County could form citizen panel on water and sewer
By Jason Peck
Local politicians have long dreamed of an independent authority that would oversee all water and sewer matters in Culpeper, streamline the process and take politics out of the equation.
Now county supervisors may have an idea how that authority would start.
The county’s Public Works Committee on Tuesday, May 6, suggested that supervisors form a citizen panel that would study water and sewer issues. At worst, it could give locals government another opinion. At best, that panel would eventually evolve into the authority.
“I don’t know where we go from here today, but it’s just an idea that maybe Public Works could make happen,” supervisor Sue Hansohn said.
Negotiations over the joint authority stalled last year, when town council demanded that the town annex new land in exchange for joining. They were stalled again, when a petition forced both county and town to discuss merging into a single government.
In the meantime, the authority has only county supervisors as members.
“I’ve been trying to get off this thing,” supervisor Steve Walker said. “Anything that would further that, I’m all for it.”