A community town hall meeting was held in the town of Rhine on Tuesday evening, September 20, 2011, with over 125 citizens in attendance.
The meeting was held to discuss the proposed funding for a wastewater management system for the town of Rhine. Representatives from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), engineers from Rindt-McDuff Associates, Inc. and citizens from the concerned citizens group of Rhine were in attendance to provide information at the meeting.
Mayor Carter Clements opened the two-hour meeting with a welcome. Dodge County Commissioner Brian Watkins moderated the meeting.
Watkins discussed the purpose of being a moderator and read governing rules to the group. Watkins allowed 20-minute presentations from each group followed by comments from the citizens in attendance.
A representative from the engineering firm from Rindt-McDuff Associates, Inc. of Marietta presented an overview of the sewer system and a timetable for the construction.
The potential installation includes approximately 10-miles of sewer collection line, two pump stations, a new oxidation pond treatment facility, and meters for all water and sewer users.
The projected costs of the Rhine sewer project are estimated to be $3,620,200.00. This includes the following fees; development $2,713,150.00, land and rights $73,500.00, legal services $45,00.00, architectural and planning $450,350.00, interest payment (1st two years) $38,000.00 and contingencies $300,200.00.
A USDA grant has been awarded to fund a portion of the project totaling $2,331,200.00 and a community development block grant in the amount of $470,00.00 has been awarded to fund the project. Grant funds total $2,801,200.00. A loan guaranteed by the town of Rhine is needed in the amount of $819,00.00.
Mitzi Lister, a local representative from the USDA office, presented information to the group regarding the grants and loan. Lister stated that the loan funding has to be utilized first before any grant money can be used. Lister explained to the citizens that the loan would be secured by a revenue bond and governed by the revenue bond laws of Georgia, which requires the town of Rhine’s leadership to prepare a budget annually for the water-sewer system to ensure cash flow to pay for the loan. Lister stated that the town of Rhine would have to govern the water system to include billing, collections, late payment fees, delinquent account cut offs, reconnection fees and similar policies and procedures. The new system would require the town of Rhine to implement a mandatory hook-up ordinance and would prohibit free service to anyone.
A group of citizens presented a list of concerns to the group regarding the new wastewater facility. Kim Conley presented information concerning the USDA’s required number of users including their name and physical address. Conley stated that the required number, in
order to qualify for funding for the project, was 200 users. Conley stated that he personally reviewed the list of names submitted to the USDA by Rhine Mayor Carter Clements and found the following discrepancies: seven names were listed twice, two names had Florida addresses, one name is deceased, one business name did not exist, one business closed, five businesses could not be located, a cemetery name was listed, one name listed could not be located, and one address was a shed and not a home. Conley stated that 19 names and/or businesses listed on the required 200 were not valid, which should reduce the numbers to 181 users, which is below the USDA requirement to qualify the town of Rhine for the waste-water management system.
Current city councilman Wayne Hilliard spoke before the group and addressed the financial state of the town of Rhine. Hilliard presented information concerning the eight bank accounts the city currently has and found all of them to be low in funds. Hilliard stated that the town’s emergency fund was depleted to a balance of approximately $3,000.00. Hilliard stated that the emergency fund had always remained constant at approximately $20,000.00 for many years. Hilliard said Rhine’s general fund is depleted with a balance of only $7,800.00. Hilliard informed the group that he met with the city clerk to inquire about the current billing system in place and provided the following report; no water billing system is currently in place, $15,800.00 in uncollected water bills and there is no active list of current town of Rhine water-sewage users. Hilliard discussed the projected monthly rate and informed the group the water rates that were printed on an informational card distributed among the citizens of Rhine was deceptive and misleading. Hilliard estimated the monthly water bills to be $65.00 per month and not $49.00 per month.
Many other speakers, including city councilwoman Dena Barrows, Joanne Hamilton, Merle Cummings, and Wright Harrell, spoke on behalf of the concerned citizens group.
Moderator Watkins opened the meeting up for comments from the entire group and several citizens asked questions and made comments. Councilman Roy Williams and councilwoman Kay Spires stressed the importance of moving forward with the project. Williams stated the city is a “pond town of raw sewage” and said this project must be done. Spires stated she was “tired of seeing sewage in the ditches even in the driest of seasons”.
Other residents including Rocky Hilliard, Mark Johnson, Geri Harrell, Jane Lann, Sandra Maddock, Myra Crawford, Ron Daniels, Tina Meeler and Eddie Cravey spoke before the group to address their concerns to the mayor and to the group. All the speakers spoke concerning the declining population of the town of Rhine and the concern to pay back the loan over a 40-year time period. Some residents feared the city limits sign would be extended to include more residences to gain the needed requirement to fund the project.
Closing comments were made by moderator Watkins and the meeting was adjourned.
