According to a September 18 letter from County Manager Tony Brown to Weldon Mayor Julia Meacham, “Halifax County is interested in acquiring the raw water intake, transmission and treatment facilities now owned and operated by the Town of Weldon.”
Brown noted in the letter the county board of commissioners authorized the proposal and included in the purchase price the following:
• The raw water pump station located in Roanoke Rapids.
• The raw water transmission line that runs from the pump station to the treatment plant in Weldon, including the assignment of all easement agreements associated with the raw water transmission line.
• The water treatment plant located in Weldon, including vacant land.
• The transfer or assignment of all permits associated with raw water intake, transmission and treatment.
• The transfer and assignment of all rights and obligations under a water service agreement with Westmoreland-Hadson Partners, from the initial agreement struck in January of 1991 and amendments made on October of 1991 and December of 1993.
“If the proposal is acceptable,” Brown wrote, “I suggest that the county attorney and town attorney draft a more formal document regarding the transaction. If there is a counter proposal please let me as soon as possible so we can give it prompt attention.”
Brown said Monday the town asked the county for a proposal and the letter served as a follow-up to that request.
Adding the Weldon treatment plant, he said, would help the county cost-wise. “It's kind of like the transfer station, it keeps costs down.”
Selling the water plant, Meacham said this morning, has been an issue up for discussion since the 2002-2003 fiscal year.
Since that time, the town has had to weigh building a new water plant over raising water rates to be eligible for possible grant funding, she said.
In initial consideration, cost of a new water treatment plant was $3 million. In 2008, the cost to build a new plant went up to $8.7 million and now it sits at $15 million.
Weldon plans a meeting to further discuss the matter with an independent engineer. “We just got the letter,” Meacham said. “We've contacted an independent engineer and were waiting until we got a response from the county. The engineer will tell us which way to go and what it costs.”
The Weldon town board is considering discussing the matter this month or in November.
Meacham said she believes the sale of the water plant would most likely not affect the current water plant personnel. “They're certified and experienced. If we do sell it, and I don't know if we will, I feel their jobs would be secure.”
