CullmanTimes.com - Cullman, Alabama

Opinion

Discussion

May 17, 2010

Time to start work on area's new water supply

The Cullman Times

By Marshall Brannan



After reading Mr. Willingham's letter in the Community Shoppers Guide dated May 12, 2010, I had to write. First a Cooperative (Co-Op) is a jointly owned enterprise engaging in the production or distribution of goods or the supplying of services, operated by its members for their mutual benefit, typically organized by consumers or farmers.

A co-op is owned by its members and the board of directors is elected by the co-op members thereby giving some control by its members. An example: Cullman Electric Co-Op directors are elected by the members of the Co-Op, some new directors were elected at the last meeting, because apparently people thought the old directors weren't doing a good job.

The so called Co-Op referred to in his letter is not a co-op by definition. The Incorporation papers of the South Cumberland Cooperative District in paragraph 6 states:  The District shall be governed by a board of directors which shall be elected as follows (i) four (4) directors shall be elected by the governing body of the Governmental Utility Services Corporation of Cullman County and (ii) one director by the governing body of Cullman County. The current directors of the Governmental Utility Services Corporation of Cullman County are Wiley Kitchens, term to expire 12:01 A.M. on Jan. 1, 2011, Ronald D. Stone, term to expire 12:01 A.M. Jan. 1, 2013, and H.D. Haynes, D.V.M., term to expire at 12:01 A.M. on Jan. 1, 2015. Who do you think will be elected by this board?

Mr. Williams and Mr. Willingham are the only two commissioners that signed the paperwork giving the water system to SCCD.  He states that Duck Creek is not drought resistant, neither is Smith Lake, I have seen Smith Lake very low during a drought. Smith Lake was built to generate electricity for Alabama Power and that is first priority, Birmingham/Jefferson County currently get some water from Smith Lake. If Cullman County were to get water from Smith Lake, who do you think would be cut off first during a drought?

In other matters pertaining to the above mentioned corporation (SCCD) the bill of sale transfers all property owned by Cullman County Water to SCCD except Paragraph (d) says all contract rights to which the transferor is a named party with respect to the assets or the ownership or operation of the system, with the exception of that certain water purchase agreement by and between the transferor and the city of Cullman, dated as of April 1, 2000(the "Water Purchase Agreement") and that certain reservoir financing agreement by and among transferor, the city of Cullman, the Utilities Board of the City of Cullman, VAW Water System, Inc., Walter Water Authority, Hanceville Water & Sewer Board, Johnson's Crossing Water System, Inc., and East Cullman Water System, Inc., dated as of July 1, 1998.

So it appears that SCCD does not have a water supplier at this time except for the goodness of the city of Cullman. All Cullman County water customers’ water could be cut off.

Approximately 30 people that work for SCCD are Cullman County water employees leased to the SCCD. Cullman County is to pay the employee salaries, the payroll taxes. Worker's Compensation Insurance, and fringe benefits. The SCCD will reimburse Cullman County on a bi-weekly basis. It is my understanding that the Duck River project is ready to go, so why not let the contracts and get this reservoir built? All of the Corporation papers are a matter of public record and are available to read at the Cullman County Commission office and are recorded in the Probate Office.  Please take time to go read these papers and attend the Cullman County Commission meetings and the SCCDD meetings.



‰ Marshall Brannan

is a resident of Cullman

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