…… Chairman Davis has obviously excluded the other commissioners from important information needed for requested Board action on the “Zoom Bait’ project. AVOC thinks the four Board members are entitled to the withheld information and are correct to delay action on the project….

AVOC

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January 15, 2011

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Oconee’s Zoom Bait Sewer Project has mystery around it

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By Wendell Dawson, Editor, AVOC, Inc

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From early on, Oconee Chairman Melvin Davis has often operated behind the scenes.   Staff has frequently been ‘used’ as fronts and as cover.   AVOC has read all the press reports and talked to sources close to the situation about the “Zoom Bait” grant & sewer project.   Chairman Davis has obviously excluded the other commissioners from important information needed for requested Board action on the project.   AVOC thinks the four Board members are entitled to the withheld information and are correct to delay action on the project.

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Oconee’s Melvin Davis has frequently dealt ‘behind the scenes’

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ZOOM BAIT- ST MARY’S HIGHLAND HILLS COMPLEX- DCA GRANT

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This project was presented to the BOC in May of 09.  It was represented as a way to get sewer to Zoom Bait and St. Mary's- Highlands Hills Complex on Jennings Mill Road.  It would encourage and produce jobs for good businesses in the county.  Zoom Bait was also having trouble with their septic lines.  They may have to leave the county if they don't get sewer.   

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The BOC approved the application for the grant state grant.  Jon Williams, Consultant, was hired by Staff to help with cost estimates for the application.  The application was filed and the Department of Community Affairs who awarded the grant – generally a 50 - 50 split for funding.  Oconee County was to pay $ 180,000. 

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Bids for the job came back about $ 400,000 above the grant and match.  Department of Community Affairs was asked for more funding by staff but the request was denied.  Staff came back to the BOC and requested more money which was approved.

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Staff advised the BOC that staff believed that easements from the land owners will reduce the cost.  Staff was asked in public what land owners (besides St Mary’s) will benefit from the line and no name or names were offered.  It was learned in October by BOC members that staff had been meeting with shopping center developer, Frank Bishop, the developer of the big project across the new road from the Gordy land.  The BOC learned from Bishop that staff had requested him to negotiate with the Gordy family on behalf of the county.  Apparently, Chairman Davis had been in meetings with Mr. Bishop but the BOC was not aware of it until October when some commissioners met with Bishop who requested a meeting.

Bishop told some of the commissioners about his meetings with county officials.  Bishop was told that the project was in trouble because the land owners did not want to work with the county.  He was told BOC members were not aware of any meetings he was having with staff.

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Part of the reason for secrecy is the fact that the large adjacent property may not fit in the strictures of the DCA grant – low and moderate income folks.   However, a more public involvement (certainly all the commissioners) would promote more support and understanding.   It is baffling that the Chairman proceeds this way.    He cannot ignore the four commissioners who really control county action.   Some questions and issues that have arisen are as follows:

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ISSUES:

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1.  If the project was really for Zoom and St. Mary's why did Zoom not request sewer when they requested permission to expand in 2005? 

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2.  If St Mary’s needs the sewer capacity, why have they not been more cooperative for easements?

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3.  Bishop reportedly has an option to but the Gordy Tract.  For its easement, Gordy has asked for $ 1,000 and a five year guarantee for sewer capacity.

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MELVIN DAVIS AND SECRECY LINKS 1-11.pdfx

Becker-1-11-11 - Zoom Bait-St Mary’s-Gordy Sewer Project in Oconee County

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http://oconeecountyobservations.blogspot.com/2011/01/big-gap-exists-between-stated-and-real.html

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Zoom Bait/St. Mary’s/Gordy Project –

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Oconee Observations – Lee Becker - January 11, 2011

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The Zoom Bait/St. Mary’s sewer project that Oconee County presented to the state, the federal government and the public is a limited, $ 383,055 undertaking to provide sewer services to two established businesses in the county with low-to-moderate income employees.

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The actual project is a $ 851,639 infrastructure investment designed to provide sewer services to Zoom Bait and St. Mary’s Health Care System as well to the owners of a 114-acre parcel the county wants to develop as part of its Epps Bridge Parkway commercial complex.

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………..proposal by representatives of that 114-acre parcel that the owners give the county easements to build the sewer line on their property, but only if the county agrees to reserve 50,000 gallons of sewage treatment capacity for the property for five year.

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……BOC Chairman Melvin Davis pushed the proposal at the Board’s Jan. 4 meeting, but the other four members of the BOC balked, saying they had been kept in the dark about the true nature of the project and about the negotiations with the representatives of the 114-acre tract.

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News about the value of the project for the owners of the 114-acre parcel first leaked out at the Nov. 2 meeting of the BOC.

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What has not been clear until now is the extent to which the county had worked to mask the true nature of the sewer line project in the state and federal grant application.

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………The county told the state it needed the federal money to keep Zoom Bait from leaving the county and to help St. Mary’s operate within its “financial means.” ………………….

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SEE ARTICLE for More Detail

OCONEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING MINUTES FOR 1.4.11

http://www.oconeecounty.com/OCWeb2009/Minutes/2011/1-4-11M.pdf

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…… Sewer Line – Zoom Bait/St. Mary’s Health Care:Economic Development Director Rusty Haygood and Utility Director Chris Thomas presented the appraised easement values, the estimated sources of funds and the Utility Department’s estimated use of funds for the Zoom Bait/St. Mary’s Health Care sewer line project.Estimated repayments to Oconee County for connections to the sewer line would be $ 967,660.

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Mr. Thomas noted the owners of the Gordy Tract have requested $ 1,000 for costs incurred during easement negotiations and 50,000 gallons of sewer capacity to be held for a period of time not to exceed 5 years in exchange for an easement.He reported Zoom Bait has donated their easement and St. Mary’s is in the process of donating their easement with a slight realignment of the sewer line.

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Lengthy discussion ensued on the history of sewer needs for Zoom Bait and the St. Mary’s Alzheimer’s & Dementia facility, the lack of disclosure of all information regarding the potential sewer line and the requested 5-year reservation of sewer capacity by the Gordy family.  

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The Board agreed the project was good for commercial development and would assist existing businesses, but expressed concern for reserving sewer capacity without being paid for 5 years.

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On motion by Commissioner Luke and second by Commissioner Daniell, the Board voted unanimously to table further action on the Zoom Bait/St. Mary’s Sewer Line Project to February 8, 2011 and requested Mr. Haygood and Mr. Thomas renegotiate the terms of the easement donation with the Gordy Family.

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1-4-11 Oconee BOC delay sewer line to Zoom Bait and St Mary’s Highland Hills

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The Oconee Enterprise

http://www.oconeeenterprise.com/articles/2011/01/08/news/doc4d24d11be8a2f316528898.txt

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January 5, 2011

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Sewer plan proves messy business
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by Blake Giles
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The process of funding sewer lines is proving to be a messy one for the Oconee County Board of Commissioners.
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Tuesday the Commissioners tabled the issue of acceptance of sewer line easements, delaying the issuance of a request for proposals for the sewer-line project to service Zoom Bait Co. and St. Mary’s Highland Hills properties.
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In the course of sending the plan back to Utility Director Chris Thomas and Economic Development Director Rusty Haygood, the discussion opened old wounds about inadequate communication to the Commissioners………………..