Hart County OKs $3,000 to back regional water-partnership seed grant

The Hart County Board of Commissioners voted on Sept. 9, 2025, to authorize a $3,000 local match and a letter of support for a proposed regional water-partnership seed grant, following a presentation from Pat Goren, director of the Howard County Water and Sewer Authority.

Pat Goren told the commission the seed grant — roughly $75,000 — would fund data collection and planning for an Upper Savannah River Basin partnership. "I strongly encourage Hart County to participate, in this partnership," Goren said, adding that local collaboration would give the northern counties "a bigger voice than what happens downstream." He asked the county to authorize a support letter and to contribute $3,000 in cash or in-kind match toward the application to the state environmental agency (EPD).

The grant request, Goren said, would be used to gather data and identify opportunities for shared projects such as treatment-plant siting, interconnections, or groundwater studies. He emphasized the effort is intended as a local, collaborative planning effort and said participation would not require Hart County to give up existing water storage allocations. "This is not about us giving up anything we have," he said, noting Hart County’s existing allocation in Lake Hartwell and that the partnership would primarily gather information to pursue larger grants and loans later.

A community member who identified herself in the meeting noted the group had reached out to multiple counties and regional organizations and urged the commission to move quickly so the region could apply in October. Commissioners discussed the value of the county having an early seat at the table and the ability of founding members to control future membership.

Chair Marshall Sayer moved to authorize County staff Terrell to sign a letter of support and to provide the $3,000 match; the motion was seconded and passed on a 5-0 vote. The board recorded a unanimous vote in favor of providing the requested letter and match.

The county’s action authorizes staff to send the support letter and to allocate the $3,000 match; the seed grant application itself and any later capital decisions would be separate steps if the partnership pursues larger funding.

Key details raised in the discussion included the partnership’s stated purpose as a data-collection and planning effort (not a requirement to participate in future capital spending), an estimated seed-grant award target of $75,000, and a local match request of $3,000. Commissioners who voted yes were Marshall Sayer, Commissioner Teasley, Commissioner Bennett, Commissioner Dorsey and Commissioner Brown.