clawson said one of the most important oversights that the agreement will remedy is an additional provision for capital improvements of the water facilities, previously never reflected in the rates.
Kitty Hawk attorney Robert Outten, who acted as facilitator, said the final document was probably the 15th draft that the group negotiated.
``As close as you can make, it's fair to all parties,'' Outten told the board.
Also Monday, Commissioner Clarence Skinner said Hurricane Bertha is estimated to have caused a total of $50,000 in property damage in Dare County. ``I'm very pleased that the damage was minimal,'' said Skinner, who is also chairman of the Dare County Control Group, which made the decision to evacuate the barrier islands.
Several members of the public criticized the timing of the order to evacuate Hatteras Wednesday morning, days before the worst of the storm hit Friday evening.
Ward Barnett of Frisco told the board he has made a complaint about The Weather Channel, which is owned by Landmark Communications. Landmark also owns The Virginian-Pilot newspaper.
``They sell weather; they sell fear,'' Barnett said. ``I oppose the way The Weather Channel manipulates and . . . influences any decision-making process of the emergency management team.''
Skinner denied that the cable channel had any impact on the control group's assessment of the situation on the Outer Banks.
The group's decision he said was based ``100 percent from the Hurricane Center in Miami.''
In other business:
County Manager Terry Wheeler said the Dare County Sheriff's Department district office at the county airport is too hazardous to use. In inspections several months ago, state labor officials had found that the roof leaks into light sockets and there are no grounds in the electrical sockets at the facility. Wheeler said he is looking into leasing the Daniels' property off Mother Vineyard Road on Roanoke Island to house the department.
Rodney Dale Ballance Jr. asked the board for feedback about his proposal to supplement county ambulance services with a long-haul ambulance transport service. The board expressed skepticism about his ability to finance the service, but told him they are willing to talk to him about his ideas. Several EMS personnel told the board they very strongly oppose Ballance's proposal.
Chairman R.V ``Bobby'' Owens Jr. said he wants the board to look into having the county do its own study on the need for a hospital in Dare County. by CNB