My Mountain Moves Forward

The years-long My Mountain water project moved further along this week, as the water authority discussed its final few documents required to begin construction. During its May meeting Thursday, the Fannin County Water Authority discussed the project, focusing on the timeline for the start of construction. Water Authority Chairman Mike Queen noted in the meeting the county is waiting response from the USDA. He also said the county has done everything on its end to move the process to the next phase, with the exception of signing the last few documents. Here, County Attorney Lynn Doss acknowledged the pending documents, which included a legal services agreement and certifications on any pending judgments or litigations. Here, Doss confirmed the no litigation is pending. Previously, the obstacles preventing the water project from moving forward were lawsuits against the Quintrell Estate, the developers of My Mountain. In April, an agreement was made, allowing the county to move forward with running water to the community.

Two of the documents dealt with right-a-ways, a Title of Right-a-Way Certificate and Opinion of Right-A-Way. In the My Mountain Community, Doss said the county has right-a-ways in various places on either side of the respective road, which could cause a winding pattern when installing water line. She encouraged to attempt further contacting residents in these areas to ask them to grant the county right-a-ways.

“So, we have to reach out to those people one more time,”

she said. But, according to the conversation, the county has condemning authority, where it could condemn the land to use for the project. Doss called this the doomsday solution.

“We just don’t want to use the doomsday solution,”

she said. For now, though, the project can move forward with the present right-a-ways, but they must be indicated in the paperwork

The county is also required to file an Interim Finance Commitment Letter, requiring a bank to back the USDA loan. The USDA is expected to return plans in two to three weeks. Postulating a timeline, Queen said the county could put the project out to bid by the end of this September, at which point the USDA would reassess funds to ensure the money matches the bond. Sixty to ninety days after bids are retuned construction can begin. As such, the project is expected to start construction January 2014.

“We’re right on course,”

Queen said.