ROMNEY - Sunrise Development Co. has offered its package sewer plant to county officials to help resolve some of Hampshire County's sewer inadequacies.

Kevin Malick of Sunrise Development appeared before Hampshire County Commissioners Don Cookman, Steve Slonaker and Robert Hott to discuss the offer his company has made to Central Hampshire Public Service District.

He said the Harvest Hills Wastewater Treatment Plant, located in the Sunrise Summit area of the county east of Romney, was built to accommodate the residential and commercial development of the company's property, some 370 acres in that location.

He said while the plant can now treat 40,000 gallons per day of wastewater, it has been issued a waste allocation from the West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection for a maximum of 80,000 gallons.

"We are currently nowhere near capacity," he said.

Malick emphasized that Sunrise Development fully supports the county's efforts to construct an interconnector from Central Hampshire Public Service District to Romney to serve the growing residential and commercial development at the top of the mountain east of Romney.

He said the Sunrise offer is intended to enhance that effort and in no way delay or circumvent it.

The PSD has an existing pump station located near the treatment plant.

"We would be willing to enter into an agreement with the PSD to allow it to hook to and take title to the treatment plant," Malick said. Such an agreement would be of benefit to the entire community and help with the problems in Romney that have created a moratorium on additional wastewater at that plant since 2000, he said.

Sunrise would construct a gravity sewer main and install a forced main from the PSD pump station to the Harvest Hills plant at a cost of $110,000.

"We would want to be reimbursed that cost," he said.

Malick said all customers using the plant would be customers of the PSD and all revenues would go to the PSD with the exception of tap fees for developed lots in Phase 1 of the Harvest Hills Subdivision and a 20-acre commercial lot in the planning stages.

He said Sunrise would want to reserve a total of 30,000 gallons of capacity of the plant.

The agreement could be structured in such a way as to allow the PSD to use the plant to serve its present and future customers by either expanding to the 80,000 gallons already permitted or the PSD could divert a part of the flows to another facility.

"This would allow the PSD to immediately connect other customers in its service area to the plant," Malick said. Sunrise would be willing to construct the expansion of the plant at such time as necessary at its own expense.

Bob Mayhew of the PSD said the agency does not have the money to reimburse Sunrise for the $110,000 to make the connection.

He said the biggest issue is the impact of accepting the offer during the PSD and county efforts to get approvals and funding for the interconnector.

Mayhew said it may enhance their efforts or it could stall them.

Cookman said since they are working with state agencies, they need to make sure before taking any action that might jeopardize getting the interconnector.

He asked Mayhew whether he thought the PSD would be able to cover operating costs of expanding the system.

Mayhew said the customer base should be sufficient to handle any increased operating costs.

Malick said Sunrise supports the interconnector project though it might not be completed for two to four years. "This could open the area up now and end the moratorium," he said.

They also discussed potential impact fees that would be paid by new customers when the interconnector is in place.

The commissioners said any revenues generated by impact fees must be dedicated to specific wastewater enhancement.

Mayhew, Malick and the commissioners are expected to meet in executive session with Les Shoemaker, county economic development director, to discuss contractual issues associated with the offer.

Contact Mona Ridder at mridder@times-news.com.



Hampshire County Board of Commissioners

LAST Meeting: Tuesday

ACTION:

* Certified the county's primary election results.

* Issued a reminder to the county's volunteer fire companies that the deadline for updating radio equipment for the new system is at the end of May.

DISCUSSION:

* Addressed rumors that the order of dispatch will change when the new 911 system comes on line. Michael Crouse, 911 director, said there are no plans to make such changes.

NEXT Meeting: June 10, 9 a.m. at the county courthouse.