March 28, 2024

Kale steps down from reservoir board at annual meeting

New officers elected, new public hearing set on eminent domain action

At the Clarke County Reservoir Commission’s annual meeting Friday, Sandy Kale stepped down as chair of the commission she’d helped start in 1986. As new officers were voted in, Osceola Water Works Superintendent Brandon Patterson was elected in her place.

“For my entire life, she’s been trying to provide better quality water for the community,” said Patterson

Jack Cooley and Ty Wheeler were nominated for the position of vice chairman. Cooley was re-elected. Bill Trickey, secretary, and Sue Wilder, treasurer, ran unopposed.

“I feel it’s necessary that someone else starts in my position,” said Kale, “but it’s bittersweet.”

She thanked the originating members of the CCRC, as well as Project Coordinator Dave Beck.

“Dave was the first one to come down and tell the Water Department that we’d been approved,” said Kale. “Then they took us away from Dave for awhile. He went to another community, but he came back to see us through this project.”

The July board meeting was held immediately after the annual meeting’s adjournment. Local landowner Kathy Kelly questioned a payment on the treasury report.

Beck explained there was an agreement between the CCRC, the city and the casino for certain payments to go toward interest on a revenue bond. Those payments were sent to the CCRC instead of the city. At the time, the casino was transitioning owners and management, so the Reservoir Commission held the funds and delivered them to the city once a new casino agreement was in place.

“We’re just paying the city the money we were holding. We’ve been getting weekly payments all that time,” said Beck.

In addition, a public hearing scheduled to discuss possible eminent domain actions was canceled because homeowners had begun to work with the CCRC. It was recommended that another public hearing be scheduled during the group’s next meeting, starting 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 17, at the Clarke County Development Corporation.