The Liberty County commissioners Tuesday approved issuing a revenue bond for $1.04 million for the construction of a rural water system in the Holmestown-Screven Fork area.
County attorney Kelly Davis said revenue from the water system would repay the bond.
The county received $500,000 in Community Block Development Grants last year for water and sewer improvements, in addition to a $3.2 million grant from U.S. Department of Agriculture and the $1 million low-interest loan. Davis said he expects a superior court judge to validate the bond by the end of next month.
Commissioners Marion Stevens and Gary Gilliard recused themselves from the vote to avoid any conflict of interest, explained County Administrator Joey Brown. Brown said a commissioner is obligated to avoid a vote or discussion on a rural water system if he or she lives in the project’s service area, owns land there or has relatives where the water system is to be constructed.
County officials have been pressing for the rural water system for nearly 10 years, following a University of Georgia study which found wells in the area had unsafe drinking water.