Charles City School Board has reservations about regional wastewater treatment plant

With wastewater treatment plants needing replacement at both the Charles City County Administration Building Complex and Charles City County Public Schools Complex, a proposal during an April joint session between the county’s board of supervisors and school board would see a regional wastewater facility be constructed on school property. But during a May 5 meeting with school leaders, there were more questions than answers that needed concrete solutions before making such a commitment.

Charles City school’s Director of Operations Jerome Tyler provided information regarding the operations of the school’s wastewater facility. He expressed concerns to the school board about making the commitment without seeing any plans or outline of both the plant and pipes.

During the April joint meet, County Administrator Michelle Johnson told school board members that one of the goals of having a regional wastewater treatment facility is to assist with the constructing of new homes and businesses as part of the Courthouse Complex plan. Johnson added that a cost of a joint facility instead of constructing two separate ones would be at least $100,000 less.
School leaders took to task about the proposal, but many believe that the cost would be higher to maintain the facilities than what Johnson’s early numbers project. Tyler provided numbers to operate the school’s wastewater treatment center, highlighting how they currently contract a certified wastewater technician and wastewater operate to manage and test the water to make sure they stay within DEQ (Department of Environmental Quality) standards. Currently, the school is expending $72,000 per year to operate the facility.

At the request of the school board, questions were sent to the county’s administrative team to receive information about their proposal. Among questions include the location of the regional plant, the buildout of the plant, pipelines, and pertinent information.

According to Tyler, one of the responses from the county about pipelines being laid would run across the outer barriers of the current baseball and softball field. Alignment of the bike trail is expected not to interfere, but current evaluation of where pumping stations would be placed was ongoing.

Estimated numbers from the county’s expected cost to build the regional system include deducting the $72,000 the school uses to operate it. But school board members inquired if any cost for repairs, odor control, and paying for services required by DEQ.

District 3 school board member Martha Harris commented about the regional plant proposal and that a lot of unfactored figures still linger.

“In my opinion, it’s going to be difficult to look at what they presented to us as cost savings when they haven’t taken a look at all these things,” she said.

Tyler responded with his recommendation.

“Until we see the actual design of the plan, then we can be more specific with our questions,” he said. “We can bring an outside engineer to discuss it with us. But right now, there are so many unknowns. Some are going to be determined by them, but some are going to be determined by DEQ as well.”
At-large school board representative Preston Adkins commented that he has fears and reservations from his conversations with people more knowledgeable in the field.

“What bothers me and what scares me a lot is that in my talks with people in the industry, they laughed because they said once they [board of supervisors] find out the cost, they are going to go to heaven.”

“I don’t see this as oversight, I see this as deeding over school property,” added Harris. “Oversight you can maintain supervisor, but it’s a major difference between oversight and ownership.”

More discussion among board members talked about the concerns about odor and how it could affect the students or what to do if the water went out in the regional system.

Adkins said that his original question from the joint meeting was never answered.

“I want to know where the pipes are going,” he said. “You have the church over there, hook the dollar store, the (proposed) apartments, I want to know where they are going?

“Those are the same questions I ask,” Adkins added. “Show me these proposed plans where they going to hook up.”

Tyler’s recommendations to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the county to explore the feasibility at the school’s current wastewater facility.

“For all we know, DEQ may say this place isn’t feasible,” Tyler commented. “The MOU is for us to agree to explore it.”
Other recommendations by Tyler is to ask the county to submit preliminary design plans and to have the school board review it to see how it would affect the school’s property and any other concerns.

Superintendent of Schools Dalphine Joppy said that school board members did not have to take action at the work session. The school board could vote on creating a MOU to propose to county leaders at its May 17 regular board meeting.