The Rabun County Board of Commissioners voted “to exhaust all avenues to protect Rabun County resources” during a special called meeting on Friday, Aug. 21 at 9 a.m.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss a letter commissioners received from the Rabun County Water and Sewer Authority (RCWSA) that expressed concerns about the City of Demorest’s intent for a water withdrawal and future water treatment plant in Tallulah Falls.
Demorest City Council Members announced late Friday they have rescheduled a public hearing to consider a proposed eminent domain proceeding for the purposes of expanding its water system to Wednesday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m. at the Demorest Municipal Conference Center and Court, 250 Alabama Street, Demorest, Ga.
The hearing was originally scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 7 p.m.
The next regular meeting of the Rabun County Board of Commissioners is Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 5 p.m. when they will vote on the proposed millage rate. The regular monthly work session and meeting will follow at 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. respectively at the Rabun County Courthouse, 25 Courthouse Sq., Clayton.
“We need to keep Rabun resources in Rabun,” County Administrator Darrin Giles told commissioners at Friday’s meeting.
Rabun County Commissioners Tom Garrison, Will Nichols and Chairman Greg James were in attendance during the special called meeting. Commissioners Scott Crane and Kent Woerner were not able to attend.
Commissioners discussed that this project Demorest is proposing could affect Rabun County’s ability to grow in the future. They expressed other concerns as well.
Commissioners said they are “dialed in” and will do everything they can to serve the people of Rabun County.
After discussing the matter in public, commissioners went into executive session for about 30 minutes for the purposes of potential litigation and land acquisition.
The motion to protect resources was voted on when commissioners joined back in regular session.
The commission meeting came about following a special called 8 a.m. RCWSA meeting on Aug. 20 for the purpose of discussing issues and further actions related to the City of Demorest’s actions to acquire property in the City of Tallulah Falls for a water withdrawal and a future water treatment plant.
“I felt like this is something that needed to be taken care of,” RCWSA Chairman Sam Beck said about calling the special meeting to make commissioners aware of their concerns.
Beck said he wanted the Authority members to grant their permission and support before the letter was sent to commissioners.
“I wanted to raise the flag with the Board of Commissioners,” Beck said about the importance of making them aware of the situation.
The vote was unanimous.
“It has come to the attention of the Rabun County Water and Sewer Authority (RCWSA) that the City of Demorest, Ga. intends to acquire property adjacent to Tallulah Falls Lake and within the City of Tallulah Falls,” according to the letter signed by Beck and addressed to James and Rabun County Board of Commissioners.
The subject line reads, “City of Demorest Condemnation of Property in Tallulah Falls for Water Treatment Plant, Water Withdrawal from Tallulah Falls Lake, and Interbasin Water Transfer.”
The property in question is identified as Tax Parcel Nos. 100D 006 and 100D 006A, located at the end of River Street approximately 430 feet beyond the intersection with Hickory Nut Mountain Rd. in Tallulah Falls, according to a City of Demorest legal ad.
The property is owned by the Irvin family and is a Rabun County Tax Parcel.
“As the public authority charged with planning for and providing water and wastewater service within Rabun County, RCWSA must consider both the present and long-term water and wastewater needs of the community and the protection of the water resources upon which our community depends,” the letter details. “RCWSA is concerned that the construction of a water treatment plant and withdrawal of water from Tallulah Falls Lake by the City of Demorest could adversely affect the interests of RCWSA, Rabun County, and the municipalities and citizens within Rabun County.”
According to the RCWSA letter to Rabun County Commissioners, RCWSA Authority members are concerned that the proposed withdrawal of water from Tallulah Falls Lake could threaten the supply of water available to meet the existing needs of citizens and communities within Rabun County; reduce the water supply available to accommodate future growth and development within Rabun County; adversely affect the water supply available to meet the current and future needs of downstream communities and other water users within the Savannah River Basin; and jeopardize
RCWSA’s planned Wastewater Reclamation Facility project and its ability to preserve and utilize the associated WLA (Wasteload Allocation)
Authority members also voted at the Aug. 20 meeting to direct RCWSA Attorney Aaron Myers, with Jarrard & Davis, to send open records requests to the Cities of Demorest and Tallulah Falls, as well as the Georgia EPD to “figure out what’s going on.”
See the full article in the Thursday, Aug. 27 edition of The Clayton Tribune.