Scotland County discusses water-treatment overhaul, ARPA funding and multi-county grant strategy

Scotland County Board of Commissioners on June 26 reviewed fiscal-year-to-date water district finances and discussed next steps for restoring the county’s North Pemfite water treatment plant and related infrastructure.

The finance presentation showed combined water-district revenues through May and described a $400,000 state grant for a District 2 project, with $361,350 received to date. Finance staff (Beth) reported total year-to-date revenues of about $755,111 for District 1 and $1,616,807 for District 2 and said total cash across the two districts was roughly $4.8 million. Beth said the districts remain in a positive position after accounting for debt service and operating transfers.

Commissioners pushed for action on a long-standing plant rehabilitation question. Commissioner (Mr. Ivy) said the county has a completed engineering study by WK Dixon outlining what would be required to bring the plant fully back online; the study includes estimates that will need updating, he said. Ivy and other commissioners said some components (for example, tanks) may be reusable while mechanical and electrical systems likely need replacement.

Why it matters: commissioners framed the plant as both a risk and an economic opportunity — a functioning treatment plant could allow the county to serve water-intensive economic development projects and preserve regional capacity as nearby towns grow.

Key details and next steps - Commissioners asked staff to update the engineering estimate and identify firms that can produce current cost estimates linked to the existing report. The board asked finance and staff to explore grant opportunities and to pursue a multi-county approach to strengthen applications, as advised by a representative from Sen. Thom Tillis’ office. The Tillis representative told staff that projects like a water-treatment overhaul are potential earmark candidates, especially when the request shows a regional/retail approach. - Commissioners discussed using ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds already committed to water projects first; staff said ARPA dollars committed to a specific project must be used for that project before tapping other district funds and that any leftover ARPA funds could be reallocated within the water district only if the project comes in under budget. - Commissioners asked staff to begin outreach to neighboring counties and entities (Moore County, Pinehurst and others were mentioned) to explore partnerships or retail approaches that could strengthen grant or earmark requests.

Budget and cash context - Board members noted about $4.8 million in combined cash holdings but flagged multiple committed items including waterline projects and ARPA allocations. Commissioners asked whether cash would cover plant work if needed; staff said the ARPA portion is available now but must be used per ARPA rules and that the county would supplement from district funds only if the project came in under budget.

Discussionary points, not decisions - Commissioners repeatedly emphasized the need for updated costs and a clearer plan before any large appropriation. They also discussed staffing the plant once it is restored (staffing needs were identified as an additional operating cost) and the need for a single point of contact to coordinate housing/treatment and other cross‑program services (this was raised elsewhere in the meeting and referenced in this discussion).

Provenance: excerpts in the transcript include the finance presentation and the board’s extended discussion of the North Pemfite treatment plant and grant strategy.