OKTIBBEHA COUNTY — A back-and-forth between two supervisors Monday over funding county lake dam improvements led to District 2’s Orlando Trainer saying the previously quiet part out loud: completing the project could mean more burden on the taxpayers.
Trainer, presiding over the board meeting in president Bricklee Miller’s absence, suggested supervisors support using $1.7 million of its American Rescue Plan Act allocation to assist with the East Oktibbeha Wastewater District’s infrastructure expansion down Old Highway 25.
The project would qualify for a dollar-for-dollar match from the state’s ARPA program, said wastewater district manager Dwight Prisock, with the combination providing almost 70 percent of the expansion’s estimated $5 million cost.
Supervisors, however, have deemed improvements at the county lake dam as the priority for its $9.6 million ARPA allocation. Estimates for repairing the dam currently stand at $15 million to $17 million.
On Monday, Trainer acknowledged funding the wastewater project would siphon ARPA funding from the dam — money he said the county could replace “from some other source.”
“I know (the lake) is a priority,” Trainer said. “I know it’s out there, but right now I think this is low-hanging fruit here that we need to get moving.”
This drew questions from District 3 Supervisor Marvell Howard, who lives near the lake.
“Replace it with what?” Howard asked. “… At what point are we going to allocate our ARPA money and move forward with the repairs (at the dam)?”
Trainer did not answer the question at first, instead pointing to the opportunity to double the county’s money by funding the wastewater project. The dam, he noted, does not qualify for state matching funds.
Howard kept pressing.
“What’s going to happen when the next person comes up and wants another $1.7 (million), then the next person wants another $1.7 (million)?” he asked. “At some point, we have no ARPA funding and we still haven’t repaired the county lake dam.”
“This is the issue at hand,” Trainer responded.
“I need a plan if we’re going to start pulling money that we’ve already allocated from ARPA funding for the county lake dam. What’s our plan to replace it?” Howard said, pressing further. “… I know what the issue at hand is, but the issue at hand is also the county lake dam. … It’s been eight years and we still haven’t found money. Where are we all of the sudden going to get money?”
Then Trainer finally answered bluntly.
“We’re going to have to raise taxes, and let the folks pay for it,” he said. “And if you don’t want to do that, ain’t no way it’s going to get done.”
Wastewater district expansion
The East Oktibbeha Wastewater district covered just 13 percent of the county until supervisors in 2021 approved a territory annexation that allows it to serve 30 percent. It runs from Rockhill Road on the north around Starkville to the east along the county line to Robinson Road in the Oktoc community to the south.
Prisock said it completed its first project, costing $4.5 million, in 2016 that provided service along Highway 182 to Hickory Grove Road. A second project under construction is completing service in the district’s original area, including Blackjack Road and north across Old West Point Road.
The ARPA infusion would help the district build out into its newly annexed area, connecting with Starkville’s system at Industrial Road and running sewer line down Old Highway 25, Williams Road, Bethel Road and Poor House Road.
Prisock said the district serves about 1,600 customers to date, but since hooking up to the service is optional for residents, he could not estimate on Monday how many the expansion would connect.
Once that expansion is complete, Prisock said the district wants to continue expansion projects in $5 million increments that would eventually cover the entire rural portion of the county, not just the east side.
New dam estimates?
The board, at District 1 Supervisor John Montgomery’s urging, opted to table discussion on whether to fund the wastewater district’s expansion for at least two weeks when supervisors are due a report with a revised estimate on dam repairs.
Pickering Engineering Firm earlier this year offered supervisors the $15 million to $17 million estimate for the work — roughly twice County Engineer Clyde Pritchard’s $8 million estimate for improvements after he reported the dam was in danger of breaching in January 2020.
Montgomery said Monday he is “hearing and hopeful” that estimate will be lower when firm representatives present again to the board May 16.
Pickering representatives acknowledged when they gave the estimate that the recommended work exceeded Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality minimums. Board of supervisors attorney Rob Roberson, speaking to The Dispatch, said he hoped the May 16 presentation would render a more realistic estimate, as well as some options for federal money to assist with the project.
Both Montgomery and Howard stood firm against Trainer’s assertion a tax increase was necessary to fix the dam. Montgomery, however, wanted to wait for more information before committing any ARPA funds to the wastewater district.
“I’ve said openly I’m not for using our money on that, but that problem’s not going to go away,” Montgomery said.
Prisock said the district would use any county money it receives to build “as far as it will carry us.” He also hinted there might be direct state money available that would reduce the district’s need for local ARPA.
As far as waiting two weeks for a solid answer from the supervisors, Prisock seemed fine with that.
“There is a need in the community, but there is not a (specific) timetable. … The sooner, the better,” he said.
Zack Plair is the managing editor for The Dispatch.
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