The runoff election will not interfere with the city of Guyton’s plan to hold a public meeting tonight to discuss the controversial proposed wastewater treatment plant at 7 p.m. in the old school gymnasium on Magnolia Street.
The city met the 30-day in advance advertisement requirement when it placed its ad in late October.
Although the runoff election will take place in the same place until 7 p.m., city employees will help the poll workers clear up the room for the meeting, city clerk Debra Scruggs said.
The purpose of the meeting will be to outline the city’s plans to build a 500,000 gallons per day wastewater facility and install a land application system on two pieces of property on Riverside Drive — one of which abuts the Ogeechee River, the other across the street. According to the public notice advertisement, the city seeks the public’s input on the project and alternative options.
Since the city purchased close to 650 acres for the project that requires about 100 acres of land and the Georgia Environmental Facilities Authority approved a $13.35 million loan, adjacent landowners and affected citizens have voiced an outcry. Their concerns range from environmental issues, economic worries and potential flooding problems.
And Tuesday’s meeting is critical.
According to the state’s Environmental Protection Division’s guidelines for slow-rate land treatment of wastewater, Guyton “must make provisions to receive written comments from the public … minutes of the public meeting, proof of advertisement, and opinions derived from the meeting must be submitted to EPD.”
In October, the Ogeechee-Canoochee Riverkeeper’s executive director Chandra Brown along with Wade McDonald and Craig Barrow presented city council with a petition of 1,056 signatures, all in opposition to the city building its own plant. They urged the mayor and aldermen to either tie in with Effingham County’s facility or stay with Springfield. A copy of the petition was also sent to Curtis Boswell of EPD for his review as well.
Tuesday’s meeting is the only public meeting EPD requires the city to hold on the project. However, once the city applies for a Georgia Land Application System permit, the state will give another 30-day comment period.
“If no significant adverse public comments are received, a final LAS Permit may be issued,” according to the state’s guidelines.
For more information on the Riverkeeper and citizen’s concerns, contact Chandra Brown at cbrown@ocrk.org.
For more information on the city’s plans to build a new wastewater treatment facility, contact the city at 772-3353.
Directions: Three blocks east on Highway 119 (toward Springfield) of the intersection of Highways 17 and 119 turn left on Magnolia Street (north) and follow the voting signs (approximately eight blocks) to the Old Board of Education Building.
