The Lee County Board of Supervisors wants a little more time to make a big decision.
The issue concerns proposed construction of a sanitary sewer system in the unincorporated community of Mooar/Powdertown. The project has been talked about for years but has stalled for a variety of reasons. Some residents are once again working with Regional Utility Service Systems to get it back on track.
RUSS said it can do the project if it's given permission from its ten member counties to borrow money to pay for the system.
Lee County was scheduled to vote on whether to grant its permission Tuesday, but that action has been pushed back until a special meeting on Friday, Aug. 22.
Chairman Ernie Schiller said this gives the residents of Mooar-Powdertown a chance to let the board know if they still support the project and it gives the county a chance to further clarify the borrowing plan.
“It’s not really approving $1 million or $2 million in bonds," Schiller said.
"It is about allowing RUSS to move forward in the negotiation process of trying to get funding together should the residents of Mooar-Powdertown move forward on this.”
RUSS is trying to secure funding through the USDA. Every dollar identified would mean one less dollar to borrow and pay back over 40 years.
Schiller said RUSS needs unanimous approval from the ten member counties before it can proceed.
He admitted that could be difficult given the fact that several counties have been fighting to leave RUSS.
