Commissioners press for quarry‑damage update as county advances design work on alternative water supply

County staff presented the concept and initial design work for an alternative water supply using the county‑owned quarry and a pipeline connection to the water treatment facility. Commissioners acknowledged the long‑term value of the project for drought resilience but several said they would not support moving forward until outstanding resident claims about alleged blasting damage were documented and addressed.

Commissioner Taylor and others requested staff aggregate notes and claimant lists from earlier town‑hall meetings and from Inner East Athens so officials can better understand where claims stand. Commissioner Myers noted the lease on the quarry expires Dec. 31, 2030, and several commissioners suggested the commission could seek additional leverage at lease renewal if operators have not addressed potential damages. Commissioner Thornton, among others, urged the manager to convene a follow‑up that includes state regulators and legal staff.

Staff said much of the quarry‑work is a multi‑year design effort (estimated several years for design) and that the quarry operator and insurer had not presented substantiated claims in prior exchanges; staff agreed to aggregate meeting notes and identify filed claims to produce an update for commissioners.

The commission left the item on discussion and directed staff to return with a compiled claimant list, notes from the town‑hall meeting and input from regulatory authorities.