Monterey Town Council Still Dealing With Waste Water Plant Problems

Monterey, VA – Monterey Mayor Janice Warner and Town Council members are still dealing with some problems with the new waste water treatment plant. The Mayor discusses the latest developments at this past Thursday’s meeting.

“Our problem is that our plant was designed to take care of our overflows when we have spikes like we’ve had, was not doing it” says Warner. “And Mikey has said from the beginning that something was wrong, and he’s been right. What Mack [Industries, Inc.] is doing now is working on getting together the things that they need to bring down and redo the plant and putting in what we need, so that, then in fact when we have these big flows of water, it will take care of it.”

Heavy rains in March actually flooded out the plant on two occasions. Brad Craig visited the plant and Mike Isles conducted a demonstration showing that the plant can handle only about half as much water as it should. Mack Industries is now aware of the problem and will make modifications to the plant to bring up the water processing capability to meet the specifications.

In other business, Council voted to accept the Cross Connection Control ordinance drawn up by Town Attorney Melissa Dowd and to place it on the agenda for a public hearing at the May meeting.

Mayor Warner reported to Council that she has not heard anything from Michelle Caruthers at the Virginia Department of Health regarding the grant from the state to fund the engineering study for the project to extend the town’s water line out Airport Terrace Road. Through engineer Brad Craig of Mattern and Craig, she heard that Monterey’s project was not on the list of those approved by the state for funding.

Apparently more applications for funding were submitted than the Department of Health expected and the amount of money they ended up with for funding projects was less than expected. Council voted to authorize the mayor to contact Jim Allen at the USDA Rural Development office to see if there might be some funding through them to start this study. Engineering costs for this study have been estimated at about $48,000.

Mayor Warner reported that the annual audit of the town financial records has been completed and the final report is available for review in the town office. Mr. Fenn brought up a hazardous traffic situation at the corner of Fleisher Ave and Wilson St. across from the Rockingham Cooperative.

“Since I’ve been the last couple of weeks working outside, I have observed, twice, almost a wreck [from] people not obeying the Yield sign” says Fenn. “They come into the Coop down Fleisher street and just keep right straight on across. It may not have been an accident, but I know of two examples about six months ago, and then two the other day. So I don’t know how many times it’s been close to an accident.”

Don Dowdy added an important piece of information.

“A month ago, three weeks ago, they had an accident there; truck hit a school bus” says Dowdy.

The Mayor asked Don to speak with Raymond Lightner of the Monterey VDOT office to find out if a stop sign could be installed at that intersection to replace the current yield sign.

The Council approved a $300 donation to the Highland High School Junior/Senior Prom committee. The Highland FFA Chapter invited Council members to their banquet on Friday, May 6. Mayor Warner said she planned to attend.

The next regular meeting of the Monterey Town Council is scheduled for Thursday, May 5 at 7:30 PM in the Highland Public Library.