Charlestown Utility Board asks school board to back water, wastewater and reclaimed-water extension to South Jefferson Elementary

Paul Mantello, general manager of the Charlestown Utility Board, outlined a proposed 5.3-mile extension of potable water, wastewater and reclaimed-water mains along Summit Point Road that would pass South Jefferson Elementary and serve Summit Point Motorsports Park and a proposed nearby data center. "My name is Paul Mantello. I'm the new general manager of the Charlestown Utility Board," Mantello said, then described the plan's benefits: improved fire flow, reduced dependence on wells and septic, and low-cost reclaimed water for irrigation and industrial uses. He said the utility discharges "quite a bit of water over, 1,000,000 gallons a day" and noted reclaimed water is "about 0.333 the cost of potable water." Mantello asked the board for a letter of support to help CTUB secure grants and advance preliminary engineering.

Board members voiced support for bringing utility service to South Jefferson Elementary but expressed concern about broader endorsements that could be read as backing a data center. One board member asked the district attorney to review any letter to avoid extending the board's endorsement beyond school-related service. Superintendent Dr. Bishop (speaker 9) recommended staff and the board attorney draft a narrowly focused letter supporting CTUB's efforts to serve South Jefferson Elementary and present it for approval at the August 10 meeting. The board agreed to that path; Mantello said CTUB would work in parallel with data‑center developers if the project becomes viable and would pursue grants to offset on-site connection costs for the school.