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Licking Valley Courier - 5.15.26 · Eastern Kentucky Newspapers

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Speaker 1: We now turn to the Licking Valley Courier to bring
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you news from in and around West Liberty. Your reader
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today is Channis. We begin with the addition dated Thursday,
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May fourteenth, twenty twenty six as a reminder Radio I
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as a reading service intended for people who are blind
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or have other disabilities that make it difficult to read
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printed material. Our first article today is Primary election is Tuesday,
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May nineteenth. Early voting now under way May fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth,
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from eight am to four pm at Gymnasium in County
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Government Building on Prestonburg Street. Election day polling places are
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listed by Miranda m Capital. Morgan County ins will take
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to the polls on Tuesday, May nineteenth to select party
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nominees for local, state, and national offices in the primary election.
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Contested races on Morgan County primary ballads include the following
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Republican Judge Executive incumbent Jim Gayze, James David Green, Kenneth
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Kelly Bowman. The winner of this race will face Democrat
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Walker Crace in the general election. He is unopposed in
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the Democratic primary. Sheriff Roger Benton, Jeffrey Smith, Kenneth Scarberry
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Democratic primary candidates are listed further in this report. Madristrip
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District two Isaiah Perkins, Frederick Hutchinson, Stanley Bryant Hill. The
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winner of this race will face Democrat Derrick Cantrell in
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the general election. He's unopposed in the Democratic Party. Magistrate
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District three incumbent Tommy Fannon Ray Atkins, The winner of
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this race will not face the Democratic opponent in the
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general election. Magistrate fourth District, Frankie Spencer and Timothy Hanson
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Democratic primary candidates are listed into this report. State Senator
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incumbent Brandon Smith and Billy Wesley. The overall winner of
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this race will not face a Democratic opponent in the
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general election. US Representative Congressional Pardon Me Congressional District Incumbent
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how Writers, Kevin Smith, Benjamin Hurley, Jerry Lee Shelton, and
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Brandon R. Mont Holland. Democratic candidates are listed further into
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this report. US Senator Daniel Cameron, Jonathan M. Holliday, Andy Barr,
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oh Gosh, Nate Morris, Valerie, Doctor Bill Frederick A. Nick Shelley,
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James D. Duncan, Michael James Farris, Annas Catlet, Other, Donald Weinzel,
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Jimmy I Leon and George Washington. Nate Morris will appear
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appears on the ballot despite his withdrawal from this race
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on May first. Democratic candidates are listed further into this report.
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Democrat ballot Sheriff John Paul Turner and Anthony Gullet, Magistrate
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District four Incumbent Brandon Evans and Jenny vest United States
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Senator Vincent, Anthony Thompson, Amy McGrath, Dale, Lewis Romans, Charles Booker,
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Pamela Stevenson, Joshua Blanton Senior, and Logan Forsyth. Early voting locations,
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dates and hours. County Clerk Randy Williams has provided the
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following information regarding early voting, which is currently underway in
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person no excuse absentee voting. Persons who wish to vote
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early with no excuse can do so over the course
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three days on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, May fourteenth, fifteenth,
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and sixteenth. Persons casting these ballots will do so in
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the Gymnasium of the County Government Building at four fifty
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Prestenbourgh Street. The voting hours for these days are from
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eight am to four pm. Absentee paper ballots. Williams said
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that the deadline to request an absentee ballot has passed
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and noted that a mail in absentee ballots must be
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received by the county clerk before six pm on election Day, Tuesday,
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May nineteenth. Election day polling locations. The following is a
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listing of election day polling locations for primary voters. Morgan
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County Office Building, Office Building Gym four to fifty Prestenburg Street,
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West Liberty precincts of West Liberty number one, West Liberty
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number two and Lacy Creek number four. Morgan County Wellness
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Center fourteen twelve, Highway seven, West Liberty precinct of West
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Liberty number three, Wrigley Elementary School seventy four ninety Highway seven,
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West Liberty precinc of Wrigley number five, East Valley Elementary
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School seventy five, eighty five Highway one seventy two West
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Liberty Precincts of Dingus number six and Crockett number seven.
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Morgan County High School Gym one fifty, Road to Success
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Precincts of Caning number eight and Index number twelve. Morgan
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Central Elementary thirty two oh one, Highway four to sixty,
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West Liberty Precincts of Salem number nine and Chapel number ten,
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Exel Elementary School thirty one Walnut Street, Azel Precinct of
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Axel number eleven. Polls will be open at the above
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locations on election Day, Tuesday, May nineteenth, from six am
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to six pm. County Clerk Randy Williams told The Courier
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that Morgan County High School will remain the permanent polling
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location for the caning number eight in Index number twelve
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precincts due to the upcoming closure of Morgan County Middle School,
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which had previously served voters in those areas. Additional information
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regarding the May nineteenth primary election, contact County Clerk Randy
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Williams at seven four three thirty nine forty nine, or
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visit the website at www dot Morgan dot clerk dot
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info dot net. Sample ballots for the May nineteenth primary
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election appear in last week's edition of The Courier. They
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can also be obtained by visiting or contacting the County
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Clerk's office at the numbers listed above. Our next article
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is Upcoming events at Morgan County Extension Office Thursday, May fourteenth,
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West Liberty Homemakers six thirty p m Friday, May fifteenth,
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Laugh and Learn at Morgan County Public Library at ten
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am Saturday, May sixteenth, Hi Can Learn meet at the
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Extension Office at eight am Monday, May eighteenth. Client Protection
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Council meeting noon four h Environmental Club four thirty, Town
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and Country Homemakers a Solid Rock of Eazel at Blackwater
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Fire Department. Four pm. Farmers Market meeting five pm Tuesday
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May nineteenth, four eight Shooting Sports, seven pm. Cooking through
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the Calendar with AARH five pm Wednesday, May twentieth. District
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Board five pm Thursday, May twenty first, Adult Country ham
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shocking two to three and five to six for participants
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of the January program Monday, May twenty fifth. Office closed
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Tuesday May twenty six. Piece by piece four thirty Monday,
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June first for h JC slash AC orientation for h
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camper orientations Tuesday June second, Opening day for farmers Market,
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June second through fifth for hteen conference Friday June fifth
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and on a Homemaker meeting, and June sixteenth through the
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nineteenth for h Camp Thursday, June eighteenth. Deadline for the
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Garden Contest Friday, June nineteenth. Extension Office will be closed
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July twenty First County Fair Exhibit entry. Our next article
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is about a picture that's in the paper, and it's
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a gentleman. Two boys and another gentleman. Morgan claims sixteenth
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Regional doubles tennis from Morgan County High School Tennis. Watch
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a match Brad Johnson and Gavin Turner went up against
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three C Russell team of jar and Robinson in the
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front of a heavy Russell crown. They played with grit
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and determination and fought back. After dropping the first set
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three to six, Morgan went on to break Russell's service
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twice and won the second set six to four and
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deciding ten point time breaker. Morgan went up early and
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didn't look back, winning the time breaker ten to six.
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We are so extremely proud of Brad and Gavin. This
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win is so well deserved. Congratulations Pitchered to left to
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right are the boy's assistant coach pardon me, Pitchard. Left
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to right our assistant boy's coach, Stephen Gullet, Brad Johnson,
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Gavin Turner and head boys coach Addison Witt. Our next
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article is Caitlin Hainey speaks at waterboard meeting following controversy
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Hainey and board chair clash over fallout from April five
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thirteenth meeting. Rick Barker and others speak about various issues
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at regular May eleventh meeting by Miranda M. Cantrell. Caitlin
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Haney returned to the Morgan County Water District Board of
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Commissioners on regular May eleventh, following last month's controversy involving
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statements made by former Commissioner dot Dalella Harper. The meeting
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was first for Commissioner Wade Cantrell, who Judge Executive Jim
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Gayzey appointed on April twenty third to fill the vacancy
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created by Harper's resignation. Haney's address was preceded by remarks
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from Rick Barker, a resident of Haney Branch off of
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Highway one ninety one, who stated that he has sought
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water service for approximately twenty years Rick Barker. Commissioners builded
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several inquiries from Rick Barker regarding board functions, the funding
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application process for water projects, the agencies involved in securing
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Project Monday, and the timeline on multiple phase waters extension
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project for several roads include Haney Branch. Haney Branch is
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part of Phase two, which has not begune as Phase
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one has not yet been completed. This project was initiated
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by the previous Morgan County Water District administration. The Morgan
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County Water District General Manager Andy lag answered Barker's inquiries,
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noting that the utility collaborates with Gateway Area Development District
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to secure funding from various agencies such as US Department
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of Agriculture, Kentucky Infrastructure Authority, and Appalachian Regional Commission. Leig noted, however,
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that the Public Service Commission the PSC, has final approval
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on all project proposals and that water districts are required
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to secure funding for projects in advance of the PSC's review. Additionally,
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Lag and WOR Chairman Chris Adams clarified to Barker that
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the five hundred thousand dollars allocation for the Morgan County
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Water District received last year from the State's Water Wastewater
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Assistance and for Economically Restrained Systems ww W waters that's it.
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It was earmarked to pay debts incurred during the administration
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of the former water District General Manager Shannon Elam and
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the previous born the Morgan County Water District expects to
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receive in twenty twenty seven another five hundred thousand dollars
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in w waters funding, which Legg said is earmarked for
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system improvements to existing lines and cannot be used for
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the Phase two of the projects about which Barker had inquired.
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Barker also as if Phase two portion of the project
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is not fully funded, would commissioners consider a temporary surcharge
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on current customers to make up the difference. Commissioners noted
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that all raids increases must be approved by the PSC,
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and Chairman Adams stated that he would not support presenting
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such a proposal to the regulatory Board. Following the extension
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question extensive question and answer session, Barker ceded the floor
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to Caitlyn Haney. Caitln Haney, who resigns on Bethel Chapel
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Road off of Highway one ninety one, revisited his efforts
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to secure water service to his home, while Chairman Adams
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criticized Hany's interview with w l EX following the April
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thirteenth meeting. I'm not here to cause any beef, Hany said,
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I didn't even want to speak tonight, but my name
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was on the agenda. You don't have to be defensive,
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a defensive man. I'm not here to single any one out.
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The water board included it was it's made to look
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like we denied you water. Atoms responded, we have never
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denied you water. You saved the word, and we'll set
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you a meter tomorrow. Haney told Commissioner Adams that the
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issue is not the meter, but the lack of pressure
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to transport the water through the line. I can set
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the meter, Haniy said, I don't care a bit. I
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don't want any handouts. I'll pay one five hundred dollars
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to get the meter set, but that doesn't resolve the issue.
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Andy Leg will tell you the real issue is that
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you're going to have to have three pumps within a
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quarter mile to get pressure. And that's not the underlying issue.
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The issue is the pipe, the line up the whole road.
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There's not an adequate pressure to begin with. Andy, right
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or wrong. The water District General manager, Andy Leg told
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Haney that the only complaint he had received regarding water
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pressure on Bethel Chapel Road had come from Hainey's father.
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Haney reiterated his desire to work with Leg board members
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and Gateway Area Development district to seek a resolution to
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his situation. I'm here to work together, like I originally stated,
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Haney said, that's all Rick Barker and I want. That's
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all folks in this county, Walt, because there's a lot
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of us that don't have water. We're not asking for
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gold mine. We're asking for access to county water and
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everybody deserves that. Following comments from Commissioners William Lamaster regarding
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the availability of grant's, Chairman Adams turn to Leg and
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ask if grant funding would be in any way remedy
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Haney's situation. And the only way it would help him
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is if we got a grant to run a main
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line to his property and put a main pump station
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to boost the pressure up, Leg answered. Commissioner Patty Cordero
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inquired as to whether the PSC would permit such a project.
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How many customers do we have in the county who
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are on county water that have in Hani's same shape,
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not being able to get the water up a hill.
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Cordero as ask, I know of five people who made
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phone calls to me. I guess after Haney spoke on
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the news and they were like, how come we had
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to foot the bill to get water up to our house,
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I said, because the PSC has always said the same thing.
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We can't run it uphill for one person. Chairman Adams
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asked Haney if he had received a copy of the
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water District's tariffs and accompanying guidelines. So you've read what
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we can and cannot do, Adams asked, I know what
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you can and cannot do. Haney confirmed before a painting
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that the Water District must get in the mindset of
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solutions before ask the board to sit down at the
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table and get the ball rolling. An exchange between Haney
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and Commissioner la Master ensued regarding the timeline of six
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to ten years that was previously assigned to the water
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line extensions on Bethel Chapel Road. Bethel Chapel Road is
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part of the second phase of the project initiated by
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the former general manager and previous board referenced by Rick
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Barker in earlier in this report, six to ten years
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is unrealistic, Haney said, that's way too long. That's the
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fact of the matter. Chairman Adams further expounded on his
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previous statements regarding Haney's situation. I've tried to explain we
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can get grants, we can do whatever to get funding.
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Adams said, it's still your responsibility to run it from
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your meter to your house. Your dad did the same thing,
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he ran a pump to his house. Understand that. Haney responded,
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I am not asking for a handout like people are saying.
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Chairman Adams counted, we got several calls after the April
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thirteenth meeting from people who are mad because they had
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to pay for theirs. I'm not asking for anything free,
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Haini clarified. I'll pay what I have to pay for
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the terrace. Chairman Adams then asked Haney if he wished
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to have a meter set the following morning, and Hainey
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again stated that a meter would not increase his water pressure.
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Commissioner Ellen Motley further inquired about Haine's pressure issues. What
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do you say your parents have to provide water pressure,
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Motley asked, and leg indicated that Haine's parents have installed
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an inline booster. Pop you could have water, might be addressed, Hainey.
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I'm just asking questions because that's how I learned. Could
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you absolutely? Haney replied, you could have water, but you
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would have to pay for a shallow well. Pump. Motley
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further questioned Hani under your home to provide pressure. Hani
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repeated that three pumps are necessary to transport water through
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the line to his home, before again citing the pressure
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issues on the entirety of the Bethel Chapel Road. Are
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you the last house on the road? Want me as
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I am? Haney confirmed, before telling Commissioner Cordio that the
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distance between his house and the home nearest to him
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on Bethel Chapel Road that of his parents, is approximately
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one quarter of a mile. Haini then addressed the fallout
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from the April thirteenth meeting. The comment was made that
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I wanted to get on the news and say this,
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and that, Haney said, I'm going to be honest and
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I'm going to be frank. The only reason I was
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on the news at all of this is because the
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comment that was directed toward me by a board member
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at the conclusion of the water board meeting, not of
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my own. Will I feel like the board, I feel
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like by the board, I'm getting all the fingers pointed
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at me when I'm the only one here just trying
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to get water for people in the county who don't
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have water, including myself. Chairman Adam stated again that the
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water District at this time cannot take any action in
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regard to Haney's situation except to set a water meter
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at Haney's costs, before offering an apology for comments he
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made earlier in the meeting regarding Hain's wl EX interview.
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Another exchange between Chairman Adams and Haney regarding the water
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meter issue, No ensued, you're making it to the public
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sound like we don't want to put you out a
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water meter. Adam said, that's what people have told us.
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Why won't you give that guy water? So we're offering
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you now to set you a meter at your cost.
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I know have to pay that. Hainy acknowledge, but again
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there is a bigger issue that folks don't understand all
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these things, and that's my personal business anyway. Chairman Adams
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disputed Hany's statement. Folks understand, Adam said, because people have
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put up the bill for themselves to run water lines
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from their meter to their house. They have to put
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pumps to their house. People have put up the bill
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for that. You're asking us to do something for you
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that other people have already paid for. What makes you special?
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What makes you different than anybody else, not a thing.
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Chris Haini replied, we'll have to agree to disagree because
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the only thing I can get from you is negative feedback.
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You will be when you want us to get to
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go out there and do something illegal. Adams retorted, any
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turned to the audience and said, are you all hearing this?
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Are you guys hearing this? I want them to hear it,
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Adams said, as Haini maintained that he was not asking
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anybody to do anything illegal at all, whatsoever. Chairman Adams
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then held up a document. Are tariffs which you called?
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And god a copy of Adams began, I appreciate it.
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Hainey concluded, thank you all for your time. I'm not
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going to be a part of this. This is not
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a professional organization and I'm not going to be a
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part of it. We're not professionals. Adams agreed, we're board members.
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Haini returned to his seat and as other speakers addressed
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the board, but spoke again prior to a German as
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another disagreement between himself and Chairman, Adams reignited regard regarding
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the issues previously documented in this report, terror f regulations,
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the water District General Manager Andy lag provided to the
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Curier on May twelfth. Tariff information referenced during Caitlin Haney's
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address from Section Z, which covers service lines and connections
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with the following highlighted passages. Number two in areas of
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the distribution system does not follow streets and roads. The
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point of service will be located as near the customer's
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property line as practical. Prior to installation of a meter,
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a utility will consult with the customer as to the
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most practical location. If possible, Meters will be installed within
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ten feet of the existing main line or applicants property
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at a point which is closest to the existing water
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main Number five. The applicant slash customer must furnish and
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lay necessary pipe to make the connection from point of
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service to the point of usage, and be financially responsible
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for all costs associated with the installment and maintenance of
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his or her service line plumbing, including a shut off
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valve in one way check valve installed on his or
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her property beginning at the outlet side of the water meter.
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The service line must be kept in good repair and
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in accordance with Utility and Public Service Commission rules and
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regulations Number eleven. If the applicant slash customer point of
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uses is at a higher elevation than the meter, the
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customer should consult with a reputable engineering firm to properly
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size the service line from the meter to the point
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of usage. Number twelve. Should an applicant slash customer desire
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higher pressure due to location or other need, provisions must
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be made by the applicant. For an individual pressure boosters system,
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the manner of connection, location of cross connection, protection, and
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tide is subject to approval by the utility. The utility
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reserves the right to require discontinuance and disconnection should the
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private booster system have a detrimental effect on the utility system.
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Other speakers. The following is a brief synopsis of comments
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made by other speakers during the meeting. Danny Payton, local
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resident Danny Payton express support for the current board's efforts
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to rectify financial issues from the previous administration. I've heard
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it on Facebook, etc. You get put down, Peyton said.
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I think you all have done an excellent job in
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the last two years with what you've had to work with.
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I'm just sick and tired of everyone putting you all
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down when you're doing the best you can. This concludes
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excerpts from recent edition of The Licking Valley Courier. Your
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reader has been janis on behalf of everyone here at
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RADIOI thank you for listening, keep on listening, and I
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hope you have a very good day. Water service approximately
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thirty years ago, indicated that her father had paid for
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three meters to be set in the past. The water
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district general manager and the legs sighted right away issues
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at that time and mentioned in an article that appeared
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in the Courier decades prior. He stated that Burke's father
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would not grant right of way for the project, which
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Burke disputed. Legg told the Courier on May twelfth that
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he had misspoke, and the area in question was removed
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from the project list due to an inadequate number of customers.
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Discussion ensued about the number of customers required for water service,
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and Chairman Adams indicated that the possibility of the city
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taking over Route seven had been discuss due to the
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proximity of a city line in that area. Commissioner Cordero
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suggested that the board set up a meeting with city
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officials on the matter, and stated that the Berks could
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also attend,