CULLMAN — The City of Cullman and the Cullman County Commission have their own proposals for a second water source for the area, and neither group has shown signs of relenting to the other’s plan.

But after Monday, that could change.

Cullman city and county officials will jointly hire an independent mediator Monday to help them decide on a plan for the area’s long-term water source. The city has long wanted to build a dam to create a reservoir on the Duck River, but county leaders want to take water from Smith Lake.

Cullman City Council President Garlan Gudger said the mediator, Steve Cawood of Birmingham engineering firm Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood, would be hired during the council’s regular meeting at 7 p.m. Monday. The city and the county have agreed to pay $5,000 each to hire Cawood, Gudger said.

“We thought it would be good to get a third party to look at this,” Gudger said. “He’s familiar with both sides.”

Gudger said he currently is 100 percent behind the city’s plan, but would listen to the mediator’s opinion.

“Everyone wants to do what is best for the rate payers,” he said. “We want to work together. That’s why we are doing this.”

County Commissioner Doug Williams said he was in favor of hiring a mediator and would follow his recommendations.

“If he decides to go with Duck River (the city’s plan) ... I trust the man ... I will abide by that,” Williams said.

Cullman Mayor Max Townson said Cawood would be provided with all information from the city and the county on the two proposals. He added that Cawood would have until Nov. 22 to offer his opinion on which plan is the best option.

The city council has given the commission a deadline of Nov. 23 to decide on whether or not to sign a contract for the Duck River water plan.

County Commission Chairman James Graves said he believed the mediator would help end the city and county’s water dispute.

“I’m very receptive to it,” Graves said. “I think it will be money well-spent.”

The city’s proposed dam on Duck River would create a 640-acre lake and a six-mile pipeline with a 32-million-gallon-per-day capacity. The reservoir would resemble the one at Lake Catoma, currently the county’s sole water source. The project is expected to generate as many as 1,000 jobs.

The county has proposed upgrading the treatment facilities at Lake Catoma and constructing a new treatment facility that would pump water from Smith Lake. Included in the proposal is the creation a regional water board to oversee water distribution in the county.

Currently, the city — through the Cullman Utilities Board — controls and sells all water distributed from Lake Catoma.

Customer water rates are expected to increase, regardless of which plan is implemented.

“We just want the best quality of water for the longest amount of time for the cheapest price for the rate payer,” Gudger said.



No Rush

Good Hope Mayor Corey Harbison said he hopes the city and county do not rush into a decision.

“I think no matter which way we go, we need to look at both scenarios very carefully to see which helps the greatest amount of residents in Cullman County,” Harbison said.

Harbison said he has not decided which plan he likes most because he does not yet have all the details on either. He noted, however, that he liked the county’s proposal of a regional water board.

“Good Hope is at the mercy of the City of Cullman the way it stands now,” Harbison said. “Cullman provides the majority of our water. We don’t have a water department.”

The City of Hanceville, however, does have a water department and produces much of its own water — approximately 90 percent — from a nearby well. The rest is purchased from the City of Cullman.

While neither Hanceville Water and Sewer Board Chairman Junior Brooks nor Mayor Kenneth Nail have formed an opinion on the two opposing water plans, Nail said Hanceville would likely be better off if it found its own second water source.

“The Hanceville Water and Sewer Board can process water cheaper than they can buy it,” Nail said. “The figures show, even at current wholesale rates, if we had to buy all our water from Cullman, Hanceville would have no choice but to go up in rates. My stance is going to be, let’s stick with well water. Let’s look for another source.”

Like the Hanceville water board, the Vinemont, Anon and West Point (VAW) Water System Board has not yet decided which plan to support, said VAW Manager Mindy Moody.

“The board just got the information on the regional board project,” Moody said. “They haven’t had time to look at it.”

West Point Mayor Kenneth Kilgo said he did not have all the details to the two plans, but like Harbison, liked the county’s regional board idea.

“We’ve all got to have water. That’s the one thing we’ve all got in common,” Kilgo said. “But I want to know more on the actual costs before I say which plan I like.”



* Patrick McCreless can be reached by e-mail at patrickm@cullmantimes.com or by telephone at 734-2131 ext. 270.