UPDATE: 7:12pm
Charlottesville Tomorrow reports that John Martin, a member of the Albemarle County Service Authority’s (ACSA) board of directors, has resigned, citing an unwillingness to compromise with the city’s proposed modifications to the 50-year water supply plan. Read more below:
Albemarle County is all but pleased with the amendments to the 50-year water supply plan City Council approved in Monday’s meeting.
In a tense meeting Tuesday afternoon, the county Board of Supervisors, City Council, Albemarle County Service Authority (ACSA) and the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority met to discuss modifications set forth by City Council and, ultimately, agree on the plan. That, however, did not happen.
John Martin, an ACSA board member, told officials at the meeting that the 2006 water plan was “the best plan” and said he did not know “why the city is rejecting it.”
Among the modifications approved by Council is maintenance dredging of the South Fork Reservoir. On that issue, County Supervisor Ken Boyd, who said the discussion was not “all about making the city happy,” said he was not willing to have the county pick up the bulk of the expenses. And while the governing bodies agreed on holding a request for proposals (RFP) process for dredging, they did not come to the conclusion as to who pays for what.
Money was at the heart of the discussion of another major element in the plan: whether to build a new Ragged Mountain dam or adding to the existing dam.
When City Council approved the water supply plan on Monday, it recommended a phased construction of a 42′ dam at Ragged Mountain reservoir by building a new one or by adding to the existing dam. “The construction is to be done in phases with the first phase being constructed to 13′ in height and construction to an additional 29′ as needed to meet adequate water supply needs. The filling of the dam will be done in phases as water is needed,” reads council’s amendment.
While Albemarle Supervisor Dennis Rooker said construction of the dam would be advantageous now that construction costs are down due to the recession, Boyd said he would not want subsequent generations of elected officials to sit down and brainstorm a water plan “because we don’t have enough water.”
