Teachey accepts water/sewer grants totaling nearly $400,000

TEACHEY — The Teachey town board voted unanimously to move forward with procuring two grants for water and sewer services, which total $399,975, at the regular monthly meeting on Monday night, July 8.

Joe McKemey with McDavid Associates appeared before the board to explain the two grants and the scope of work involved. The grant-funded projects are for AIA, or asset inventory and assessment of the town’s water and sewer systems. McKemey said that the funding is part of the American Rescue Plan Act in 2020 and was offered by the N.C. Department of Environment Quality. “They’re both grant projects so there’s no loan associated at all,” he explained. “The water project is $188,000 and the sewer project is $211,975.”

First, McKemey talked about the sewer AIA, which will involve McDavid Associates employees using the GIS system to locate and identify all manholes in the town. An interactive map will allow town officials to click on each manhole and see what material and size it is. The project also includes having a contractor come in and clean the lines. The purpose is to discover any issues that might cause problems down the line for the town’s sewer system.

“After you’ve analyzed everything in the town, you’ve got to prepare a report,” McKemey said. “Any deficiencies that are noted, we would create an assessment and include any costs for repairs.”

The town could later apply for grants to help make any needed repairs as well.

The scope of work for the water AIA project includes rate evaluation, short-term and long-term evaluation of the system, and an electronic mapping of the water lines within town.

“We have to analyze every stretch of pipe there is,” McKemey said.

The board unanimously adopted resolutions to approve both projects.

“I think it’s great that we’re able to apply for that and identify where the problems are, so we can know where the problems are and how to fix them,” Mayor Bobby Jones said.

In other business at the July 2 meeting, the board approved the hiring of a new public works employee, Bryan Mecenpadilla.

“For 19 and a half years, James has been by himself in public works for Teachey,” the mayor said. Mecenpadilla is the new assistant public works associate.

Also at this month’s meeting, the board discussed a request from Cameron Adams to rezone a four-acre lot across from Town Hall from R-20 to R-10, which would allow him to divide the tract of land into smaller lots and thus, build more homes.

Adams was scheduled to appear before the board to plead his case, but was not present at the meeting.

“If you look around the surrounding area, everybody around them is a half-acre or more,” said Public Works Director James Parker. “It just looks better for this specific area to stay like it is.”

Mayor Jones said, “We definitely want to stay consistent with what the community surrounding it is. We want to be a desirable place to build, not just for quarter-acre lots, but also just for someone who may want to have a larger yard.”

The board verbally agreed to keep the zoning as is, but said Adams can address the board at a future meeting, if he so desires.

The board also set a public hearing on the annexation of the Mill Creek subdivision for the next meeting on Aug. 12 and approved an addendum to the pet ordinance approved last month, enacting a $50 fine for pet owners who do not keep their dogs on a leash within town limits.

The Teachey Board of Commissioners will next meet on Monday, Aug. 12, at 6 p.m. at Town Hall.