Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Water Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents press county on years‑long water gap as commissioners approve utility maintenance orders
Summary
Residents from eastern Pender County urged the board to accelerate drinking‑water projects and to show grant activity; commissioners approved three blanket purchase orders for Waterworks maintenance and meter purchases after staff said the POs support continued operations and new‑tap revenue.
Several residents urged the Pender County Board of Commissioners on July 13 to move faster on long‑standing drinking‑water projects for eastern precincts, saying families have waited years for treated water and asking the board to show evidence that grants have been sought or awarded.
During the public‑comment period, Debbie Walker of Union Chapel Road said she paid for a tap in 2014 and “my money still sits there” with no service. Cheryl Highsmith of US Highway 421 and other speakers said the neighborhood has been raising water needs for more than three years and repeatedly asked whether county staff had applied for grants to fund pipe installation.
Utility staff responded in the meeting’s business section. Mr. Proctor (Waterworks) described blanket purchase orders used to buy meters and repair parts from three local suppliers, explaining that bulk orders reduce lead times and support maintenance and new‑tap installs. He told the board the meter budget covers several hundred meters per year and that replacing meters is part of transitioning to an automated‑metering infrastructure.
A motion to approve the three items (moved from the consent agenda as items 9.4–9.6) passed after commissioners debated a request from one commissioner for receipts from the last three years. Supporters of the motion said delaying approval could reduce the utility’s ability to set meters and generate revenue needed for future expansions.
What the board approved: the minutes and staff materials list the three blanket purchase orders (previously consent items 8.19–8.21) for Waterworks maintenance, meter purchases and related supplies. The agenda identified one vendor as the county’s proprietary meter supplier and said bulk buying allows staff to order larger quantities when needed.
The meeting also included a broader utility update: staff said Pender County had been upgraded to a D2 drought classification and urged voluntary water‑conservation measures. The utility manager said he would pursue specialized grant‑writing or lobbying support for environmental and utility grants and return with proposals.
The board did not announce specific new construction start dates for the neighborhoods represented in public comment; Mr. Proctor and the county manager offered to bring detailed spending receipts and further grant‑status information at a future meeting so residents could verify progress.
