Council backs nondisclosure talks as county pursues keeping Georgia Pacific pipeline in place

Mayor Landry and the City Council on Aug. 12 authorized the city manager to enter into a nondisclosure agreement with Georgia Pacific so the city can confidentially explore options for the former Georgia Pacific (GP) mill site and its wastewater pipeline.

The authorization came during a lengthy public discussion led by Andy Jackson, who presented potential economic development opportunities tied to the GP property and its infrastructure. Jackson described wells and a wastewater system on the site and urged the city and county to coordinate investigations and possible acquisitions. He said, “We have an unbelievable asset out there,” and urged officials to at least explore options so the community would not later regret walking away from the resource.

Why it matters: The GP site includes large-capacity water and wastewater infrastructure and a pipeline that presenters and board representatives said could support heavy industry or be reused for regional water supply. Public officials and development authorities warned the site's facilities are oversized for municipal use and could require substantial work and expense to convert for city or county operations.

What the council did: The council voted to authorize John Hart, the city manager, to enter an NDA with Georgia Pacific to allow confidential negotiation and information-sharing. Roll-call votes recorded the motion as approved. Earlier in the meeting the council voted to table a broader resolution that had been drafted to support Taylor County's pursuit of GP infrastructure; council members said they wanted more detail about what "support" would bind the city to before taking that step.

Key details and constraints: - Presenters and TCDA (Taylor County Development Authority) representatives said GP's wastewater treatment system is very large. A TCDA summary described primary, secondary and tertiary systems and storage basins; board members said converting the plant for municipal use could cost tens of millions of dollars. A TCDA speaker summarized components including clarifiers, large aeration basins and storage basins and said the GP plant is much larger than typical municipal plants. - Multiple speakers noted the pipeline asset separately from the treatment plant and described the pipeline as a potentially useful, unique regional asset. Several public speakers and TCDA members urged keeping the pipeline in the ground if possible. - The council heard that some GP site remediation options, including full removal of certain contaminants, could be extremely costly; presenters said a full removal of dioxins and similar contaminants might be hundreds of millions of dollars, while capping and remediation strategies could be far less costly. - Staff and presenters discussed funding options including state programs, DEP funding possibilities, legislative appropriations and an emergency bridge loan program with an application deadline noted in the meeting as Sept. 26, 2025.

Discussion vs. decision: Council members repeatedly emphasized the difference between investigating options (discussion/direction) and committing to purchase, condemnation or major capital spending (decision). The formal action taken was limited: authorization for the city manager to sign an NDA to facilitate confidential conversations with Georgia Pacific. The tabled resolution and larger questions about eminent domain, purchase and operation of GP facilities remain unresolved.

Next steps and follow-up: Council members said they expect further information from Taylor County and the TCDA, and signaled willingness to revisit a resolution after seeing the county's proposed actions and additional technical details on cost, remediation scope and operational needs.