ABERDEEN - Plans for a new water system are on hold once again as Aberdeen Village Council decided not to make a decision on Tuesday, Jan. 19. After hearing proposals from Brown County Rural Water, the Village of Ripley and the City of Maysville about hooking onto existing water systems, council decided to get a representative from the Environmental Protection Agency to the first meeting in February to determine what the village was required to do.

Council member Jay Castle presented each of the proposals at the council meeting. Brown County Rural Water originally offered a 40 year contract to the village, which would involve Aberdeen selling the system entirely to BCRWA. Castle said BCRWA later dropped the contract to 20 years, and then stated that everything was negotiable at this point. Additionally, Castle said BCRWA dropped their rates from $3.50 per 1,000 gallons to $2.50 per 1,000 gallons, with a three percent increase annually.

However, BCRWA normally charges a $3,000 tap fee for residents or businesses to tap in, though Castle said he was told loans were available at lower rates. BCRWA would pay the cost of the hooking Aberdeen on to their system, a project estimated at $1.2 million. According to Castle, BCRWA said the village would see a definite benefit if they went with them for water services.

“They said they would have three taps into the village as opposed to one if the village went with Ripley,” Castle said. “They decided the hillside was unstable that Ripley would use, but I think they’d have to use the same hillside too.”

Ripley is currently offering a standard 20 year, $1.35 per 1,000 gallons for the first five years. Aberdeen would connect to Ripley’s system at Elk River Road.

Also, Castle said that Maysville’s contract was for 40 years, with costs and prices for the project a bit higher since the line would have to run under the river. Council only received Maysville’s proposal on Jan. 19, and had not had time to review it just yet.

Council member Jerry Applegate said that he would like to have a representative from the EPA come to the next council meeting to let them know what they had to do. Applegate said the issue has been ignored and avoided by the Aberdeen Village Council for 15 years, and now it falls to a new council to make a decision based on rumors and conversations between previous council members.

“I’d like to see the EPA come down to the next meeting so we can discuss some of the things that we’ve got to do,” Jerry Applegate said.

“I’m here to look what’s best for the people of this village, I’m not talking today, I’m talking 10 years from now when your kids and grand kids are here, what’s best for them. Do they want to pay normal water bills or outrageous water bills? I’m a vision person, I would like to envision what would happen in the next 10 years.”

Eitel said she had other concerns about the water system, including a law that stated Brown County will not allow Ripley to cross into their property, even for a water tap project. Eitel said she was concerned that if the village went with Ripley, it could lead to a lawsuit down the line.

Aberdeen Mayor Garland Renchen urged council to make a decision on the water system that night, as Gina Hayes with the EPA stated that Aberdeen needed to make a choice as soon as possible.

“It’s going to be a waste of EPA to come down here to tell you that you people need to make a commitment,” Renchen said. “You need to make the commitment tonight about which ones your going with so she (Hayes) can start the paperwork,” Renchen said.

Still, members of council thought they could not make a decision that night, with many details in each of the available contracts to work out. Additionally, council member Robert Hutchinson stated that he would like to see council discuss building a water plant again. Eitel stated that the EPA would not offer assistance for the village to build a plant, but Hutchinson said the village could find funding from other places, including grants, bonds and loans.

Renchen said he would contact Hayes at the EPA to be present at the next Aberdeen Village Council meeting on Feb. 1.

In other business:

• David Jenkins was hired as the water administrator for Aberdeen. Jenkins was hired to replace Elliott Lindsey, who resigned from the position on Jan. 15. Jenkins was appointed to the position by Mayor Garland Renchen and administrator Don Hafer in order to stay in compliance with EPA regulations, and was officially hired by council on Jan. 19.

• New Village Administrator Don Hafer said the village is currently working to fix a lot of the outstanding issues in the village, including roads, water line leaks, and more. He said it may take the village some time to get to each problem, but work crews from the village are working as fast as they can.