Chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners Skip Alston is putting forth a major new initiative to see that every part of the county that wants a water and sewer system will have one.
Alston told the Rhino Times that, currently, Guilford County is in a better position to expand its water and sewer options to its municipalities than at any time before – and he added that he intends to see that happen.
Alston said on Thursday, April 15, that making that commitment is the cornerstone of a plan to greatly expand the value of the county’s tax base, catapult the county’s economic development forward and increase the quality of life of residents across the county.
“If Greensboro doesn’t want to supply the water, then we will talk to Winston-Salem,” Alston said, adding that there were other potential sources of water as well for the planned expansion.
He added that the move will dramatically increase the tax base due to increased ease of development. He said the new revenue from an elevated tax base would enable the county to do things to improve the lives of citizens that it’s never been able to do before.
Alston made the comments the day following a virtual meeting with the mayors and other leaders of the cities and towns in the county.
According to Alston, though there have been discussions about the expansion of water and sewer in the county in past, it can now be a reality thanks to a number of factors, including the willingness of the new Board of Commissioners to do big things and the arrival of over $100 million that’s coming to Guilford County from the federal government.
Though the money is part of a COVID-19 relief bill, it can be used for infrastructure. In addition to the money coming to the county, the cities and towns in Guilford County are also receiving millions of dollars that Alston said could go toward water and sewer.
Alston said he’s not sure at this point whether Greensboro can be convinced to be the supplier. He said he has begun those talks and further discussion would be necessary. He said the official ask from the county would come later.
Four years ago, three towns in Northwest Guilford County – Summerfield, Stokesdale and Oak Ridge – discussed going in together to develop a water system, but the expense and other factors left those plans dead in the water.
There has been some resistance – especially in Summerfield – to the idea of a water system because some citizens are concerned about the denser development water and sewer allow harming the rural nature of the community.
Stokesdale already has a limited water system with water purchased from Winston-Salem, however, the new plan would involve an expansion of that service.
Summerfield and Oak Ridge are currently on well water.
Alston said he wants to see water and sewer available to “anyone who wants to hook up,” adding that it could be Pleasant Garden, Sedalia, Whitsett or any other town.
Water systems for everybody!! Developers line up!!….Wait? Don’t you need water for a water system? Greensboro doesn’t have enough for itself and plenty of folks cannot afford price increases that will come with upkeep and the inevitable cost overruns. It is telling in a county with sky high murder rates, child hunger issues, and numerous issues that Skips plan is to meet secretly and divide up spoils to real estate and developer comrades. Good ole boy system replaced with Woke Oligarchy.
Fantastic, but where will you get all this water? Does skip have an idea where in the county he plans to situate a new lake capable of holding this much water….Randolph County is the usual victim of these new Guilford County schemes for water, waste disposal and mega sites. I suspect / hope that will be a harder sell this time.
Greensboro has water now and a good supply due to the “Randleman Resevoir” and dam.
If Guilford County is wanting to do this “water and sewer” for all, they need to keep it in the county. GREENSBORO, the county seat and largest city in the metro area, should be the supplier. Keep the money, the funds, the jobs, the taxes in Guilford County. DO NOT GO TO WINSTON-SALEM or any other location outside Guilford County. Grow Guilford County but do it properly and by and with Guilford County residents and with Guilford County cities.
My goodness!! Is this the result of the Secret Meeting” between the mayors and Mr. Alston?? In the not so distant past we were buying water from other cities. What about our schools? Roads could use some overhaul also. I guess we’re going right back to waste and spend.
My goodness!! THIS is the result of of the “secret meeting” discussed the other day? Whatever happened to discussions about Guildford County schools?? Were we not buying water in the not so distant past? This is crazy even for Mr. Alston.
Developers are salivating over this boondoggle. Us hicks beyond water lines feel safe from grabby cities and towns trying to annex us as long as it is not economically feasible to lay the lines. Oh yes indeedie, us country people need to be bossed and told what we can and more importantly cannot have or do on our property and of course pay those city taxes for all the privileges. We have our wells, septic tanks, elbow room and kinda like it like that. Skippy, we know you have only our best interest at heart and have nothing to gain including money under the table from your developer friends, but just buzz off.
WATER MAFIA !
I decided to sell my last house in Greensboro (but just outside city limits) when my monthly water?sewer bill reached $75.00 per month. That was in 2004, and they’ve been hiking the fee at twice the CPI ever since.
WHAT EXTORTION.
Can you live without water? If the Mafia were doing this there would be outrage.
Now I live in Oak Ridge and my well & septic have cost $390 in 17 years for two pumpings. That is $14,910 less than i would have paid in water bills to Greensboro – IF they had held their water fees constant since 2004. So it’s about $20,000 more in my pocket.
Water is God given.
Government is an unconscionable evil entity – that pretends to “increase your quality of life”.
Skip Alston Democrats or BJ Republicans. It doesn’t matter. Both are power hungry and going to do this to stroke their egos. Residents of Summerfield are screwed. Being complacent makes this happen. I tried to warn everyone when I won election in 2017. Why do you think they make up BS to kick me out of office. Now you see why!
You got it! They all pay their lodge dues to the same Luciferian organizations and scratch each other’s backs. Mortal enemies by day, bedfellows by night. Only a fool would trust any of them. It’s all a show to gain your trust and give these power hungry individuals something to feed on.
Recent news was serious problems with quality of Greensboro water and Greensboro has said only so much capacity. Does Greensboro want to go north through the Greensboro watershed and where will they put sewers? News also reported 400 municipalities in NC have “distressed” utility systems. One problem is people not paying water bills and cutting corners on maintenance. The good people of Greensboro need to feel they are safe with water system and not stressed. Over capacity is OK.
If you want commercial water /sewer to grow development then what about schools, roads and more?
Let’s build a massive water park too (without the water!) This is as comical as Rowan Atkinson’s bit about the funeral of the three dear friends Thomas, Richard, & Harold.
Screw you skippy Guilford County doesn’t have a water system some of us country “bumpkins” are actually smarter than you give us credit for
The city is not fixing water problems citizens call about multiple times. How are they going to add more services?
Water is in my yard and going down the street for over a month.
We have called twice.
A plumber we paid for said it is a city leak. We told them that.
It is still running down the road.
We don’t want city water/sewage. We didn’t ask for city water/sewage. We want to keep our well/septic tank. Just saying NO.
COVID economic Relief money for a water system citizens in the County don’t want? Are leaders working for citizens or developers?
Helping developers … whose business appears to be booming…. is more important than ACTUALLY using money for economic relief? For schools, roads, small businesses and families? What about the murders and crime in the County? Our City and County are getting more dangerous by the day and our reputation is sinking. Greensboro has one on the HIGHEST crime rates in the whole country! 94% of cities in America are SAFER than Greensboro. That’s right, we are the BOTTOM 6%. We are the most dangerous city in the State by far.
There are so many problems and your first thought is to help developers and force water systems on Guilford County citizens with no public input or vote on the ballot.
And you want Greensboro citizens, or even those in Winston, to just give over this precious, LIMITED resource? What about when the mega site gets built out and Greensboro has to impose water restrictions? Will Greensboro just stop building so they NEVER need more water?
You can’t make more water. And small Towns don’t want water systems. The Commissioners and Mayors are refusing to listen to those who voted them in office.
It is hard to believe a few hungry developers are able to have this much influence to get leaders to raid Greensboro’s resources and turn Towns of Oak Ridge, Summerfield etc into Cities with shopping plazas, concrete, traffic jams and overcrowded schools.
Let Greensboro keep its water. And let small Towns remain small. Stop wasting taxpayer money for things taxpayers don’t even want!
If you want Greensboro water for areas NOT in the City of Greensboro the cost of infrastructure is very high, and be sure and tell property owners they will pay twice the rate that Greensboro residents pay. That may be fair — but does mean $100 a month water bills and people need to know that