"No one has their hands around it yet," Laurinburg councilman Tommy Parker said. "We need to try to take control of it. The airport may be the best option to operate it."
The councilman and airport commissioner told fellow commissioners Thursday that it makes sense as the airport is the closest water provider and the city of Laurinburg is the only other municipal water provider in Scotland County.
He expressed doubt that the county would give its approval to Pinehurst purchasing the Wagram facilities.
Parker also said that Pinehurst has never managed a water facility and would have to hire someone while the airport already has expertise in the treatment plants.
Mickey Oxendine, head of the water and sewer operations for the airport, said it was likely a moot point because treating well-water is different from treating surface water and both the airport and the city currently only use wells.
Chairwoman Ella Morris said Scotland County does not have a need for the water.
"I read that we have excess water."
"And we need to keep it that way," responded Ann Slaughter, former Laurinburg mayor and airport commissioner.
Parker said the airport could benefit by joining other parties considering the treatment plants. He noted that rural grants were easier to get if multiple parties benefit.
Pinehurst officials announced July 27 their plans to purchase the water and wastewater treatment plants of the former West Point Pepperell mill facilities and an adjacent 198 acres in Wagram for $5.5 million.
Pinehurst and WP Properties Wagram, LLC reached an agreement-in-principal and are currently working out the details of the sale, which would occur in early November 2009.
Scotland County commissioners have yet to approve the purchase, which is required by state law.
The plants, both with a 7 million gallon per day capacity, are located at 19320 Airbase Road near Wagram. WP Properties is located in Georgia.
Scotland County had initially planned to help form a regional group to rehab the treatment plants with other municipalities, including Laurinburg. The county would have used it as a source of additional revenue.
Also at the meeting:
• Oxendine told the commissioners that they passed the final toxicity test and will resume normal quarterly testing in September.
• The commission approved a request by Liles Consulting Forestry to evaluate harvesting about 145 acres of timber that could be sold for an estimated $150,000.
• Gryphon Group said they are ahead of schedule and plan to hire 10 new people in the coming weeks. The military training group said they've spent $700,000 so far on the project and currently have eight employees at the local facility.
• Commissioners were told that members of the Golden Knights tandem team will be deployed to Afghanistan in the next few weeks.
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