Response tepid to Culpeper water and sewer proposal

BY DONNIE JOHNSTON

Date published: 4/2/2008

BY DONNIE JOHNSTON

A private developer's proposal to provide sewer and water infrastructure for the northeastern part of Culpeper County received a less than enthusiastic public response last night.

"Why would our citizens want to hand over our water and sewer to a private developer?" George Bryson asked during a public forum at the Board of Supervisors meeting.

Bryson was one of several people who spoke against Angler Development's (trading as Culpeper Utility Partners LLC) plan to build a 2.5-million-gallon sewage-treatment plant, two pump stations and the necessary infrastructure to provide services from Lake Pelham north to Brandy Station and east to Stevensburg.

Steve Vento, Angler's executive vice president, publicly unveiled the proposal during yesterday's morning meeting. It has been posted on the county Web site for several weeks.

Vento told the Board of Supervisors that his Warrenton-based company's team would guarantee to have the sewage-treatment plant up and running by January of 2011, in time to save that portion of the county's coveted state wastewater allocation.

Vento said that Angler's capital outlay--plus interest at an as yet undisclosed rate--would be recouped through water and wastewater tap fees of around $30,000 each.

Angler and County Administrator Frank Bossio agree that the public-private project could be done at no cost to the taxpayer.

"I beg to differ," dairy farmer Doug Mayhugh said during the public forum. "There are more far-reaching effects than just the $100 million price tag."

Using 6 per cent as a projected interest rate, Mayhugh estimated that it would take more than 20,000 residential units (1,000 a year for 20 years) to pay for the project.

"That's a lot of houses and [associated] schools," he said.

And farmer Laura Campbell told the Board that she, too, was skeptical of "a developer who is not experienced in such a public project."

Campbell added that she feels that the county is rushing into the venture because it fears losing its wastewater allocation.

Supervisor Tom Underwood told Vento that he wanted much more information before committing his vote.

"I represent a group of constituents that need to know what is going on before the fact, not after the fact," he said.

Vento said that because negotiations with prospective investors are ongoing, it would be improper to release interest-rate discussions. Manassas attorney John Foote, representing Angler, and county attorney Dave Maddox agreed.

Date published: 4/2/2008