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HomeMy WebLinkAboutC.054.93011_0380IREDELL COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS BRIEFING MINUTES AUGUST 17, 2004 The Iredell County Board of Commissioners met in Briefing Session on Tuesday, August 17, 2004, 5:00 p.m., in the Iredell County Government Center (South Wing Conference Room), 200 South Center Street, Statesville, NC. Present were: Chairman Steve D. Johnson Vice Chairman Godfrey Williams Doug Madison Marvin Norman Sara Haire Tice Staff present: County Manager Joel Mashburn, Finance Director Susan Blumenstein, Tax Administrator Bill Doolittle, Library Director Steve Messick, Health Director Donna Campbell, Emergency Management Director Tracy Jackson, and Clerk to the Board Jean Moore. CALL TO ORDER by Chairman Johnson. REQUEST FROM THE CITY OF MONROE FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO DISCUSS A PROPOSED NATURAL GAS PIPELINE PROJECT AND THE ACQUISITION OF RIGHTS-OF-WAY: Joining the commissioners for this segment of the meeting were City of Monroe Councilman Robert "Bob" Smith, Monroe City Manager Doug Spell, Monroe City Attorney Terry Sholar and the City of Monroe's Energy Services Director, the Economic Development Director, and an Engineering Consultant. Statesville Mayor John Marshall also attended the meeting. Councilman Smith said approval was being requested to acquire rights-of-way in Iredell County for the purpose of constructing a gas pipeline. He said the affected property in Iredell County was primarily located in -and -around the intersection of Highway 115lLangtree Road in Mooresville. Smith said the line would start in Union County and extend through Cabarrus and Mecklenburg Counties with a tap connection at the Transcontinental Pipeline located in Iredell County. He said the City of Monroe currently purchased gas from Piedmont Natural Gas, but the contract expired in December of 2006. He said an energy study had been completed, and it indicated the City's most economical method to obtain services would be to become a direct customer of the Transcontinental Pipeline. Smith said project support had been obtained from members of Congress and the North Carolina State Department of Commerce. He added that the pipeline's extension would be an economic asset for the entire region, or all of the counties involved. Mr. Smith said Monroe was only interested in building the pipeline -- not "cherry picking" energy customers along the way. Commissioner Tice inquired about the route of the pipeline. She also asked if the company intended to condemn property if the owners were reluctant to sell the rights -of way. Smith said the City of Monroe wanted to purchase the rights-of-way, and the municipality would not have any authority to condemn property in Cabarrus or Iredell County. Commissioner Williams noted that the maps submitted by the City indicated that a large housing development (Johnson Dairy Road & Shearer Roads) would be affected. Smith said the maps were not exact. He said that as much as possible, the pipeline route would follow the power lines. Mr. Smith said the power line actually extended through the subdivision, as shown on the map. He said the City could try to work around condemnation, and this could be put in writing.