Emotions ran high, while hand after hand rose in a flurry of questions.More than a hundred citizens packed the Jury Room of the Fannin County Court House Tuesday night. Emotions ran high, while hand after hand rose in a flurry of questions for Tom Sloope of Carter and Sloope Consulting Engineers. Although Sloope handled the interrogations like a marksman, residents still showed anxiety about the fate of their water supply. Some residents grilled Mr. Sloope in agitation, while others, so concerned, shook and perspired.
The meeting was an informational session to discuss the possibility of implementing a county public water system for My Mountain Subdivision. Currently, My Mountain’s water supply is a combination of private homeowner wells and private community wells. Mr. Sloope explained that the public system will cost $38 a month plus $4.25 per thousand gallon usage. If residents sign up during the initial offer, Carter and Sloope will waive the tap fee. This means customers will not be charged an additional fee for running a tap line from the main county line to their house or pay the plumbing connection cost. However, if residents decide to sign up later and have not paid the $38, they will have to pay the tap fee. According to Mr. Sloope, running a tap line can cost an estimated $750 to $1000 per 150 feet. Mr. Sloope also urged residents to sign up and pay the $38 even if they do not immediately choose to use the county water supply. He explained that, if residents do not pay the $38 for the initial hook-up, which includes tap fee, they will have to pay for the tap fee themselves, where if they sign up now these fees will be waived.
The project is part of a USDA grant expected for approval by Aug 1st. This is Fannin County’s second attempt at a grant for a water supply system. Previously, Fannin County applied for a similar grant for $8.1 million that encompassed a larger area than the current grant. The current grant is for an estimated $3.1 million and encompasses a smaller area.
Towards the end of the meeting, a citizen asked for a show of hands of residents that would approve a public water supply system for My Mountain. Hands filled the air in approval, although not all raised their hands and Mr. Sloope reminded the crowd that 100 percent approval is needed before the plan can be implemented.

See Residents Show Approval of Public System from Fetch on Vimeo.

Although Carter and Sloope have yet to establish a timeframe to collect the needed 224 signatures for approval of the project to satisfy the letter of conditions, Mr. Sloope estimates six months would be needed to gather the appropriate number of signatures.
FYN will follow this story as it develops.
Watch My Mountain residents approve public water supply plan

my mountain water from Fetch on Vimeo.