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THE MADISON COUNTY (GA) JOURNAL. THURSDAY. DECEMBER 12, 2019 - PAGE 3A
IDA
continued from 1A
private wells where they would
be brought up to municipal
standards and to also develop
better interconnections with
Danielsville and with Comer.
Authority member Pat Ma
honey said she still doesn’t feel
they have enough information
to move forward on the new
well and extension and rec
ommended the group explore
other less costly water sources.
She also said she is very con
cerned about the IDA’s debt.
“The IDA has just shy of
$11 million in debt” Mahoney
said. “I find that just staggering
for the population and revenue
that this county has.” She said
she couldn’t see the IDA incur
ring another $500,000 in debt
when they have other less cost
ly options.
“We have a responsibility to
the county as a whole, not just
the feed mill, even though I do
understand their concerns,” she
added.
Authority member Marc
Perry said he’d like to continue
to wait for all the water tests to
be completed on the feed mill
well. He also said that he feels
they should pursue the boost
er pump station with Frank
lin County first, saying that
would be the biggest source of
additional water for the least
amount of money.
“I believe they could sell us
a million gallons a day if we
could move it” Perry said.
Perry added that he feels the
IDA should develop addition
al water sources by starting
where the county can get the
most water for the least amount
of money, then go to the next
highest source for the most
economical price and so on,
pointing out that the new line
from the well at the feed mill to
Comer would provide the least
amount of water to the county
system.
But Ginn argued that the
IDA should aim to serve the
industrial corridor along the
rail line by developing an addi
tional water source in that area,
saying if they don’t serve this
area adequately now, it would
reduce the odds of getting an
other potential industrial cus
tomer to come in.
The feed mill and the (GRP)
plant are the two industries
currently located along the rail
line.
“I don’t want us to fail those
industrial customers,” Ginn
said.
In a related matter, Ginn told
the board that the Georgia En
vironmental Finance Author
ity (GEFA) will consider an
18-month extension on their
current loan agreement in Jan
uary while they decide what
projects) to pursue.
Acting Chairman Josh
Chandler said if the extension
is not approved, they will need
to begin making payments on
the amount borrowed for the
GRP water line extension in
April.
The construction close out
date on the current project
to supply water from Elbert
County to GRP was Dec. 1.
In other business last
Wednesday, the board agreed
to sign an intergovernmental
agreement with the county
government to process pay
roll for IDA employees on the
county’s payroll system and to
bring IDA employees under the
county health insurance plan.
They also voted to provide and
contribute to a retirement plan
for full-time employees.
The board also approved the
modified job description of the
utility director with a 3 -1 vote,
with Mahoney opposed.
Also Wednesday night,
Ginn told the board that he,
Brian Kimsey of Carter Engi
neering, Chandler and utility
director Steve Shaw met with
Seagraves Lake property own
ers to go over the options on
repairing the dam to mitigate
the potential hazards of a dam
breach at the least amount of
cost to taxpayers while also
looking at how to keep the
lake’s water levels as high as
possible.
The IDA took ownership
of what Georgia Safe Dams
has deemed a “high hazard
dam” back in 2007 with the
intention of repairing it and us
ing the lake as a water source
but has since decided not to
move forward with this. The
board must now determine to
repair the dam with the least
expense to taxpayers. Kimsey
told the board at the Novem
ber meeting that there are two
major concerns; to minimize
the reduction in lake levels for
property owners around the
lake and minimizing the cost to
taxpayers of repairing the dam.
Chandler said the home-
owners were given details of
the issues they face and asked
for feedback and to consider
whether or not they would like
to contribute to the project.
“They know we need to do
what’s in the best interest of
the taxpayer and they know
we have a short timeline (to
make a decision),” Chandler
said, adding that he thought it
was a positive meeting. Ginn
said they hope to hold another
meeting with the landowners
before the IDA’s next meeting
in January.
Ginn also discussed the
Madison County Clean Power
Coalition’s meeting scheduled
for the following evening (Dec.
5) in the Madison County High
School Cafeteria.
Ginn told the board that he
was concerned that the group
had not invited representatives
of GRP, the Environmental
Protection Division (EPD),
National Salvage (who sells
GRP railroad ties) and others
to also speak at the meeting
and that he had expressed those
concerns to Coalition members
when they took a tour of the
plant on Tuesday.
He said he had invited those
representatives himself but
had been told that they would
not be allowed to speak at the
meeting.
Ginn said School Superin
tendent Michael Williams had
agreed to allow Ginn and these
representatives to use anoth
er room if necessary if there
were folks there who wished to
speak with them.
Cheryl Adams, a member of
the Coalition who was present
at the IDA meeting, told the
board that the reason these
representatives wouldn’t be
able to speak is that they only
had use of the school from 7
to 8:30 p.m. and would need
that time to make their presen
tations.
Adams also told the board
that she and her husband live
one half mile from GRP and
that they, like their neighbors
are all on wells and are con
cerned about the safety of their
water due to seepage into the
ground from the stacked rail
road ties outside the plant. She
said they’d like to have their
wells tested now to see if any
contaminants were already
present.
Adams said that like others,
they were also experiencing
issues with soot, smoke and
problems breathing, as well as
noise from the plant.
The IDA will meet Tues
day, Jan. 28, at 5:30 p.m. in the
meeting room of the historic
courthouse in Danielsville.
Q&A with the EPD
Environmental agency responds to questions about power plant
The Georgia Environmental Protection
Division (EPD) requested a meeting Dec. 4
with Georgia Renewable Power (GRP). The
Madison County Journal requested to attend
the meeting, but the EPD responded that the
meeting wasn’t open to the public. However,
EPD officials said they would provide a sum
mary of what was discussed.
The Journal submitted the following ques
tions regarding the Dec. 4 meeting, with re
sponses from EPD communications coordi
nator Kevin Chambers:
•What was the general purpose for the
meeting?
The EPD Air Protection Branch requested
the meeting in letters to GRP and National
Salvage dated Nov. 19, 2019. The meeting
request was issued in response to multiple
citizen complaints. GRP, Veolia and National
Salvage all sent representatives to the meet
ing. The stated purpose of the meeting was to
discuss measures taken or to be taken to min
imize fugitive particulate matter emissions
and startup and shutdown emissions. We also
wanted to learn about any noise reduction ef
forts. The EPD Watershed Protection Branch
and Land Protection Branch attended the
meeting as well. The Watershed Protection
Branch discussed several issues of concern
with the companies.
•Were any directives issued by the EPD
regarding the plant’s operations? For in
stance, were they told to chip railroad ties
inside or off-site? Are there any changes
related to how railroad ties are handled,
processed or burnt?
The Air Protection Branch notified GRP
that, effective immediately, no ground rail
road ties are to be fed to the boiler during
startups and planned shutdowns.
•(After the previous response, a followup
question was submitted to ask for further
clarification on the EPD’s restriction on
railroad ties).
This restriction has nothing to do with the
boiler-commissioning period. The boiler will
periodically shut down for maintenance or a
mechanical problem. During this time, they
will stop feeding the boiler fuel. When GRP
resumes feeding fuel to the boiler to bring
the boiler back up to temperature, the fuel
shall contain no ground up railroad ties un
til the air pollution control devices are back
online. Similarly, if they plan to shut down
for planned maintenance, they need to switch
away from burning railroad ties before initi
ating the shutdown process.
•Were citizens’ concerns about pollu
tion from creosote-treated railroad ties
discussed at the meeting and what are
both the EPD and the companies doing
to address worries about potential health
effects?
Yes, combustion of creosote-treated rail
road ties in the boiler were discussed. Burn
ing of up to 20 percent creosote-treated
railroad ties is allowed during normal oper
ations, when the air pollution control device
is operating efficiently. Metal must be re
moved from the railroad ties and they must
be ground or shredded prior to being fed to
the boiler.
•Were more meetings planned between
EPD and GRP and its contractors?
None is planned at this time.
•Are there further permits related to air
quality or water runoff that are pending?
And what are the next steps in permitting
for the plant?
An application for a Title V Operating
Permit is due to the Air Protection Branch
within 12 months of the facility commencing
operation (May 26, 2020 for GRP Madison).
There will be an opportunity to comment on
the draft Title V permit before it is issued. No
water permits are pending for the Franklin
County Plant. The NPDES (National Pollut
ant Discharge Elimination System) waste-
water permit is in the pre-draft stage for the
Madison County Plant.
Christmas festivities planned
More Christmas festivities are planned in Mad
ison County to get you in tire holiday spirit.
Here's what’s ahead:
•Santa Paws visits MOAS — The Mad-
ison-Oglethorpe Animal Shelter, 1888 Col-
bert-Danielsville Road, will hold its largest hol
iday event of the year when Santa Paws comes
to visit on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 4 to 7 p.m.
"We’re excited to announce that this year we will
again have our famous nativity display with live
animals, including camels,” shelter officials said.
Entry to the event is $5 per car with small addi
tional fees for event participation, with all funds
raised going directly back to helping save shelter
animals, ofhcials said. Bring your “fur kids” (and
human ones, too) to have their picture taken with
Santa Paws (photos are $5 each). A raffle will be
held with a chance to win free tickets to Disney
World. Raffle tickets may be purchased at the
shelter from now until the drawing, which will
be held at 6:45 p.m. on Dec. 14. There will also
be a cake walk with delicious desserts, children’s
crafts and more, shelter officials said.
•Christmas in Danielsville will be held in
Madison County Memorial Park on Saturday,
Dec. 14, from 2 to 4 p.m., according to Police
Chief Jonathan Burnette. The event will include
a tree lighting, pictures with Santa, a visit from
Sparky the Fire Dog, Christmas music, train rides
for children and other activities. Food will be pro
vided by Danielsville Fire Department members.
Tire event is free and open to the community, Bur
nette said. A rain date is set for Sunday, Dec. 15.
•The 35th-annual Christmas Luminaries
will take place on Moon’s Grove Church Road
and Booger Hill Road (outside the City of Dan
ielsville) Saturday, Dec. 21 from 6 to 9 p.m. Or
ganizers say there will be a live nativity scene
located in the parking lot of Moon’s Grove
Baptist Church. Members of Moon’s Grove will
provide hot chocolate and candy canes to visitors
who stop by. “Please join us as we share tire tme
meaning of Christmas, the birth of Christ, with
our community," organizers said. There is no rain
date.
•“Santa to visit library”: Saturday, Dec: 14
from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. "Drop in for hot chocolate
and bring your own camera for photo opportu
nities with Mr. Claus himself!” organizers said.
There will also be a Santa letter-writing station
and “Adopt-a-Santa” bears to raise money for
the Friends of tire Madison County Library. Ad
ditionally, MOAS Pets will be at the library with
infonnation on adoptable animals from the Mad-
ison-Oglethorpe Animal Shelter. This program is
free and open to the public of all ages and abilities.
D 5 Vllle contimied from 1A
broke or whatever wasn’t there
(with the county)," he said. “If
you do, y’all will have done bet
ter than me.”
Along those lines, he said a
meeting is being planned for
early next year between those
involved in planning a new De
partment of Family and Chil
drens Services (DFCS) facility
at the old school board office off
Hwy. 29 in tire city. He said Dan
ielsville has been in the dark on
the matter and he has asked that
the council get an update from
those involved on what is in the
works and what is expected from
city infrastructure to serve the
town.
Higdon said a city infrastruc
ture rate study is under way and
Correction:
that there will be significant
changes in the coming year that
will have minimal impact on
residents but affect institutions
using water and sewer services
from the town.
Tire outgoing mayor said 2020
will be busy for Danielsville.
“Y’all are going to have a very
eventful year,” said Higdon to
tire council.
In other matters Monday, the
council agreed to hold a budget
meeting at 8 a.m., Jan. 4 and a
work session at 7 p.m., Jan. 6.
Tire council agreed to pay a
$19,000 bill related to an aera
tion project at tire city sewage
pond. The project cost roughly
$132,000. The initial price quote
was in the $240,000 range. But
the city agreed to handle some
of the work in-house and Hig
don said tire town saved $90,000
in the process. The council also
renewed beer-and-wine licenses
for five local businesses.
City police chief Jonathan
Burnette reported that the police
department responded to 93 calls
in November. Tire department
made 22 stops during the month,
which resulted in 15 citations and
seven verbal and written warn
ings. The department also inves
tigated eight incidents, including
a burglary, disorderly conduct,
an accident on private proper
ty, criminal trespass, a mislaid
property report, a motor-vehicle
accident and two motor-vehicle
accidents involving deer.
The news release, “Clean Karen Hays, Chief of Air Protec- notifies the public of air permit
Power Coalition to meet Decern- tion Branch, Georgia EPD has applications received the previ-
ber 5,” published in The Madi- informed the Madison County ous week. Over 4,200 Georgia
son County Journal Nov 28 and Clean Power Coalition: “The citizens receive the public advi-
Dec 5 issues, contains an error, public advisory for GRP Madi- sory email each week. If you are
The article stated, “The Georgia son’s permit amendment was not interested in receiving these no-
Environmental Department pub- published in the Atlanta Journal, tices, you can sign up to receive
lished notice of the proposed in The public advisory is an elec- them here: https://epd.georgia.
the Atlanta Journal Constitution.” tronic subscription service that gov/public-announcements-O/