Monterey Committee Pushes Calfkiller Water Project To Full Board

The Monterey Water and Sewer Committee recommended a joint water project with Putnam County to move forward Thursday.

The project is a partnership to extend public water on Calfkiller Road through American Rescue Plan money. County Mayor Randy Porter said the project needed to move forward as spending deadlines start to approach.

“We’re still wanting to do the project if Monterey is willing,” Porter said. “I know the engineer has been working on stuff and with the death of the mayor. There’s been a lot of stuff happen, but I wanted to come back. At some point, we are going to get in a time crunch with our dollars if we don’t do something.”

Among the items discussed future depreciation and water rates. Porter and the committee workshopped a possible 10-year contract with the county to help cover future depreciation costs of the water lines.

Porter said he believes the county commission would be in support. It is similar to an agreement with Double Springs for another joint water project.

“We would set aside 10 years worth of that money in a special account that you would bill us on a monthly or annual basis to where the county would pay to help Monterey with that flushing and cover cost of depreciation,” Porter said. “My goal and the commission’s too is try to get water to some of these people that don’t have water.”

Engineer Nathanial Green said once the city’s new sewer plant is complete, another conversation would need to be had about current rates. Green said the city may need to take action to keep up with the added depreciation costs.

“We’ve cleaned up your depreciation schedule, but there are still some things to consider,” Green said. “There are going to be some rate increases that are associated that have not been done or taken care of.”

The proposal will now go to the Board of Aldermen for approval in February.