City council members appear to have come to an agreement with a local developer that will help with Gray’s water supply for years to come.
The May 4 meeting was called to order by Mayor Ed Barbee. The mayor read a proclamation in recognition of Professional Municipal Court Clerk Week to honor Gray City Clerk Cindy Yancey.
The city’s offer for the test well and the property was the only item on the agenda. City Attorney John Newberry said the situation was unique in that a contract would have normally been approved with the property owner before it was presented in an open meeting.
“This has been discussed a number of times, but it is backward from how it’s usually done,” Newberry said. “If the offer is approved, we will execute a contract.”
Councilman Terry Favors jumped in to say the offer from the city is to pay the owner, Scott Jackson, $1.38 per thousand gallons of water for 10 years as it was discussed in the committee meeting. He said that will continue until the city reaches a cap of $600,000.
This discussion is about the city’s test well No. 117.
Gray currently pays Jones County $4.44 per thousand for the water it purchases. The city will own the property after it has paid $600,000 but can prepay the amount without a penalty.
Newberry clarified that if the well goes dry at any time before the 10 years are up, the property will revert to Jackson. The property is owned by Jackson’s company, Cedar Creek Land Development, and consists of five acres on Allan Green Drive.
In a subsequent conversation with the developer, Jackson said the original location of the well was actually moved after an EPD survey of the property revealed the site was in a zone categorized as protected wetlands.
The test well was then drilled pretty much in the center of the property but has proved to be one of the highest producing wells in the area.
The motion was made to officially make the offer to Jackson, and the vote to approve was unanimous.
Newberry said he would have the contract ready to present at the next council meeting.
With no more business, the meeting was adjourned.
The next scheduled meeting of council is the All Committees Meeting May 18.
