Water for My Mountain residents is a possibility, but the odds are not very promising for phase two residents.

During its meeting last Wednesday, The Fannin County Water Authority revealed that the number of contracts it received requesting water service is significantly less than the number needed to begin the construction project, which would bring county water to the My Mountain community. The necessary number of positive responses for both phases is two hundred and twenty four. To date, a total of 134 property owners have responded, most from phase one. Out of ninety-seven responses from phase one, ninety property owners have confirmed they do want water. Thirty seven phase two property owners responded and 28 indicated they want water service.

Several property owners were present during the meeting and expressed their frustration with the water authority’s talks of canceling or rescaling the project to exclude phase two of My Mountain.

The contract that was sent to property owners stated a deadline of April fifteenth, but the cover letter enclosed with the contract said the deadline was March fifteenth. Water Authority Chairman Mike Queen felt this caused some confusion.

“I think the board will agree with me when I say that I do not want to kill a three million dollar project over 30 days, so if the extra time will make a difference we’ll extend the deadline until April fifteenth,”

he said.

In the event that enough participants do not sign up from phase two, the project will be cut back to include phase one property owners with a price increase, or be rescaled to cover phase one and another area, excluding phase two. Assuming that enough customers have signed up, there is an approximate one year construction period to deliver water to customers.

No phase two board members representing My Mountain have yet signed a contract. According to the discussion during the meeting, phase two board members also lack a recruiting effort. These items along with the confusion about the conflicting dates on the documents pose obstacles for collecting enough signed phase two contracts.

“Lead by example, sign your contract and send it in,”

board member Sandra Mercier said. As the discussion grew heated, Lynn Doss stated that it doesn’t matter what the reasons are for the lack of motivation for people signing these documents.

“What matters,”

she said,

“is that when the sun goes down on April fifteenth, will there be enough interest to proceed with the project.”

At the end of the meeting, Queen made an offer to go to people’s houses that do not have time to get to the court house to answer any questions and sign them up.

The next Water Authority meeting is set for March twentieth.