Controversial sewer project finally gets OK – Greenville Daily Reflector

FARMVILLE Construction to install long-awaited sewer lines along U.S. 258 to Watkins Mobile Home Park,a large low-income residential development with several failing septic systems, is scheduled to begin in November.

The Farmville Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 with commissioners John Moore and Brenda Elks opposed to approve the low bid for construction by Ralph Hodge Construction. The Aug. 22 motion, which was made by Commissioner Hunter Walters and seconded by Commissioner David Shackleford, has been in the works since November 2016, when the town first received the construction bid.

Since January, the Farmville Board of Commissioners had repeatedly discussed the project, but either tabled or recessed the issue with no definitive action on whether or not the town wished to proceed or abandon the project.

The project is fully funded by the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Division of Water Infrastructure, which awarded the town a $2.386 million Community Development Block Grant Infrastructure in May 2013.

Farmville Manager David Hodgkins had hoped Aug. 7 and again Aug. 9 that the board would take action on the low-bid offer, but Commissioner Jamin Dixon requested more information regarding the grant agreement. Dixon wanted to be 100 percent certain the town would not be liable if fewer than 75 homes were connected to the newly installed sewer line.

When the project was first presented in 2013, 81 homes were proposed for connection. Since then, some homes have been removed from the property or demolished.

Referring to the Division of Water Infrastructures letter to the town, Mike Barnette, an engineer with McDavid Associates, the towns engineering and consulting firm, explained the town must hook up all homes within Watkins unless the property is vacant or documentation can be provided to show the residents septic tank is functional.

To date, 20 percent of the parks septic tanks are failing. The park has 91 lots and 80 occupied homes.

This program is designed to help poor people, but if we approve this it will make poor people homeless, Dixon said.

Barnette countered, I respectfully disagree.

Several residents in Watkins oppose the project, according to Dixon.

At least the ones who have functioning septic tanks, Dixon said, turning his attention to Hodgkins. I want to make sure we have been clear with the state that as a town, we are not endorsing to that state that the park residents want (this project). We have heard verbally from them, and now have in writing.

Dixon was referring to an email Elks received from the daughter of tenants who live in the park. The daughter, whose name was not disclosed, informed Elks that her parents are more afraid of the parks owners than the criminals who live around them.

The couple claims when McDavid staff went door-to-door collecting financial information from the tenants to provide documentation of a 51 percent population of low- to moderate-income residents, they were threatened and told if they did not provide a bank statement the sheriffs office would be called, according to Elks.

Her parents are also afraid Country Farms LLC, which owns Watkins Mobile Home Park, will increase their rent if they do not comply with the project, Elks said.

I dont believe anyone on our staff would have bullied the residents. I take exception, Barnette said.

Watkins Mobile Home Park has the lowest available rent in this part of the state, according to Crisp Sellers of Country Farms.

We have never threatened our tenants. Raising rent has never been part of our communication with them, Sellers said.

Dixon questioned if the primary goal of the Division of Water Infrastructure project is to improve the quality of life. This terminology was used when the project was first pitched to the town in 2013, and several town officials believed the project would improve the lives of the residents.

The goal is to eliminate health risks at the park and downstream, Barnette said.

It is projected tenants utility bills will increase by approximately $60 to $70 a month once sewer service is added. The residents of Watkins now receive water service from the town.

Dixon requested assurance that if the residents can no longer afford to pay their utility bill, move out of Watkins and then contact the Division of Water Infrastructure or state governor claiming they were bullied, threatened by the sheriff or that their rent was raised, the town would not be found liable.

It will be known the town went well beyond to look out for the towns citizens and residents of Watkins Mobile Home Park? That we fulfilled every ethical obligation? Dixon asked. I still dont understand, but I am trying to shape this in a way to support it ethically and morally.

McDavid engineers assurances must have satisfied Dixon, who in 2013 voted against applying for the grant funds, but supported the low-bid Tuesday.

The town now has until June 30, 2018, to complete construction of a sewer pump station and sewer lines in the park and installation of sewer lines along U.S. 258 to Watkins.

Walters motion also included a contingency that Country Farms maintain affordable rent within the park for at least one year upon closeout of the construction project. The motion also accepted Country Farms proposal, as previously requested by Moore and Dixon, that the property continue to operate as a mobile home park for at least 10 years as of Tuesday.

Country Farms has established a $20,000 grounds maintenance security escrow for the town to access should it fail to meet the towns required community standards agreement that was entered into in 2014.

They have also agreed to install a border buffer and re-grade the park to improve drainage issues. They have a grounds maintenance agreement in place with a lawn care service and are in the process of hiring an on-site manager.

At the start of this project, Country Farms contributed $25,000 to complete all initial work in support of applying for the grant.

The Enterprise serves western Pitt County including the towns of Falkland, Farmville and Fountain.

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Controversial sewer project finally gets OK - Greenville Daily Reflector