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Brevard approves mini-Brooks exemption and moves to seek up to $10 million for a new water intake
Summary
Council approved a Mini-Brooks exemption to hire Brown Consultants to prepare a State Revolving Fund application and authorized staff to apply for up to $10 million in drinking-water SRF funds to build a more resilient intake for the city's water treatment plant.
The Brevard City Council on Jan. 5 approved a Mini-Brooks exemption to select Brown Consultants, P.A., to help prepare an application and authorized staff to pursue up to $10 million in North Carolina State Revolving Fund (SRF) financing to build a new, more resilient intake for the city's water treatment plant.
Assistant city manager David Todd said staff has a proposal of about $18,000 from Brown Consultants to prepare the SRF application and recommended using the Mini-Brooks exemption (authorized by N.C. Gen. Stat. 143-64.32 for projects under $50,000) so the tight application timeline could be met. "We have a proposal in hand for $18,000 to help us apply for this grant," Todd said.
Todd described a history of intake problems at Cathy's Creek: an early intake installed around 2008 plugged after a fallen tree, a second intake installed later proved prone to debris and was damaged by Tropical Storm Fred, and in Hurricane Helen the raw-water wet well and intake area accumulated sand, silt and debris that required emergency cleanup. He said the proposed approach is to install an upstream intake positioned on a higher-velocity side of the creek and designed to be less likely to plug.
Todd and public-works staff said FEMA has reimbursed parts of the Hurricane Helen cleanup (including a $24,000 payment tied to the water-treatment plant repairs), but earlier work after Tropical Storm Fred produced an offer that staff declined because it covered only a fraction of needed repairs. Council members emphasized the urgency given the approaching SRF application deadline and praised staff for emergency response to past storms.
Council moved, seconded and approved the Mini-Brooks exemption to engage Brown Consultants and authorized submission of the SRF application. Staff said the grant/loan program is on a revolving deadline and additional opportunities may arise if funds remain.
Next steps: staff will execute the contract scoped for application support, submit the SRF application by the immediate deadline, and return to council with updates if the city is invited to receive funds.
