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.