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Lobbyist outlines Gates County state requests; county readies ambulance and water projects
Summary
Lobbyist Bob Steinberg summarized county lobbying priorities for the April short session, naming a roughly $25 million request to address fluoride in drinking water, a $60 million new middle school request and a smaller $5 million HVAC request for Gatesville Elementary; county manager and staff described a separate USDA application for three ambulances ($1,050,000) and DEQ steps on a multi-site water improvement contract.
Bob Steinberg, the county’s contracted lobbyist, told the Board of Commissioners that lawmakers will reconvene April 24 for the short session and that Gates County’s priority list includes several large infrastructure and school projects.
Steinberg said the county’s single largest near-term ask is for water fluoridation work. “The fluoride issue… it’s going to probably take a $25,000,000 request,” he said, adding that the county’s water otherwise is “some of the purest water anywhere in the state” and that officials plan to highlight that quality in their advocacy.
Steinberg also listed a $60,000,000 request for a new middle school and recommended seeking a smaller, nearer-term HVAC upgrade for Gatesville Elementary as an initial step. “That may be a good place for us to start in this abbreviated long session,” he said, naming a figure of about $5,000,000 for the HVAC work.
County Manager Scott Sauer updated the board on concurrent steps for emergency services and water infrastructure. Sauer said staff finalized an application for three replacement ambulances worth $1,050,000 and that USDA Rural Development indicated Gates County may qualify for a 75% grant, leaving roughly $250,000 in local match if approved. Sauer said the county had prepared a DEQ submission for a tentative award to TA Loving Company for multi-site waterline work (Bennett’s Creek, Carters Road, Yatesville Transmission and Highway 158) and expected an authority-to-award letter by May 8, followed by a pre-construction conference and a 300-day conservative construction schedule with a target completion of April 7, 2027.
Board members asked about funding sources and coordination with the Board of Education for school projects; Steinberg and staff noted lottery funds and other “pots” will be evaluated but stressed that some elements (for example, HVAC work) could be targeted in the short session while larger school construction will take longer to assemble funding. Commissioners also discussed related priorities such as ambulances, a senior/community center and fire-station needs in Hobbsville.
Next steps noted in the meeting: staff will continue grant and DEQ coordination on the water improvements, refine the ambulance grant materials, and work with legislators on the short-session requests.
