Fremont board gets sewer money
By Jack Stephens
Published in News on March 17, 2004 2:01 PM
FREMONT -- Fremont got a $250,105 windfall to continue to repair its sewer problems.
Retiring Town Administrator Tom Barnes said the money came from funds that had been withheld by the state because the entire project had been finished under budget.
Barnes said state Sen. John Kerr of Goldsboro had intervened for the town to get the money.
"I'd like to thank John Kerr for working to get these funds," Barnes said during Tuesday night's monthly town board meeting in Town Hall. "We're not in his district any more -- although we were when the project started."
The money will be used to repair a 15-inch line, several manholes and problems on Wayne Street.
Earlier, Fremont received $254,000 for sewer rehabilitation work and for more capacity in the Goldsboro sewer plant.
Barnes said Fremont still will owe $92,000 of the $347,000 bill to Goldsboro. But he said the windfall could result in a slight reduction in Fremont's sewer bills, depending on Goldsboro's rate.
Eureka, which is tied to Fremont by a new sewer line, also will pocket an extra $12,375 from the pay-out. That's less than the $50,000 that the small town had requested. But Barnes said Eureka will get $69,000 for generators and equipment from an earlier fund.
Barnes said he, new Mayor Devone Jones and engineer Mike Acquesta had gone to Raleigh seeking help for their problems.
"We still had major problems," Barnes said. "I probably went to Raleigh 10 times."
An official said he sympathized with the town but said his hands were tied.
Then Barnes took documents about inflow and infiltration problems and bills from Goldsboro to Sen. Kerr, who then intervened.
In other business, the board:
*Appointed Anne Hinnant, Frances Ruffin, Betsy Smith, Jean Ann Jeffreys, Geraldine Jones, Doris Hall, Barbara Bolding, Levi Cummings and Darron Flowers to the town Library Committee.
*Scheduled a townwide cleanup this week for the annual Daffodil Festival.
*Approved a proclamation declaring April 18-24 as The Week of the Young Child.
*Met in closed session to discuss applications for the soon-to-be-vacant town administrator's position.