Marshall approves resolution to receive wastewater treatment plant improvement funding

MARSHALL - In April 2023, the town of Hot Springs announced it would build a new wastewater treatment plant, which Mayor Abby Norton said was her top goal when she took office in 2019.

On Sept. 11, the town of Mars Hill announced it would replace a wastewater pump station, as well.

And, in its Sept. 18 meeting, the town of Marshall announced its plans to receive federal funding to rehabilitate a wastewater treatment plant, as well.

The federal funding is aimed at communities impacted by Tropical Storm Fred, which wreaked havoc on the Cruso community in August 2021.

The funding will come from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration, according to Town Administrator Forrest Gilliam.

"There was an extra pot of funding that was enacted by Congress as part of the 2021-22 federal budget that was for counties impacted by Tropical Storm Fred, and we were included on that list," Gilliam said. "It's extra money in addition to an annual grant that EDA has."

According to Gilliam, the grant requires a 20% match with local/nonfederal dollars, rather than the ordinary 50% match.

The town first discussed the grant in an August special meeting, in which it approved moving forward with the process of acquiring the funding.

The engineering team and Maintenance Supervisor Jamie Chandler plan to submit all paperwork for the receipt of the funding by the end of the month, and Land of Sky Regional Council will finish the application, Gilliam said.

In its Sept. 18 meeting, the Marshall Town Board approved a resolution authorizing the town to proceed with the grant up to the $500,000 match amount.

"If it's a little lower, then that's good," Gilliam said. "If we still are able to find the match from another source, even better. But that will allow us to get it in by the deadline and then see what we hear back in the next few months."

More: Hot Springs to build new wastewater treatment plant, mayor's top goal since 2019 election

More: 'It's gone. There's nothing here.': Cruso campground, nearby homes destroyed by flooding

"Whereas, if awarded, the grant will offer significant funding toward the improvement of the municipal wastewater treatment plant, which will allow the town to be in position to continue supporting the economic growth," Mayor Nancy Allen read from the resolution, which the town board unanimously approved.

According to Gilliam, the town is also awaiting other possible state funding to be allocated for water and sewer work.

"It's still very much up in the air as far as when they'll put a budget," Gilliam said. "We might see something tomorrow. I don't know. We may see something this week, or it may be a few months from now."

Gilliam said the county requested $15 million from the state for Mars Hill and Marshall's N.C. 213 corridor infrastructure project, listed as one of Board of Commissioners Chair Matt Wechtel's top goals for his tenure.

More: Madison County Commission Chair outlines goals for tenure

The corridor will not connect the town's sewer systems, Gilliam said.

The town's sewer system would extend to roughly the start of French Broad Electric Membership Corporation, and Mars Hill's system extending to Bull Creek.

"Part of that process, for both towns, we said, 'If we get this money, we've got to make some upgrades to our plant as well,'" Gilliam said. "So, if that money comes there will be some things to look at to supplement this, to if this doesn't come through, there's all sorts of things that we can look at.

"That's kind of waiting on the budget until they're ready to put it out for vote. Nobody's going to get to see it except the folks that they want to see it."

Board member Billie Jean Haynie clarified with Gilliam and asked whether the town could allocate part of its share of the potential $15 million in state funding to the N.C. 213 infrastructure project.

"If it's part of what we need to do in order to expand and add additional customers, yes," Gilliam said. "We made that very clear to them. We'll be reasonable about what we have to have to expand it, but there are certain things that have got to be down there before we can really add customers."

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Marshall agrees to receive funds to repair wastewater treatment plant